Search results
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, states with limited recognition, constituent country, or a dependent territory.
Find an alphabetical list of all the countries of the world, with links to their articles on Britannica. Learn about their geography, government, history, and culture.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Countries and dependencies of the world in alphabetical order from A to Z and by letter, showing current population estimates for 2016, density, and land area.
Each country profile contains links to and information about important official websites of a country/territory, geographic information, maps, the national flag, history, culture and tourist destinations.
Although there isn’t universal agreement on the question of what qualifies as a “country,” it is generally accepted that in order to be a country, a state must be a sovereign unit that has a permanent population, defined territorial boundaries, a government, and the ability to enter into agreements with other states.
Learn the meaning of country as a political unit, a natural land, or a particular area. Find out how to use country in different contexts and idioms with examples from the Cambridge Dictionary.
Learn the origin, synonyms, examples, and usage of the word country as a noun and an adjective. Find out the difference between country and nation, and explore related phrases and articles.
