Across the globe, there are generally considered to be around 200 different countries, from well-trodden tourist destinations such as Spain and France to a number of much lesser known nations (Tuvalu, anyone? It's in Polynesia in case you were wondering...).As international travel has become easier - driven by the advent of cheaper flights, many of us are lucky enough to have ventured to a myriad of European countries and plenty of places beyond, from Japan and Australia to South America. While the average Brit has visited seven countries, according to one study by electrical retail giant Currys, there's a growing number of tourists whose biggest passion has become ticking off as many countries as they can in their lifetime - with many setting their sights on the golden number of 100.Nomad Media, a website dedicated to travellers fixated on seeing as much of the world as possible, has a leaderboard showing those who've racked up the most hits. How many pins on your atlas? Country counts are becoming an increasing source of obsession Does an airport layover count as a visit to a country? The verdict appears to be a hard noA 'master ranking' even reveals some who've managed to set foot in all 193 UN countries, which is apparently the absolute 'holy grail' of travel bucket lists.Last year, 82 people claimed to have achieved the feat, with four who say they've done it twice. What counts as a visit though can be controversial. A poll by the website in 2022 showed 94 per cent of travellers believe an airport stopover without leaving the premises does not count - while the majority don't count leaving the airport for a sandwich, either.