The Global Quest of the Country Counters

For most travelers, the goal is to visit the world’s most famous destinations. But for a growing community of adventurers, the challenge is something far more ambitious: setting foot in every sovereign nation on Earth. In this episode, we explore the rise of the "country counters," tracing how social media, online leaderboards, and global travel networks have transformed an obscure pursuit into a competitive hobby. From remote island nations that test the limits of logistics to lesser-known destinations suddenly finding themselves on travelers’ bucket lists, we examine why more people are turning away from overcrowded landmarks in search of places few others have seen. The story reveals a changing philosophy of travel, where collecting countries has become more than a personal milestone—it’s a new way of measuring adventure, status, and curiosity in an increasingly connected world.https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/06/02/travel-is-becoming-a-competitive-sport