How Many Countries Are There in North America?23 sovereign states
There are 23 countries in North America — that is, 23 sovereign states. This count runs from Canada and the United States down through Central America and across the Caribbean island nations. It does not include South America, which is counted separately.
The countries
All 23 sovereign states of North America, A–Z. Each traces to the UN list of member and observer states.
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Canada
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominica
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Grenada
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
United States
How we count North America
We count the sovereign states of North America: the three large northern countries (Canada, the United States and Mexico), the seven Central American states, and the island nations of the Caribbean. Dependencies such as Puerto Rico, Greenland, Bermuda and the many Caribbean territories are not sovereign states and are not counted, even though they often appear as separate entries in economic data. South America is a separate continent with its own page.
FAQ
What is the largest country in North America?
Canada is the largest country in North America by area, ahead of the United States. By population, the United States is by far the largest.
What is the smallest country in North America?
Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest country in North America by both area and population — a two-island Caribbean state of about 261 square kilometers.
Is Central America part of North America?
Yes. The seven Central American countries — from Guatemala to Panama — are part of the North American continent and are included in this count of 23.
Are the Caribbean islands counted as North America?
The independent Caribbean nations — such as Cuba, Jamaica and the Bahamas — are counted as North American sovereign states. Caribbean dependencies and territories are not, because they are not independent countries.
Why is Puerto Rico not in this list?
Puerto Rico is a United States territory, not a sovereign state, so it is not counted here. It does appear separately in some economic datasets, such as the World Bank list of economies.
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.