There are 196 recognized countries in the world, as of August 13, 2012.
242 countries
The list is long but there were a total of 32 countries taking part.
There are 195 countries in the world recognized by the United Nations. Some countries include the United States, China, India, Brazil, Russia, and Germany. Each country has its own unique culture, government, and history.
china
See the link below for a full list of all the countries in the world, including sovereign and partially recognized states.
india
For a list of the major deserts in then world and the countries in which they occur, click on this link.
Some examples of third world countries include Afghanistan, Haiti, Sudan, and Yemen. These countries are typically characterized by high poverty levels, underdevelopment, and limited access to resources and services.
The five smallest countries by size in the world are Vatican City, Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu, and San Marino. These countries are all less than 25 square kilometers in area.
The list is far to long.
The poorest countries in the world list includes some countries from Africa. The continent has its own top 10 list of poor countries too and the second on the list is Liberia.
Ireland comes in at 120th largest in the world out of 234 countries.
193