What are FAO countries?

The phrase “FAO countries” usually means the countries that are members of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). As of 2026, FAO has 193 Member Nations, one Member Organization—the European Union—and two Associate Members according to FAO's official membership information.

FAO itself describes its membership as 194 countries plus the European Union on some current pages, reflecting differences in how Member Nations and the EU Member Organization are counted.

How many countries are members of FAO?

FAO's legal membership page states that, as of 4 February 2026, the organization has:

193 Member Nations
1 Member Organization: European Union
2 Associate Members

This is why different FAO pages can sometimes appear to show slightly different totals depending on whether they count the European Union as a member organization or describe the membership as 194 countries plus the EU.

Which countries are FAO members?

FAO has a very broad global membership.

Its Member Nations include countries such as:

Türkiye, United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and many others.

The official FAO membership list provides the complete and current list of Member Nations and their dates of admission.

Is every UN country an FAO country?

No.

FAO membership is separate from membership of the United Nations.

A country can be a UN Member State without necessarily having the same status in every UN specialized agency.

FAO has its own Constitution and membership rules, and countries or qualifying regional economic integration organizations can join according to those rules.

Is the European Union a member of FAO?

Yes.

The European Union is a Member Organization of FAO, rather than a Member Nation.

This is an important distinction because the EU is a regional organization rather than a sovereign country.

FAO's official membership framework recognizes both sovereign Member Nations and the European Union as a Member Organization.

What does FAO do in member countries?

FAO works with governments and partners to address food and agriculture challenges.

Its work can include:

Food security
Agriculture
Fisheries
Forestry
Nutrition
Rural development
Food safety
Sustainable food systems
Climate resilience
Agricultural policy

FAO works in more than 130 countries and supports governments in developing policies and programmes that promote food security and sustainable agriculture.

Does FAO operate in every member country?

FAO has a global mandate and works in nearly every country, but the scale and nature of its activities vary.

FAO maintains regional offices and country offices and works with governments according to national priorities and programme needs.

Can people from FAO countries apply for FAO jobs?

Potentially, yes, but FAO job eligibility depends on the individual vacancy.

FAO recruits professionals from many fields, including agriculture, economics, nutrition, environmental science, fisheries, forestry, administration, finance, communications, data and information technology.

Being a citizen of an FAO Member Nation does not automatically guarantee eligibility for every FAO position.

For people searching “What are FAO countries?”, “FAO member countries,” or “Which countries are members of FAO?”, the most accurate answer is that FAO has a broad global membership consisting of 193 Member Nations, the European Union as a Member Organization, and two Associate Members as of February 2026.