How Many Countries Are There in the World? (2023)

[@WonderWhy]

10 years since my first video! Genuinely cannot believe it, how times flies! To mark the occassion, I decided to re-make my first video looking at how many countries there are in the world. It was really this question that inspired me to start the channel, and led me down a rabbit hole of curiosities. In this video, which an overhaul of the original script, I try to answer this question that seems simple, but is actually quite complicated. I put together a companion video to this one over on Nebula, it's an unscripted chat about how I got started making videos and a bit about my journey of the last 10 years. If you're interested, you can you check it out here: nebula.tv/videos/wonderwhy-10year-anniversary-chat-how-i-got-started-on-youtube Or if you're interested in checking out the original video, you can do so here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqfWgXWVoceib5Y I was actually quite surprised that not a lot has actually changed. Aside from minor developments, all the numbers are basically the name as last time! Thanks to each and every one of you for being here with me over this last decade making video, I really do appreciate it. Here's to next 10 years! Cheers!

[@bluemop2024]

Wow time really does fly. I can’t believe that at that time I was only four years old.

[@anoemuser310]

Like it 👍

[@desiredditor]

You are a great content creator

[@amberlandball]

​@@bluemop2024i was 0 years old Dont judge me i cant whoch time i get born

[@uzbek9669]

As someone living in scotland i immediately recognised the Glasgow royal concert hall from the image as soon as i saw it.

[@alphabravoindia5267]

Thanks for 10 years of providing YT with valuable knowledge. I remember watching this channel when I was a literal 9 year old, and now as a junior in high school, it's awesome to see this channel going strong! Thanks for the memories

[@LilCurson]

Wonderwhy was the first KZbin channel I watched when I was 9. Still one of my favorite YouThbe channels 8 years later

[@jamium]

Same!

[@neos9934]

Same here man haha

[@metalbob123]

Thanks for the memories of flying with delta

[@evanstanislas898]

I remembered during the time I was in Primary school watching WonderWhy on my Nokia Symbian phone. Now I'm in college and still watching

[@exploshaun]

Honestly, that list at the end is basically the perfect answer to the question of "How many countries are there" and it's nice that someone finally have it clearly laid out in a video.

[@WonderWhy]

Thanks so much! And wow, you've been subscribed for a LONG time!

[@Adam19]

Congratulations on 10 years on KZbin. The fact the comment section is littered with congratulations is testament to the great content and work you've produced over this time. 🎉🎉

[@WonderWhy]

Cheers Adam! 🎉

[@bennyboy5949]

I wish you mentioned the fact that the ISO counts 249 “countries”. They count nearly every overseas territory as a separate country, but they count the United Kingdom as 1 country, and don’t list Kosovo. Also ~10 of the “countries” are uninhabited.

[@vibce]

Are there any other than Bouvet Island (BV) that are uninhabited?

[@bennyboy5949]

@@vibce I should have said territories with no permanent population. 🇦🇶 Antarctica 🇧🇻 Bouvet Island 🇮🇴 British Indian Ocean Territory 🇹🇫 French Southern Territories 🇭🇲 Heard and McDonald Islands 🇬🇸 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands 🇸🇯 Svalbard and Jan Mayen 🇺🇲 US Minor Outlying Islands So there’s 9, unless I made a mistake.

[@barmanitan]

​@@bennyboy5949Even if Jan Mayen doesn't, Svalbard very much has a permanent population

[@Artyomi]

@@bennyboy5949 Well, Svalbard has 2,500 permanent residents, the US minor outlying islands has a population of 300 on Johnston Atoll. Even though it’s tiny, technically those two do have permanent populations

[@AaronMcHale]

The ISO list also includes Jersey and Guernsey, which are not technically part of the UK but are considered Crown Dependencies.

[@MaxTheCat-eh5ts]

I remember being 8 and watching this channel, now I’m 18. Here’s to another damn great decade.

