Learning hub
Learn About Countries
People-first guides that explain country concepts, continents, populations, currencies, languages, and time zones.
What Is a Country?
A country is usually understood as a political territory with people, institutions, borders, and some form of recognized sovereignty.
How Many Countries Are There?
Counts vary depending on whether you include UN members, observer states, disputed territories, and dependencies.
Continents of the World
Learn the common continent model and how countries are grouped by region.
Countries by Population
Compare countries by population size and learn why population figures change over time.
Countries by Area
Explore the largest and smallest countries by land area.
Landlocked Countries
Landlocked countries have no direct coastline and often rely on neighboring transit routes.
Island Countries
Island countries are made up entirely or primarily of islands.
Countries With Multiple Capitals
Some countries divide government functions among more than one city.
Countries and Currencies
Learn how currencies are used across countries and regions.
Countries and Languages
Many countries have more than one official or widely used language.
Countries by Time Zone
Large countries can span several time zones, while smaller countries often use one.
UN Member Countries
UN membership is one common way to count sovereign states.
Non-UN Countries and Territories
Non-member entities should be explained carefully and neutrally.
Countries and Capitals
A guide to capital cities and why some countries have special capital arrangements.