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How Many Countries Are There in Asia?

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.

United Nations — Standard Country Codes (M49) ↗
Source UN M49Method sovereign states (193 UN members + 2 observers)As of 2026

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

The countries: 48 · sovereign states (193 UN members + 2 observers)

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 recognised 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 kilometres. 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

How many countries are there in the world?

195 — the full picture, sourced →

Population by country

Every country, ranked →

Facts, by numbers

Straight, sourced answers →

The other continents

How many countries in Europe?
44 sovereign states →
How many countries in Africa?
54 sovereign states →
How many countries in North America?
23 sovereign states →
How many countries in South America?
12 sovereign states →
How many countries in Oceania?
14 sovereign states →

Sources

Every number here traces to an official body.