[@ciyrainshgaming507]

Same

[@leadharsh0616]

Damn same

[@Jack-496]

I’ve been watching your videos since I was a child, all those years ago. I may not have been here for all the years, but it’s been close and I’ve loved watching you grow. Your videos get better and better every year, and this whole community of educational KZbinrs is just wonderful! Continue the work, you’re a great guy! I look forward to seeing more and more quality and ambition from someone who is already stellar.

[@finnsalsa9304]

Could not have said it better!

[@ryandriver9478]

Crazy to think it’s been that long. I was 20 when I found this channel and now just turned 30

[@chronomenter]

i was 13 now i’m 23 times flies man

[@cesrperez]

I was 8 now I’m 18

[@Ninja-eh4cu]

i was in the womb now im 9

[@bravesbuckeyesfan31]

I was 11-13 when I first saw his vids and I’m 19 now

[@_levi07]

@@cesrperez same

[@unofficialspaghet]

Congratulations on your ten-year anniversary! Not many channels can say they’ve had quality, informative content for a whole decade, but you are one of them. Thank you and once again, congrats on ten years!

[@amanicricket9367]

When the world needed him most he returned

[@H8nji]

He was gone for a month bro, stop clout chasing

[@McMuffin_2763]

Im tired hi lol

[@waveforcenews4589]

@@H8njibro there is literally no reason to say that last part. Now you seem like an asshole because you accused them

[@Jack6J57]

this is literally his regular upload schedule, he didn’t really return

[@Hamzerio]

@@H8njibruh why you hating

[@missm10]

Congrats on 10 years! I remember finding your videos as a teenager (at least 5-6 years ago). It's been wonderful seeing your channel grow over time. Here's to another 10 years!

[@RossParker1877]

As a fellow Scot who has watched you for years here and on Nebula I always love when your videos come out. Well worth the wait. Great to see views of the world through a Scottish lense too

[@VirtuallyVexed]

My first video of yours I watched was "The Most Complex International Borders in the World" when I was 15 years old. I am now 25 and still ecstatic when you release a video. Your always stellar work gets better every video and I have felt privileged to have grown up with your work. Thank you for all you have brought to educational KZbin! Best from a fellow Scot!

[@mrkrabbbbz]

i've been watching you since 2017 and all your videos are incredible. keep up the good work!

[@gg_vard]

It's truly amazing how many people have literally grown up and became adults like myself Thank you for your channel and thank you for Nebula

[@jalapenoofjustice4682]

I feel like if you count all 193 UN members by default it's a bit inconsistent not to count Niue and the Cook Islands. By my reasoning, 191 is the lowest number you can reasonably give - removing free association countries but keeping the vatican as a list of unambiguously independent nations.

[@justinarzola4584]

If you count ethnic atonoumous enclaves like tibet, assyria( modern border) or kurdistan then the number increases.

[@rileybanks1191]

you could absolutely say 190 tho. there's a very real argument to be made that in no way is the vatican a country, it's just a hill which represents the catholic church.

[@thedoublessymbol]

@@rileybanks1191 it’s completely independent from Italy

[@namingisdifficult408]

@@rileybanks1191is there a minimum size for a country?

[@Weavileiscool]

@@namingisdifficult408 No not at all

[@mehrheitler]

2013 No mentions of Donetsk and Luhansk because they didn’t claim independence yet 2023 No mentions of Donetsk and Luhansk because they don’t claim independence anymore

[@Zixivyxity]

Ten years. Ten YEARS on this platform. I remember being about 8 or so watching your Winners and Losers series on the TV, and I was immediately hooked to your channel. Every since, I have been watching your videos over and over again, and they never get boring. Thank you for being on this platform!

[@stanke4593]

I still remember stumbling upon the original video 10 years back, literally marking the time when I started watching English speaking videos on the platform, "forcing" me to learn the language more. So great thanks to You for all the amazing content and encouraging me to get better at both speaking and understanding the language, as I'm not a native speaker. Just yesterday I passed a C2 level exam in my university (I couldn't have done so before by legal status), partially thanks to You. It's actually quite astonishing to me how much better I've gotten as an English speaker. I honestly am very happy of Your achievement, and have no idea how quickly this decade has passed. Here's to another decade of great content🥂. Wish You all the best ❤️

[@MrAsianPie]

Congratulations on 10 years! When I first found the original video I was a forth grader, now I'm a Freshman in college. I still go back and watch the older videos out of pure nostalgia. Keep up the great work!

