Difficult-to-Visit Countries
Apr 16, 2024 | 11:16 am
#91
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Central Colorado
Programs: Delta, United, American, Norwegian, Southwest, Frontier, Bonvoy
Posts: 199
My personal rules for country counting (my total is “only” 52): You must leave the airport and go through immigration. (The immigration requirement suspended for cruise ports because they usually don’t require each person to clear). And the country must be independent, not a possession or territory. So none of the islands on my French Polynesia cruise counted. And only a few (St.Lucia,Barbados,Dominica) on my 9-port Caribbean cruise. My 1984 refueling stop in Cape Verde doesn’t count - I got off the plane but didn’t leave airport property. And my trip to Antarctica counts as a continent but not a country - because it isn’t one. An interesting question came up in my family of country counters - what if it’s not a separate country now, but was when it was visited - specifically East Germany? (We decided it counts.)
Apr 16, 2024 | 11:53 am
#92
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: DEN
Programs: Hilton Diamond Hyatt Globalist Marriott Gold AA EXP
Posts: 1,198
My personal rules for country counting (my total is only 52): You must leave the airport and go through immigration. (The immigration requirement suspended for cruise ports because they usually dont require each person to clear). And the country must be independent, not a possession or territory. So none of the islands on my French Polynesia cruise counted. And only a few (St.Lucia,Barbados,Dominica) on my 9-port Caribbean cruise. My 1984 refueling stop in Cape Verde doesnt count - I got off the plane but didnt leave airport property. And my trip to Antarctica counts as a continent but not a country - because it isnt one. An interesting question came up in my family of country counters - what if its not a separate country now, but was when it was visited - specifically East Germany? (We decided it counts.)
Apr 17, 2024 | 11:19 am
#93
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: anywhere and everywhere
Programs: United Nations 193, UA GS, AS MVP 100K, DL Diamond, Marriot Lifetime Titanium, AmEx Centurion
Posts: 6,356
So...pick a list. Your list. TCC, Guinness, UN. MTP, NomadMania....there's no right or wrong answer...but I guarantee once you "hit them all" you'll look for a list of autonomous places to go after so that you still have something to chase...
Apr 17, 2024 | 3:42 pm
#94
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: DEN
Programs: Hilton Diamond Hyatt Globalist Marriott Gold AA EXP
Posts: 1,198
This debate has been had ad naseum inside and outide the serious country counting community. Most of us who've been to "every country" subscribe to the 193 UN members + 2-5 others. Why others? Most commonly accepted is Vatican City - who could join the UN but chooses not to. Everyone agrees. Next most agreed upon is Kosovo, who's recognized by way over half the UN member states, but due to Russia/Serbia vetos is unable to join. So that gets you 195. Lots of people also add Palestine, which is also recognized by over half the UN - but that's a discussion I think we should avoid. So, that's the 196 I use. Lots of others add Taiwan as 197. however, it has extremely limited UN recognition.
So...pick a list. Your list. TCC, Guinness, UN. MTP, NomadMania....there's no right or wrong answer...but I guarantee once you "hit them all" you'll look for a list of autonomous places to go after so that you still have something to chase...
So...pick a list. Your list. TCC, Guinness, UN. MTP, NomadMania....there's no right or wrong answer...but I guarantee once you "hit them all" you'll look for a list of autonomous places to go after so that you still have something to chase...
And Vatican