How Many Countries In Western Hemisphere
So, the other night I’m at a party, right? Some guy—let’s call him “Map Guy”—starts going on about his new atlas and insists the Western Hemisphere has exactly twenty-three co...
So, the other night I’m at a party, right? Some guy—let’s call him “Map Guy”—starts going on about his new atlas and insists the Western Hemisphere has exactly twenty-three countries. I nodded politely while internally screaming, Wait, does it? Is that right?
I mean, I’m not a geographer. But I do know that if you ask five people this question, you’ll get six different answers. And that’s where the fun—or the madness—begins.
The first problem: what is the Western Hemisphere? Sounds simple, but it’s not. Technically, it’s the half of Earth west of the Prime Meridian and east of the 180th meridian. But let’s be honest—most people just think of the Americas plus maybe some Atlantic islands.
So, let’s start counting North America. That’s 23 countries if you include the Caribbean islands? No, hold on. Breathe.
North America alone has three big ones: Canada, the USA, and Mexico. Then you’ve got Central America—seven countries if you count Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. (Yes, Panama is Central America, not South America, and yes, people love to argue this.)
Now the Caribbean. This is where it gets messy. There are thirteen sovereign island nations—Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, etc.—plus a handful of territories and dependencies. But do you count them as countries? No. Only sovereign states, my friend.
So far, that’s 3 (North America) + 7 (Central America) + 13 (Caribbean) = 23. Oh wow, Map Guy was right? Patience.
How Many Countries In The Western Hemisphere | Detroit Chinatown
Now South America. It has twelve sovereign countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. French Guiana isn’t a country—it’s a French department. So don’t count it, unless you want to break your calculator.
Add that to our total: 23 + 12 = 35 countries in the Americas. But wait—the Western Hemisphere isn’t just the Americas. Gasp.
What about the Greenland? Politically, it’s part of Denmark, so not a country. But geographically, it’s in the Western Hemisphere. Ugh. This is why people drink.
And then there are islands in the Atlantic that are often included: Iceland? Nope, it straddles both hemispheres. UK? Most of it is in the Eastern Hemisphere, but the western part—like the city of Liverpool—technically lies west of the Prime Meridian. But we don’t call the UK a Western Hemisphere country. Why? Because it’s weird, that’s why.
The real answer depends on your definition. If you use the strict line of 20°W longitude (the one geographers love for nautical maps), then the Western Hemisphere includes parts of Europe and Africa. Suddenly, you’re counting Portugal, Ireland, and Morocco. Are you ready for that? I’m not.
How Many Countries In The Western Hemisphere | The Tube
Most casual sources say the Western Hemisphere has 35 countries—all the sovereign nations in the Americas. That’s the safe, non-awkward answer to give at parties. Unless Map Guy shows up again.
But here’s the ironic part: even that number is disputed. Some lists count the four countries that are partially in the hemisphere—like Russia, which technically has a sliver of land in the Western Hemisphere. But do we count Russia? Please. No one counts Russia here.
So, to keep your sanity: 35 is the golden number for the Americas. But if you want to include the Atlantic islands—like Cape Verde or the Azores—you climb to 38 or 40. See? It’s a rabbit hole.
Honestly, the question isn’t about numbers. It’s about what we decide a hemisphere means. And that’s a bit like asking how many grudges you can hold: it depends on who you want to exclude.
My advice? Next time someone puts you on the spot, look them dead in the eye and say, “Thirty-five, but only if you don’t count the meridian’s mood swings.” Then change the subject to something safer, like why pineapple on pizza is a human right. You’re welcome.