[@fidtrumpdump86]

I stumbled across the original video probably about 8 years ago now, and ever since I have been watching every upload and learning so much more about the world. You are what got me into Geography and History, and after a lot of life struggles you’re videos brighten up my day, I was so happy to see your videos again once I rediscovered your channel a couple years ago and subscribed. Keep it up WonderWhy, we love you!!

[@andrewbailey4991]

@0:38 Not completely correct, because not every country recognizes every country in the UN. The best example is the 28 member states who don't recognize Israel. North Korea doesn't recognize Israel and South Korea, so according to North Korea there are only 191 countries xD

[@WhizzKid2012]

193 including vatican and paleztine.

[@thedeutschman9905]

I remember the original video, it’s a classic in my opinion and have been subscribed for 6 years, it’s so cool to see a channel change and improve their content, best of wishes!

[@mono-no-aware.Lem.]

Congrats on 10 years! Been here the whole time!

[@lukispiano]

Fun fact: Lithuania literaly build an Taiwanese embacy and PRC closed relacions with Lits

[@WindowsXPMapping1]

Nice to see a remake to the video that started the legend, Happy 10 Years of your channel WonderWhy! (And I've been watching your videos since 2014-2015, around there)

[@sjoerdglaser2794]

I'm glad you shared some light of our situation within the Netherlands. I hardly hear anyone talk about them, while it's in theory very similar to gb. Although it must be noted this situation is quite recent

[@willwin5752]

Don't usually comment but I want to say congrats on 10 years!! I still remember finding the original video when I was 14, it's pretty much is the reason why I got so obsessed with geopolitics and understanding how the world functions. You Rock Man!

[@TheRemco98]

Congrats on 10 years! Genuinely love your videos and I rewatch them from time to time. Cheers to many more!

[@elitettelbach4247]

Congrats on 10 years!! I remember watching the original video when it first came out. As you mentioned, it’s interesting that not too much has changed regarding this issue in the past decade. Keep up the great work :)

[@inhocsignovinces1327]

French Polynesia isn't a "country of France" but a Overseas Territory, which is a close thing of what were the colonies. They have autonomy but aren't recognized as a country.

[@KnowHistory]

10 years later, I still wait passionatly for your next release! Thank you for all the work you put in your videos! I was just a highschooler when i first find your channel and I've been loving it ever since! Let there be 10 more succesfull years ahead for you! :D

[@cerjmedia]

I like how well the original video holds up, both in terms of presentation/quality as well as information. The video is almost entirely accurate to this very day, and that is not a luxury that most KZbinr's first video gets to have.

[@dareo.]

The original of this video was the video which introduced me to your channel. Definitely a long ride... Celebrating 10 years with a remake of the video is lovely

[@farisdurrani]

Your channel was probably my first educational KZbin channel that I discovered, before channels like Wendover and PolyMatter. I most love your videos about countries. A lot of interesting facts that I sometimes rewatch just to hear your soothing Scottish accent lecturing me about geography. Even though nothing really changed, you added more "countries" this time and did a job well done as you always do

[@sciencenerd7639]

so awesome, thanks for making this!!!

[@Professorgutierrez]

Happy 10 years! I’ve enjoyed your channel and still remember when the original video was new. You’ve taught me so much, keep up the great work! God bless!

[@godtiermtg]

I love your videos so much! I’m not much of a geography or history person usually, but you’ve consistently been one of my favorite channels to watch. I remember watching your channel when you had only a couple thousand subscribers, and telling everyone I knew that they should check you out. Cheers to another decade!

[@KanarisTM]

Sadly I only saw this video a month and a third after its upload, but _massive_ congratulations on ten years. I did indeed first find your videos back in 2014 when I was five years of age, which most definitely was the spark for my early love for - rather, obsession/hyperfocus of geography & geopolitics: And I still love it to this day, ten years after that. I just wanted to say that after all this time of producing simply wonderful videos, you are criminally undersubscribed to: It's ridiculous that you haven't been given the satisfaction of a million subscribers after _ten years_ of awesome video production. Thanks, man.

