Count how many countries you've visited

The quick answer

Pick a rule for what counts. List every country that passes it. Remove the duplicates and count what's left.

Or tap them on a map and let it count for you. That is what Gan does.

Pick your rule first

Decide what counts before you start. Then stick to it.

Most people land on one of these.

• Stayed overnight: you slept there
• Left the airport: you went through border control and saw something
• Touched down: any landing counts, layovers included
• Set foot on it: even a day trip over the border

Be fair about it

A rule only works if you apply it to everyone, you included. If a four-hour layover counts for you, it counts for your friend too.

Gan doesn't force one rule on you. You tick what you decide counts.

The edge cases that cause arguments

Most disputes come from the same handful of situations.

• Layovers: airside only, or did you leave the airport?
• Cruise stops: a few hours ashore counts for some people, not others
• Day trips: crossing a land border for lunch
• Driving through: you never stopped, but you were there
• Born there: a country you left as a baby is still a country you were in

Territories and nations

Is Greenland a country? What about Puerto Rico or the Isle of Man? There's no single answer.

Gan lets you include territories or leave them out. Your headline total changes to match.

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland count separately in Gan. The guide to the UK nations explains why.

Which total to compare against

Your number only means something against a list. Is it out of 193, 195, 200 or 330?

Casual travellers usually use 195. Gan lists 200 places. See the guide to how many countries there are for what each number includes.

A counter that does the sums

Gan is a countries visited counter. Tap a country and the total moves.

It also shows your share of the world. Progress by continent is part of the £4.99 a year plan.

The map and ticking off countries are free. The plan adds saving them to your account.

Keep a running total

Write it down once and it goes stale fast. Add each country on the map as you visit.

Add dates and a trip, and your timeline fills itself. That part is in the plan too.

Want a list to work from? Try the countries visited checklist.

Questions

How do I count how many countries I've visited?

Pick your rule. List every trip. Remove the duplicates and count what's left. Or tap them on the Gan map.

Is there an app that counts countries visited?

Yes. Gan keeps a running total and your share of the world. The map is free, and saving it to your account is £4.99 a year.

Does a layover count?

Only if your rule says so. Whatever you choose, apply it to everyone.

Do territories count as countries?

It depends on your rule. Gan lets you switch territories on or off, and your total updates.

What is the average number of countries people have visited?

There is no reliable figure to quote here. Counts depend on the rule used, so compare like with like.