How many states, or provinces or other divisions, are there in the world? – Noé, 8, Minneapolis The exact answer is hard to come by – for now. Your question has actually sparked scholars to start talking about compiling an official, authoritative database. Right now the best estimates land somewhere between 3,600 and 5,200, across the world’s roughly 200 nations. It depends on whether you collect data from specific nations’ own information, the CIA World Factbook or the International Standards Organization. There are 195 national governments recognized by the United Nations, but there are as many as nine other places with nationlike governments, including Taiwan and Kosovo, though they are not recognized by the U.N.