[@szbszig]

The Sovereign Military Order of Malta works in many ways as an independent country. It has its own flag, coat of arms, anthem, and government. It has a small, but decent population, and it gives out passports to all of its citizens, which are widely accepted internationally. It has a national currency, and the right to mint its own coins, which are also accepted internationally. The Sovereign Military Order of Malta is a permanent observer state in the UN, which puts them on par with the Vatican and Palestine. However, it lacks one crucial thing which is considered integral for any country: it has no territory. The Order's headquarters are in Rome now, by international law the buildings have extraterritorial rights like embassies, still they are part of Italy. That's why most times the Order is not considered to be an independent country.

[@eoinobrien2379]

Congratulations on the 10 years. Thanks for all the amazing videos. I started watching your videos before I was 20 and my 20s are almost over! Some of the best youtube content out there. Roll on the next 10 years!

[@sevelofficial2696]

Been watching you since the beginning when I was 13 and for the past 10 years have always been so excited when you've uploaded. Thank you for making me more knowledgeable over the past 10 years, and congratulations! 🎉

[@kittycatcaoimhe]

I'm a fan of the CGPGrey answer to this question: "around 200". A slightly funnier way to put it would be 215 ± 22, using the UN member states and the CIA factbook as lower and upper bounds, respectively. All in all, a great video, with a lot more depth than I usually see on the topic.

[@boldblazervids]

I remember when KZbin recommended your channel when it had just a handful of videos. Can't believe it has been a decade since.

[@adamiscoolsoya]

congrats on ten years! you are one of my favorite channels and thank you for teaching me so much info.

[@juliusnovachrono4370]

Congratulations on going strong for 10 years. May you continue to be legendary for ten more!

[@anthonyverde1522]

One of the greats, your content has seen me through high school and college both! Thank you for your work :)

[@Ottolotto0480]

Congrats on 10 years! Always enjoyed your work!

[@MeelinYT]

I recognize 196 countries but I Dont recognize Palestine or Taiwan All UN members +193 Vatican +1 Kosovo +1 & Sahrawi (Western Sahara) [SADR] +1 So 196

[@rebelcommander7starwarsjur922]

How could you not mention the fact that Niue 🇳🇺 and the Cook Islands 🇨🇰 are allowed to with each having there own distinct representation separate from New Zealand 🇳🇿 participate in select UN agencies and organizations further complicating the matter

[@ayoubalrfadey3031]

I just clicked the notification that says WonderWhy uploaded a video, as I know for sure is a great video. Love your work

[@stlouisix3]

Every comment on this video goes along the lines of: 'Congratulations, well done, good job and good work on your channel's past decade! I was 5-months old in the womb when I watched your first video about how many countries there are in the world, and now I've finally escaped my mummy's womb and I'm entering Oxford University as a 10-year-old pupil - their brightest, most brilliant prodigy yet! Cheers for the memories, mate!!!' 🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😅😄

[@alien3200]

Fr bro 😂😂🤣

[@AnabolicUnitarian]

The UN officially recognizes 197 states: 193 members, 2 observers, and 2 other non-members (Cook Islands and Niue). The other two most widely accepted as states: Taiwan and Kosovo, would give us 199.

[@AnabolicUnitarian]

Nah. There’s a reason I stuck to those 197 with official UN recognition + the 2 with overwhelming international recognition. The rest are not really on par, even with the 2.

[@AnabolicUnitarian]

@@animax2422 I might be able to squint my eyes and grant Somaliland and *maybe* the Sahrawi Republic (since [a] the African Union includes them on equal status as a state, and [b] at some point or another, including the present, over 40% of UN states recognized it as a state and an oft-overlooked principle of state recognition is that it cannot be revoked even if a state changes its mind later on), but the others are clearly more client/puppet entities more or less formed to be de facto extensions another state. Overall, though, 199 is probably the most accurate official and functional count as of 2023 and anything more is just unnecessary at least as the state of things currently stand. Plus, if we actually counted every de facto sovereign polity that exists in the world, we’d have hundreds more, not merely these handful or so of others. Unless we see a sudden sea change in favor of Russia and Turkey’s puppets (Artsakh is a bit weird, but with more Western sympathies but I don’t necessarily see it as particularly different with Armenia being the overly involved state and I would need to see more from Artsakh as well), I see no reason to include them and see them as anything other than illegitimate partial occupations of the states they claim separation from.

