Interpol, which stands for International Criminal Police Organization, is an international organization that aims to enhance cooperation between law enforcement agencies across the world. It was founded in 1923 and currently has 196 member countries. Interpol serves as a vital tool in the global fight against crime, terrorism, and other security threats. In this article, we will take a closer look at the countries that are members of Interpol.
Interpol Membership
Interpol has 196 member countries spread across the globe. These countries span several continents and include most of the world’s sovereign states. Interpol membership is open to any country that shares the organization’s values and is willing to cooperate with other member countries to promote international security.
The list of Interpol member countries is always subject to change as new countries join or leave the organization. The current list is published on INTERPOL’s website.
INTERPOL Member Countries by Region
INTERPOL groups its 196 member countries into four regions. The list below follows INTERPOL’s official list of member countries (October 2026).
Africa (54)
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Congo (Democratic Republic), Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Americas (38)
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela.
Asia and South Pacific (54)
Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Korea (Republic of), Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Yemen.
Europe (50)
Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City State.
Benefits of Interpol Membership
Interpol membership comes with numerous benefits for member countries. Some of these benefits include:
- Global Cooperation – Interpol membership allows countries to work together to identify and combat global threats including cybercrime, terrorism, and transnational organized crime.
- Access to International Databases – Interpol gives member countries access to its databases, which help in identifying criminals, stolen goods, and missing persons.
- Training and Technical Assistance – Interpol provides training and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies in member countries to help them improve their crime-fighting capabilities.
- Alerts and Notices – Interpol issues alerts and notices that help law enforcement agencies across the world to identify and locate criminals and dangerous threats.
Conclusion
Interpol is a crucial organization in the fight against crime and terrorism across the world. Its membership comprises 196 countries that work together to identify, investigate, and prosecute criminal activities. Countries in Interpol come from different continents and include major world powers, developing countries, and island states. Being a member of Interpol comes with numerous benefits, including global cooperation, access to international databases, training and technical assistance, and alerts and notices.