How Many Countries Are There in Asia?48 sovereign states
There are 48 countries in Asia — that is, 48 sovereign states. Asia is the largest continent by both area and population. Several countries here — Turkey, Cyprus, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan — are partly in Europe; we explain each choice below.
The countries
All 48 sovereign states of Asia, A–Z. Each traces to the UN list of member and observer states.
Afghanistan
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Brunei
Cambodia
China
Cyprus
Georgia
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Lebanon
Malaysia
Maldives
Mongolia
Myanmar
Nepal
North Korea
Oman
Pakistan
Palestine
Philippines
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
South Korea
Sri Lanka
Syria
Tajikistan
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Turkey
Turkmenistan
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Yemen
How we count Asia
We count the sovereign states usually placed in Asia. This includes the transcontinental states that are partly European: Turkey (mostly Anatolia), Cyprus (an island geographically in Asia but politically tied to Europe), Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Caucasus, and Kazakhstan (most of whose land is in Asia). Egypt, which holds the Sinai Peninsula in Asia, is counted under Africa. Partially recognized states such as Taiwan are not UN members and are not included in the 48.
FAQ
Is Turkey in Europe or Asia?
Turkey is a transcontinental country. A small part around Istanbul is in Europe, but the bulk of the country — Anatolia — is in Asia. We count Turkey under Asia.
What is the largest country in Asia?
China is the largest country in Asia by area, followed by India. India is now the most populous country in Asia and in the world.
What is the smallest country in Asia?
The Maldives is the smallest country in Asia by area, at about 300 square kilometers. By population, the Maldives is also among the smallest in the region.
Is Kazakhstan in Europe or Asia?
Kazakhstan is transcontinental: a small western part sits in Europe, but most of the country lies in Asia. We count Kazakhstan under Asia.
Is the Middle East part of Asia?
Yes. The Middle East is a region of western Asia; countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and Israel are Asian countries and are counted in this list of 48.
Antarctica has 0 countries — it is governed by the Antarctic Treaty, not by any sovereign state.
More, by numbers
The other continents
Cite this page
CC BY 4.0Our compilation on this page — the figures as arranged, ranked and dated here — is published under CC BY 4.0. Reuse it anywhere, including commercially, with a link back. The underlying data belongs to the organizations credited below.
Us, by Numbers. "Us, by Numbers." https://usbynumbers.com
Sources
Every number here traces to an official body.