Countdown to 100 United Nations Countries

Here’s to seeing the world, one country at a time.

As we enter 2024, I am embarking on my countdown of 100 United Nations or U.N. countries before I turn 70 in March 2026. At present, I have visited 81 countries, but 76 of them are considered U.N. countries. I have my work cut out for me but I’m ready. I just love a good goal and this one, although challenging on many levels, suits me. 

Stay with me to see how this goes.

South Korea, Japan and some Caribbean and African countries are on the 2024 schedule for countries I have not been to but plan to visit. And even though I live in the U.S. and have been to Canada before, I have not been to Alaska and Vancouver, which I am also heading to this year. 

Below is a chronology of my travels so far and planned travels for the next two years. 

At the end of 2023, I traveled to and visited 76 countries of the United Nations’ 193 countries.  the end of 2023. And, I have been to 6 of the 7 continents. That includes Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica and Europe. I have plans to visit the Australia/Oceania continent in 2026 when I travel to my 100th U.N. country, Australia.  

Needless to say, it has taken me several years to manage just this accomplishment. 

Here’s my 76 U.N. Countries Chronology through the end of 2023:

2023 – Ecuador, Colombia, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan 

2022 – Argentina, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and Mexico. 

2021 – Iceland

2020 – Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia. I had plans to travel to 20 countries in 2020, but then COVID happened. However, I did make it to 9 countries. 

2019 – Ghana, Benin, Togo, Cuba, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Ireland, Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan 

2018 – Denmark, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, South Africa, Eswatini (Swaziland), Mozambique and Lesotho 

2017 – Malta

2016 – Germany, Czech Republic (Czechia), Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania and Austria 

2015 – Turkey and Greece. This trip helped me decide I was ready to retire at 60 to travel more extensively. 

2013 – Portugal 

2012 – Monaco

2010 – Spain and Morocco

2006 – Italy, France and England (The United Kingdom). A solo trip for my 50th birthday and when I officially caught the travel bug. 

1970 – Canada, with my family when I was a teen. Plus no passports required at the time. But I have since been to Toronto, Canada, several times. And will be going back in 2024 but to Vancouver.

1956 – The United States of America, where I was born and live. 

I have plans to travel to 17 U.N. countries in 2024: South Korea, Japan, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, Botswana, Barbados, Grenada, St. Vincent, Dominica, Antigua, Dominican Republic and St. Lucia.

I also plan to visit Vancouver, Canada and the U.S. state of Alaska, but since I’ve been to Canada, in fact it was the first country I visited as a teen when passports were not needed, I am not counting Canada as one of the 17 countries. And, even though I have not been to Alaska before, I do live in the U.S. so I did not count the U.S. in the list of 17 countries. 

I have plans to visit six U.N. countries in 2025: Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, China, Philippines and Indonesia.

And, in 2026, my plan is to visit my 7th Continent of Australia/Oceania and my 100th U.N. country of Australia. I will probably be adding other countries from this continent afterwards, but for now, Australia is it.