[@alistairpatterson429]

I'm a touch gutted that Sealand didn't get a mention here, I think you could probably do a whole video on the topic as it's really fascinating. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this a lot, fantastic production quality as always

[@James-zi5en]

Northern Cyprus was recognized by Bangladesh and Pakistan, but they were forced to repeal their recognition after the west threatened sanctions.

[@dairyinthelibraryinn]

I've been here for the entire decade WonderWhy. Here's to another decade!!!

[@neilb89]

Congrats on 10 years! Love your videos 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@HeisenbergFam]

The fact its been 10 years and you are still uploading & having fun is insane dedication, respect

[@PharrowlOG]

It’s been 10 years since the original “how many countries are there” video? Wow, I feel old now. Congrats on making it so far in that time!

[@DevtheViolinist]

That “Well… there are wrong answers” joke brought back way too many memories of this channel

[@Garmin21111]

To me, the definition of a country is a piece of land ruled by an organized government that has its own armed forces for defense (wether that be an army or militarized police force like Panama or a coast guard like Iceland). The government must have its own currency unique to it, a bureaucracy, and a justice system.

[@SamTaylorsVersion]

Happy 10th channel birthday!!!!!

[@user-rm2qj2jh4l]

Happy 10-year anniversary, WonderWhy! I love your channel!! Congratulations :D

[@diamonzz2371]

okay but the referendum held in 2017 in catalonia was not even considered a "referendum" due to its participation (40%) and also for the voting system (where people voted twice in different locations, therefore, there was no credibility to the result).

[@goldeaglekroll1596]

Congratulations on making a decade. May the next decade go quickly with success.

[@rezaalan3991]

Finally 10 years anniversary, and yeah great remake of this video.

[@ethanpetersen810]

Part of the problem is that governments equivocate RECOGNIZING a country with SUPPORTING them and their cause. In other words, when people are asked, “do you think this place is its own country,” they instead hear, “Would you WANT them to be their own country?”

[@jonathanmueller9062]

Thanks for the update. I've used your older video before in my classes and will be using the updated version in the future.

[@chipej2075]

I remember back in like 2015 or 2016 just around that time when I found this channel and I used to watch the original like once a month. Congrats on 10 years!

[@cypriotmappers5342]

When wonderwhy posts, it takes priority over everything

[@mirermichael]

Congrats on ten years. I started watching you about three years ago and you have been one of my favorite educational channels

[@cythonian2]

i was 5 when i watched the first video and this got me really into countries and stuff so this video has a special place in me

[@jacksonfilms3388]

Happy decade WonderWhy. Been watching you since 2015 :)

[@borntowild480]

Damn! It's been 10 years since I have subscribed to your channel 😮

[@RyTheYouTubeGuy]

Congrats on ten years! Love your videos!

[@HuntingTheEnd]

Happy 10 years! I've been subbed for damn near all of them and I'm not going anywhere

[@xE3x]

I've only just now found this video, and I remember watching the original one many years ago. I even think the original might've been one of the if not the video that actually started getting me interested into geopolitics in the first place. 10 years... time flies fast. Keep up the good work!

[@angeldelinfierno4567]

WOW! 10 years already?! I remeber watching the first one back on the day,. CONGRATS FOR THE 10 YEARS!

[@SlayingSuperNerdX]

WOOOOOHOOOOO!!!! 10 WHOLE YEARS Congradulations

[@Inkyminkyzizwoz]

Perhaps the safest answer is 'around 200', because none of the plausible answers stray far from that figure!

[@swarnabhamukherjee6470]

We need more videos but at a pace of 1 month gap

[@SantaFe19484]

This is a lot better than the one posted 10 years ago.

