Travels in Utopia

Travels in Utopia
Counting
The list
Photos
Stories

Geographers (along with some other mad people) are normally obsessed with travel and with counting the countries (or even states within countries, capital cities, etc.) where they have been! It is a harmless 'sport', but a confusing one as well...Currently there are 192 members of the United Nations, but the US, for example, recognises 194 countries: UN countries plus the Vatican and Kosovo, leaving out Taiwan. While Portugal has recognised Kosovo as an independent country (after some months of thinking on nobody really knows what...), Spain and Greece (and obviously because of internal problems) have not done so. Thus...counting countries is a fascinating task, and far from a apolitical one. There are sources that refer to 203 countries, and others that not only county political entities but also geographically separated entities.For me countries are counted in an inclusive perspective on politically independent territorial entities at the time of my visit. Being in Moscow and somewhere in the Azerbaijan Republic before 1991 (unfortunately I was not) would only count as one visited country: Soviet Union; the same for Slovenia and Croatia when Yugoslavia still existed. Yet, while being in Ljubljana in 1989 counted as one country - Yugoslavia, being in the same spatial place in 2008 counted as another country - Slovenia: same place, two countries. There is a debate on whether West Berlin should be counted as a separate country from the German Federal Republic, which now (after 'reunification') is counted as Germany. I also count Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as separate countries to England (four countries), although they are all part of 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland', an entity existing since 1927. Countries where I was only in transit (such as Peru or Qatar) are not taken in consideration. Usually a minimum of 24 hours stay or an overnight should apply. In Israel I was only for about 5 hours, but I got so many stamps in my passport, went through a long a detailed security check procedure and had such a hassle to get in, that I decided I deserved counting Israel as one of the visited countries! States or autonomous regions within nations are mentioned although they do not count as visited countries.

house

Travels in Utopia
Counting
The list
Photos
Stories

The list

Country - Year - Capital (if visited)Europe 1. Albania, 2006 Tirana 2. Andorra, 1979, 1980 Andorra la Vella 3. Austria, 1988, 1990, 1998 (2 x), 08, 09, 2010, 2011 Vienna 4. Belgium,1985, 1986, 1996, 1997 BrusselsBelarus (coming up in 2012) 5. Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2006 6. Bulgaria, 2006, 2008 Sofia 7. Croatia, 2006 Zagreb 8. Cyprus, 2009 9. Czech Republic, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2011 Prague10. Denmark, 1988, 1991, 1997 Copenhagen11 .England, +20 x London12. Estonia 2003 Tallinn13. Finland 1991, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2010 Helsinki14. France, + 10 x Paris15. German Democratic Republic, 1987 East Berlin16. German Federal Republic, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 Bonn17. Germany, + 20x Berlin18. Greece, 2006 Athens19. Holland 1985, 1987, 198820. Hungary, 1998 Budapest21. Iceland, 1996 Reykjavik22. Ireland, 1989, 94-99, 00, 01, 06, 07, 08, 09 Dublin23. Italy, 1986, 1987, 2006, 2008 Rome24. Latvia, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2012 Riga25. Lichtenstein, 2011 Vaduz26. Lithuania, 2004, 2007 Vilnius27. Luxembourg, 1986, 1987 Luxembourg28. Macedonia, 200629. Monaco, 1986 Monaco30. Northern Ireland, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998 Belfast31. Norway, 1991, 199832. Poland, 1997, 2004, 2007, 2010 Warsaw33. Portugal, 1969-1994 &1999- Lisbon Azores 97, 98, 99, 00, 01, 08, 10, 11 (all 9 islands) Madeira 1997 (Madeira and Porto Santo)34. Romania, 2008 Bucharest35. Russia, 2003 Republic of Karelia36. Scotland, 1990, 1995 Edinburgh37. Serbia and Montenegro, 200638. Slovakia, 2004, 2009 Bratislava39. Slovenia, 2008 Ljubljana40. Spain, + 30 x Madrid Majorca 200541. Sweden, 1988, 1990, 199842. Switzerland, 1986, 1987, 1990, 2011 Bern43. Turkey, 2006, 2009, 201044. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, 2009 Nicosia45. Ukraine, 2010 Kiev46. Vatican, 2006 Vatican47. Wales 1993, 1994, 1995, 199648. West Berlin, 198749. Yugoslavia, 1988, 1989 Croatia, 1988 Slovenia, 1988 & 1989 Africa (9x) 50. Cape Verde, 2002, 2008 Praia Sal Island, 2002 Santiago, 200851. Egypt, 2009 Cairo52. Kenya, 2007 Nairobi53. Morocco, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2011 Rabat54. São Tomé & Príncipe, 2010 São Tomé55. Tanzania, 2007 Zanzibar56. Uganda, 2007 Kampala North America (5x)57. Mexico, 2001, 2003 México D. F.58. Canada, 2007 Ontario Quebec 59. United States of America, 2001, 2005 California, 2002 Nevada, 2002 Utah, 2002 Texas, 2005 South America (5x) 60. Argentina, 2007 Buenos Aires61. Bolivia, 2002 La Paz/Sucre62. Brazil, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2008 Ceará & Pernambuco, 2003 São Paulo, 2002 (non official) Minas Gerais, 2008 Rio de Janeiro, 2006, 2008 63. Paraguay, 2007 Asuncion64. Uruguay, 2007 Montevideo Asia (13x) 65. Armenia, 2010 Yerevan66. Azerbaijan, 2010Cambodia (coming up in 2012)67. China, 2004 Hong Kong Macau Guangzhou 68. East Timor, 2003, 2004 Dili69. Georgia, 2010 Tbilisi70. India, 2008 Daman Gujarat Goa Maharashtra71. Indonesia, 2003, 200472. Iran, 2007 (2x), 2009, 2010-11 Tehran73. Israel, 2009 74. Jordan, 2009 (2x) AmmanLaos (coming up in 2012)75. Lebanon, 2009 BeirutMalasia (coming up in 2012)Qatar (only in transit) Singapore (coming up in 2012)76. Sri Lanka, 2008 Colombo77. Syria, 2009 Damascus78. Tajikistan, 2011 Dushanbe79. Thailand, 2003 BangkokTurkey (counted in Europe)Vietnam (coming up in 2012) Oceania (1x) 80. Australia, 2003 Canberra81. New Zealand, 2003
China_Hong Kong.JPG