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How Many Countries Are There in Oceania?

There are 14 countries in Oceania — that is, 14 sovereign states.

Oceania spans Australia, New Zealand and the island nations of the Pacific. It includes some of the smallest countries on Earth.

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

The countries

All 14 sovereign states of Oceania, A–Z. Each traces to the UN list of member and observer states.

  • Australia
  • Fiji
  • Kiribati
  • Marshall Islands
  • Micronesia
  • Nauru
  • New Zealand
  • Palau
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Samoa
  • Solomon Islands
  • Tonga
  • Tuvalu
  • Vanuatu

The countries: 14 · sovereign states (193 UN members + 2 observers)

How we count Oceania

We count the fourteen sovereign states of Oceania: Australia and New Zealand, plus the Pacific island nations of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. Many Pacific islands are territories or freely associated states that are not full UN members — for example the Cook Islands, Niue, and territories such as French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Guam — and these are not counted. All fourteen listed here are UN member states.

FAQ

What is the largest country in Oceania?
Australia is by far the largest country in Oceania by both area and population — it makes up the great majority of the region.
What is the smallest country in Oceania?
Nauru is the smallest country in Oceania by area, at about 21 square kilometres, and Tuvalu is among the smallest by population. Both are among the smallest countries in the world.
Is Australia a country or a continent?
Both terms are used. Australia is a single sovereign country, and it is also the mainland of the Australian continent. In the seven-continent model, Oceania is the wider region that includes Australia and the Pacific islands.
Why are the Cook Islands and Niue not counted?
The Cook Islands and Niue are self-governing states in free association with New Zealand, but they are not UN member states, so they are not in this count of 14.

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 Asia?
48 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 →

Sources

Every number here traces to an official body.