[@danielimmortuos666]

Omg it’s been 10 years already I’ve been here since the very beginning. Congrats my friend

[@andrewbailey4991]

@17:50 You say Taiwan is essentially a country, because it has control of it's territory, passports, and a functional government. Somaliland also has all three things (unlike actual Somalia, where there hasn't been a functioning government for 32 years). Why does literally recognition not have it qualify as a country oO

[@junsuaiiim998]

And he spends more than a quarter of the video on Taiwan but barely mentions African nations like Somaliland and Western Sahara

[@MoorishAlliance]

​​@@junsuaiiim998Western Sahara was the land of Moors before the berlin conference decided to shred the great Kingdom of Morocco into small pieces. It's just a geopolitical grab created by Algeria so that Morocco don't fight for Eastern Sahara, the stolen provinces France annexed and gave to now formed country Algeria. Hence why Algeria goes nuts when some country support our territorial integrity. Sahraouis are not even native to the land they are bedouin settlers. Being Sahraoui isn't even an ethnicity. Anyone born in a desert is a Sahraoui including me. And the flag is the biggest truther. The flag of palestine made by syches-becko with the turkish crescent. The ottomans never set foot in Morocco. Fyi, in that time western sahara was part of Greater Morocco. Every content creator does this mistake, selecting where history starts and they always start it with Spanish sahara. 😂😂

[@88porpoise]

​@@junsuaiiim998The video is about how many countries there are and how that is subjective. It is not about partially recognized states. In that light, you talk about the couple most interesting/complex examples and then briefly mention others. And the status of Taiwan is much more complicated with the historical aspect of the PRC replacing the ROC at the UN and the unofficial diplomatic relations that the ROC has with much of the world. By the time he covers Palestine (the second UN observer) and Kosovo (the non-UN member/observer with, by far, the most recognition) there really isn't much to say on the topic of the number of countries on South Ossetia or Western Sahara on this topic other than "some countries recognize them, most don't" and similarly for the unrecognized countries like Somaliland.

[@Nick_the_antzzzz]

I know very well that scottland and wales will most likely be independant within 20 years. Im welsh with a scottish dad and have a very close connection with my scottish family and both of the countries have huge independence movments. Yes Cymru here in wales is bigger than ever and support for plaid cymru is growing, and now with all the miskates west minster made its just a matter of time.

[@enochlee3601]

We've been discussing this idea for some time and man has it been worth the wait

[@patja89]

Missing Puerto Rico when speaking about free association

[@modmaker7617]

Puerto Rico isn't in free association. It's just a territory that the UN claims to be a colony.

[@patja89]

@@modmaker7617 the official title of Puerto Rico is Free Associated State of Puerto Rico.

[@88porpoise]

​@@patja89And do you also believe North Korea is "Democratic"? Despite the name, Puerto Rico's status is very different than the states under Compacts of Free Association. The associated states recieved certain financial benefits from the US government and give the United States full authority and responsibility for their defense. But they function as independent countries with their own internal policies and foreign affairs, which are not subject to the whims of Washington outside of defense. Puerto Rico is a part of the United States and subject to the actions of Congress and the President. They also do not have responsibility for any foreign affairs. Puerto Rican are also citizens of the United States, unlike those of states under a Compact of Free Association. Finally, the Compacts of Free Association signed by the US are for finite terms (although they have been renewed in the past), which Puerto Rico remains part of the US unless specific action is taken to change that.

[@patja89]

@@88porpoise There's no need to be pedantic like that lol. I wasn't saying Puerto Rico works exactly as these other territories or states that also fall within the title of free association, the video itself shows us that these titles ("country", "state", "territory") are not hard-wired and set in stone but maleable terms with different meanings in different contexts. I was just pointing out, if we're going to speak about territories under "free association" then Puerto Rico might as well be mentioned since it status includes that title, regardless of how different it's relationship to the US compared to other territories with a similar title. And for what is worth, yes, I do believe that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is democratic, but that isn't the topic at hand xP.

