How to name all 195 countries in a timed countries quiz
Quick answer: Go continent by continent, aim for about 13 countries a minute, and save the last five minutes for small island states and microstates.
What Name the world is
Name the world is a 15-minute challenge: type as many of the world’s 195 countries as you can before the timer runs out.
Why it is hard
Most players know 120 to 150 countries. The rest are small island nations, microstates and countries with unusual spellings.
Go continent by continent
Naming 195 countries at random is hard. Going through the map in order is much easier, because each country reminds you of its neighbours.
| Continent | Countries | Often forgotten |
|---|---|---|
| Africa | 54 | Eswatini, Comoros, São Tomé and Príncipe, Djibouti |
| Asia | 48 | Bhutan, Brunei, Timor-Leste, Kyrgyzstan |
| Europe | 44 | Andorra, Liechtenstein, San Marino, Moldova |
| North America | 23 | Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Belize |
| Oceania | 14 | Tuvalu, Nauru, Palau, Kiribati |
| South America | 12 | Suriname, Guyana |
Pacing for 15 minutes
Aim for about 13 countries a minute. Spend the first ten minutes on the big continents and the last five hunting for small states. If you get stuck, switch continent rather than staring at one region.
Spelling and alternative names
Type the common English name. Many players lose time on spellings such as Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein and Seychelles, so practise those. Countries with two well-known names, such as Ivory Coast and Côte d’Ivoire, or Eswatini and Swaziland, usually accept both.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you get in Name the world?
15 minutes.
Which continent has the most countries?
Africa, with 54.
What is a good score?
Anything over 150 is strong; all 195 is rare.