Countries of the World Overview

Countries of the World

Overview

• There are currently 196 countries recognized by the United Nations (UN)
• Each country has its own government, economy, and culture

Country Classification

• Developed countries: high-income economies with high Human Development Index (HDI) ratings, e.g. USA, Canada, Germany
• Developing countries: low-income economies with low HDI ratings, e.g. India, Brazil, South Africa
• Least Developed Countries (LDCs): poorest countries with lowest HDI ratings, e.g. Afghanistan, Nepal, Somalia

Regions of the World

• Asia: largest and most populous region, e.g. China, Japan, India
• Africa: second-largest and second-most populous region, e.g. Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa
• Europe: culturally and economically diverse region, e.g. Germany, UK, France
• North America: economically developed region, e.g. USA, Canada, Mexico
• South America: culturally and economically diverse region, e.g. Brazil, Argentina, Chile
• Oceania: smallest region, e.g. Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea
• Antarctica: no permanent residents, only research stations

Country Systems

• Monarchies: kingdoms with a monarch as head of state, e.g. UK, Saudi Arabia, Thailand
• Presidential systems: president serves as head of state and government, e.g. USA, France, Russia
• Parliamentary systems: prime minister serves as head of government, e.g. UK, Germany, Australia
• Authoritarian systems: government has complete control, e.g. China, North Korea, Cuba

Country Features

• Landlocked countries: countries without direct access to the ocean, e.g. Switzerland, Bolivia, Mongolia
• Island nations: countries consisting of one or more islands, e.g. Japan, UK, Indonesia
• Border disputes: countries with ongoing border conflicts, e.g. India-Pakistan, Israel-Palestine, North-South Korea

Countries of the World

• There are 196 countries recognized by the United Nations (UN), each with its own government, economy, and culture.

Country Classification

• Developed countries have high-income economies and high Human Development Index (HDI) ratings, such as the USA, Canada, and Germany.
• Developing countries have low-income economies and low HDI ratings, such as India, Brazil, and South Africa.
• Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are the poorest countries with the lowest HDI ratings, such as Afghanistan, Nepal, and Somalia.

Regions of the World

• Asia is the largest and most populous region, with countries like China, Japan, and India.
• Africa is the second-largest and second-most populous region, with countries like Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa.
• Europe is a culturally and economically diverse region, with countries like Germany, the UK, and France.
• North America is an economically developed region, with countries like the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
• South America is a culturally and economically diverse region, with countries like Brazil, Argentina, and Chile.
• Oceania is the smallest region, with countries like Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.
• Antarctica has no permanent residents, only research stations.

Country Systems

• Monarchies are kingdoms with a monarch as head of state, such as the UK, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand.
• Presidential systems have a president serving as head of state and government, such as the USA, France, and Russia.
• Parliamentary systems have a prime minister serving as head of government, such as the UK, Germany, and Australia.
• Authoritarian systems have a government with complete control, such as China, North Korea, and Cuba.

Country Features

• Landlocked countries have no direct access to the ocean, such as Switzerland, Bolivia, and Mongolia.
• Island nations consist of one or more islands, such as Japan, the UK, and Indonesia.
• Border disputes occur between countries with ongoing border conflicts, such as India-Pakistan, Israel-Palestine, and North-South Korea.