[@88porpoise]

@@patja89 Its not being pedantic. Puerto Rico is fundamentally different from Micronesia, Palau, and the Marshall Islands or the Cook Islands and Niue. It is definititely part of the United States. Besides, if I was being pedantic that is basically the point of this video.

[@Dave_Sisson]

In addition to the "free association countries" under New Zealand and the the United States, plus the extended Danish and Netherlands "realms", there are three countries that Britain would like to get rid of, but can't. One is Bermuda, a wealthy island in the Atlantic Ocean closest to South Carolina. Two independence referendums were held, but the locals voted against both times. However their local parliament has full power over domestic affairs and a lot of foreign policy, so it can be said they are *effectively independent* The second is Gibraltar. It is rich, with a higher GDP per capita than Britain, they run their own affairs, so they are also quasi-independent. But Gibraltar can't become a fully independent European micro state like Andorra or Monaco because a 310 year old treaty says that if Britain gives up sovereignty, Gibraltar goes to Spain and Spain refuses to change the treaty. The third is The Falklands, the place has full self government and is booming with a rapidly increasing population and some sources credit them as the fifth richest place in the world. Local media such as their TV news talks about them being a "nation", but they are not yet big enough to be independent. One of their politicians diplomatically said, even when they have the population, they could never be independent because of "the obvious military threat". Anyway, if the NZ, USA, Danish and Dutch territories are counted as countries, surely those three British ones should get the same status?

[@roballen3281]

so well documented and presented.

[@FiveMissiles]

i remember finding your channel ten years ago watching all your videos and being like wow this is awesome

[@lp-xl9ld]

First, congrats on 10 years on KZbin! Second, thanks for the update on Kosovo. Third, just wanted you to know that I've recommended and forwarded your material to several of my friends. Always loved your stuff and looking forward to more!

[@Dymethylz]

It's not debated whether the UK are one country or 4. It's obviously 1 country. Or else the USA are 50 countries, Germany 16 countries (they are literally called "countries" in German, too), Russia would be many countries etc.

[@Artufutu]

Congratulations on 10 years I have been watching you as long as i can remember Thank you for all the memories

[@dorbeans777]

this is insane to me, i remember being fascinated by the original video as a 10 year old and still are as a 20 year old. congrats on 10 years on youtube🙏🏼

[@gamermapper]

Honestly these videos made me make feel a hypocrisy that some of these unrecognised states are called countries while some aren't even tho they're arguably different just because some are pro western and some anti western

[@FonikosGazmas]

In 2015 I discovered you channel and Ive been subed to it with at least one of the accounts I had over the years. Its been fun watching your past and see the progression. And for the foreseeable future Ill be here enjoying them. The only thing that needs remastering now is the borders video. In some years time Ill be here to watch it too, in case it happens. XD

[@DaniAalders]

Babe wake up a new WonderWhy video just dropped

[@pool5863]

dude happy 10th year in youtube! looking forward to more content in the future!

[@KuroKomix]

It's true that there are a lot of ways that you can answer this. Personally - based on the information available, imo 199 is a logical answer to make. That's the 193 UN Members, the 2 non-member observer states, Kosovo (because of its widespread recognition and reasonable potential to in the near future become either a non-member observer or full UN member), Taiwan (because it is functionally an independent nation in all but name, despite its relative lack of "official" recognition compared to Kosovo), Niue and the Cook Islands (because of they share a political status with 3 countries that *are* UN members, so it just feels consistent). What this leaves out is: - Constituent Countries, because in all technicality they are currently, willingly being officially represented in the UN as *part* an existing UN Member. - Unrecognized countries, because there are usually a lot of tense political shenanigans tied to them, with several of them (such as Northern Cyprus, Transnistria, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia), having a legitimate arguement for being puppet or sattelite states of another power for a political agenda, with their self-proclaimed independence being under high scrutiny as a result.

[@richarddavis3980]

Incredibly well done sir it calls back to the original video but adds all the information you spent gathering over your time on KZbin I am very pleased and I'm glad that you have continued to post videos for as long as you have thank you for the good work and I really appreciate it

[@mutated__donkey5840]

I remember watching this channel when I was a kid. Good to see it’s still going.