There are so many countries in the world - regions identified as distinct entities
I know I read once how many there were but I lost track, do you know?
Yes there are a lot.  Sometimes it refers to sovereign states and political entities while at other times just the state
Oh okay so how do you tell the difference then? Or you just know by memory?
Sovereign state
In international law, a sovereign state, sovereign country, or simply state, is a political entity that is represented by one centralized government that has sovereignty over a geographic area. International law defines sovereign states as having a permanent population, defined territory, one government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood that a sovereign state is neither dependent on nor subjected to any other power or state.
While according to the declarative theory of statehood, a sovereign
glamour bits. They were there the whole time in the trenches."
Added Hurley: "I've been on film sets for about nine years as a hired hand so it wasn't that I didn't know anything... Yes, there are things I know now that I didn't know before. But there are things a monkey could learn to do... I think learning to keep on top of things ... You have to, sort of, learn that as you go. I hadn't realized how fragile a