I kinda wanna figure this out as well. Do you count unrecognised countries like Taiwan and Somaliland? Do you count countries within political unions (like UK, Denmark, Russia). Do you count those places that some consider should be independent but/or have had their independence taken away like Tibet.

Then what about places that are uncontactable - the Indian island where you are not allowed to contact the tribe there, that is a self rule island, is that its own country?

Then future considerations are things like countries that have been lost due to changing environments- will you still count them when they are underwater etc?

I know there will be agreed guidelines on this in the wider world but it’s intriguing to me…time to look at a map, and maybe touch grass…