Countries of the World

Shanti
4 days ago
2 min read

Countries are political and administrative units created and recognised by people. Their borders help organise law, statistics and public services, but ecosystems, catchments, species and cultural landscapes often cross them.

High-altitude panoramic landscape showing snow-capped mountains, forested valleys, winding rivers, lakes, patchwork farmland, coastal towns and turquoise bays connected across a broad region, with no visible political borders. — A sweeping globe-inspired view of connected mountains, forests, rivers, farmland, settlements and coastlines, illustrating how natural landscapes and human communities continue across geographic boundaries.

What This Index Covers

This index organises country and area records using traceable international names and codes, then connects them to ecological realms, biomes, bioregions, ecoregions, resources and environmental pressures. It distinguishes geographic description from political recognition and avoids implying a position on disputed status or boundaries.

Browse Resources

Browse the resource areas currently organised under this index. Links can be added as reviewed articles and records are published.

Country and area directory - Browse records alphabetically and by internationally used code.

Ecological context - Connect each record to relevant realms, biomes, bioregions, ecoregions and marine areas.

Resources and pressures - Review sourced information about natural resources, hazards and environmental issues.

Law and governance - Use current official sources for national protections, biosecurity and access requirements.

Cultural and Indigenous context - Recognise that cultural Countries and custodianship do not necessarily follow state borders.

Evidence and updates - Track source dates, code changes, renamed areas and unresolved gaps.

Read First

Before using these resources for identification, growing, harvesting, conservation, community work or other practical decisions, read:

Political, Statistical and Ecological Boundaries Are Different

Country Names, Territories and Disputed Boundaries

How to Check Current Laws and Local Authorities

Coverage and Evidence

Country lists and codes are maintained for specific administrative or statistical purposes. They do not settle sovereignty, disputed boundaries or cultural authority. Environmental data can be incomplete, out of date or reported at different scales. A national summary cannot confirm a local species, hazard, permission or safe method. Use current government, community and ecological sources for the actual place.

The Earth Resource Map and Learn library are being built progressively. Indexed means that a topic or resource can be connected to its identity, source and broad context; it does not mean that every claim has been verified or localised. Evidence is assessed claim by claim. Where information is missing, uncertain, restricted or location-dependent, that limitation should remain visible.

Last Reviewed

20 August 2026

This date records review of this index-page copy and its resource structure. Individual articles, records, laws, project details and evidence may have different publication and review dates.