10/16/2026
The World Health Organization (WHO) currently has 194 Member States. WHO membership is closely connected to UN membership, but the two organizations are not exactly identical. Countries that are members of the United Nations can become WHO members by accepting the WHO Constitution, while other states may be admitted following approval by the World Health Assembly.
Yes. Although WHO has almost universal international membership, not every country or territory is a WHO Member State.
One important example is Liechtenstein, which is a member of the United Nations but is not listed among WHO's 194 Member States. WHO's official country list currently contains 194 Member States.
There are also territories and entities whose international status differs from that of sovereign UN Member States. WHO's Constitution provides a separate category called Associate Members for territories that are not responsible for conducting their international relations.
Therefore, it is important not to treat every territory shown in international health databases as a full WHO Member State.
The status of the United States is currently subject to a withdrawal process.
WHO's official country page continues to list the United States among its Member States, while noting that in 2025 the UN Secretary-General, acting as depositary of the WHO Constitution, circulated a US notification expressing its intention to withdraw, with a stated effective date of 22 January 2026. WHO says that the notification is pending consideration by its governing bodies.
This makes the United States an important example of why a current WHO membership list should be checked directly against the organization's official information rather than relying on older articles.
WHO's membership rules allow countries other than UN members to potentially become WHO members if their application is approved by a simple majority vote of the World Health Assembly.
This means WHO membership is not legally restricted to the 193 UN Member States.
No.
WHO distinguishes between:
Member States
Associate Members
Other territories and entities that may participate in international health activities without being full Member States.
The distinction is important because international organizations use different membership systems.
Membership gives countries a formal role in the global health system.
WHO Member States participate in the World Health Assembly, WHO's principal decision-making body. They contribute to international health policy discussions, participate in the development of health programmes and cooperate on issues such as disease outbreaks, vaccination, health emergencies and health-system strengthening.
WHO currently lists 194 Member States. This is slightly more than the 193 members of the United Nations because WHO has its own constitutional membership arrangements.
Yes. The State of Palestine is listed by WHO as a Member State. Its status in the UN system is different because Palestine is a UN non-member observer state, but WHO has its own membership framework.
The WHO has 194 Member States, and its membership is almost universal. However, some countries and territories do not have full WHO Member State status. Liechtenstein is one notable example of a UN member that is not listed among WHO's Member States. The United States' membership status is also currently subject to a formal withdrawal process, making the official WHO membership list the best source for up-to-date information.
WHO – Countries and Member States
WHO Constitution
United Nations – Member States
Unchannel - 10/16/2026