Are There 193 Countries?

Are There 193 Countries? Currently, the U.N. recognizes 193 countries as member states. It also recognizes two “observers states”, the Holy See/Vatican City and Palestine, which are self-ruling territories but not full-fledged countries. Are there 212 countries in the world? The United Nations, for example, recognizes 251 countries and territories. 1 The United States, however,