I've been to 119 countries, and I'll never stop counting

Once you start counting countries visited it’s difficult to stop, especially when you’ve cracked a century.

Antarctica isn’t a country. It’s an uninhabited continent governed by an international treaty. On no published list of all the countries in the world will you find Antarctica. But it’s on mine. Why? What makes me more knowledgeable than the United Nations’ finest geographers? To find out, we have to go all the way back to India, 1998, which is where and when I caught the travel bug.

India was and remains a filthy, amazing, repellent, addictive and unique destination. It was my first foray into the developing world, and while I wasn’t fond of two-day, third-class train journeys, it hooked me into a life of travel.

If you travel a lot, at some point you’re going to wonder how many countries you’ve visited. For me, this epiphany occurred in Buenos Aires five years later, at which point my total was just 27. Argentina was the beginning of a year-long ramble around South America and southern Africa, which took me to 39. See, the thing is, once you’ve started counting it’s hard to stop.

Naturally, my second thought revolved around the total number of countries in the world, which is not as simple a question as it sounds. What constitutes a country? There are myriad classifications of sovereignty spread around the globe, from overseas territories to protectorates to autonomous regions. Then there are occupied and annexed lands, and geopolitical disputes, all of which can be viewed through different lenses.

For me, this epiphany occurred in Buenos Aires five years later, at which point my total was just 27.

The most frequently cited list is that of the UN member states which, as of May 2025, puts the total at 193, a number that can fluctuate as a result of war, alliance, global warming etc. In the event of a partition, things can become complicated. If a country I’ve already visited is subsequently split into multiple states, I’ll claim the new ones if they contain areas I’ve physically been to. For me, it’s about coverage, not stamps. On the other hand, the creation of South Sudan was frustrating, because while I’d enjoyed my journey through the north, I hadn’t ever planned to return to explore the south, an area that’s been perpetually at war since 1956.

The thing is, I don’t agree with all the definitions on the UN list. For instance, for romantic or political reasons, I would count Tibet and Palestine as distinct countries. And Antarctica is surely significant enough to deserve a place. In 2019, I was approaching triple figures when I was offered a cruise to the White Continent. By my reckoning, Antarctica would be 98, but how much more poetic would it be were it 100? Fortunately, I was hiking in Switzerland that northern summer and tweaked my itinerary to encompass Lichtenstein and Luxembourg, lining me up for the century.

I was hiking in Switzerland that northern summer and tweaked my itinerary to encompass Lichtenstein and Luxembourg.

At some point I discovered the Travellers’ Century Club, an organisation open only to those who have scored a ton. Established in 1954, the TCC offers its members social events, unique travel opportunities, and “bragging rights” for a yearly fee of $US175. To be fair, the feat of visiting 100 countries was far more impressive 70 years ago than it is today. To reflect that, rather than fluctuating borders, the TCC now uses a list of 330 territories. This leads to quirks like the European and Asian “halves” of Turkey and the logistical challenges of seven separate Antarctic territories.

Although I have no intention of joining, my current score of 119 countries would assure me membership approval. (My TCC territory tally is 146, which sounds impressive but is actually below half.) I just turned 52, so at this rate I’ll be 92 before I’m done. I’d better get a shift on.

Originally published as I've been to 119 countries, and I'll never stop counting