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UN member states and observer states explained
The world country quiz covers the 193 UN member states. The Holy See and the State of Palestine are non-member observer states, so they are outside that set.
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Why the quiz uses 193 countries
MapRounds uses the UN’s list of 193 member states for its world country, capital and flag quizzes. This gives the quizzes a clear, published list. It is not a claim that no other places exist or a way to settle questions of recognition or statehood.
Observers are a separate category
The Holy See and the State of Palestine are the UN’s two non-member observer states. They are not part of the 193-member set. The UN also has observer arrangements with other places and organizations, so read the full category name: “observer” does not always mean “observer state.”
| Example | Category used in this lesson | In the 193-member quiz selection? |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | UN member state | Yes |
| Japan | UN member state | Yes |
| South Sudan | UN member state | Yes |
| Holy See | Non-member observer state | No |
| State of Palestine | Non-member observer state | No |
A map can show more places than a quiz asks about
- Included places: which countries or features can be answers?
- Map display: which extra shapes and labels help you find your way?
- Accepted names: which listed names refer to the place in the question?
A background outline may help you find a neighboring country without being an answer in the quiz. A small member state may appear as a dot or a text choice. For the full list, open the included places rather than counting shapes or labels on the map.
Try it
- 1. Sort Canada, the Holy See, Japan and the State of Palestine into member or non-member observer state.
- 2. Should adding the two observer states change the title “193 UN member states” to a 195-member quiz?
- 3. Does a map shape automatically become a valid answer because it appears behind the quiz controls?
- 4. A learner uses a different country-count convention. What should you compare first?
Check your answers
- 1. Canada and Japan are members. The Holy See and State of Palestine are non-member observer states.
- 2. No. Adding observers would make a different list. It would no longer be a list of UN member states only.
- 3. No. Check the answer set’s included-place list.
- 4. Compare the selection rules and included-place lists before the totals. The two resources may be answering different questions.
Where the information comes from
The UN pages below document membership and observer status. MapRounds created the exercise and diagram. Linking to the UN’s information does not imply UN endorsement of the quiz.
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Sources and further reading
Original MapRounds editorial text and diagrams: CC BY 4.0. Third-party source text and flag artwork retain their own terms; see the source and asset records.