File:Western world.svg

Countries or dependencies that are usually perceived to be the core of the Western world. This includes the Anglosphere and European Union members that joined before the 2004 Eastern European enlargement except Malta (due to its proximity to Italy and Italian influence). Disputed cases include striped countries in eastern Asia (very highly developed and therefore by some included in the core, but also at some point in history influenced by the Western culture), Greece (historically the place of origin of the Western civilization, but some argue its location in Southeastern Europe and its Eastern Orthodox affiliation distance it from the Western world) and Finland (it joined the European Union along with Sweden in 1995, but its proximity to Russia and minor Eastern Orthodox affiliation as well as its Ugric culture and language are often cited as factors for not considering it a part of the Western world).

Countries or dependencies that are perceived as a part of the Western world. These joined the European Union after 2004 (except Malta). Disputed cases include the Kaliningrad Oblast (after 1945 part of Russia, but historically it formed the northern part of Germany's East Prussia) and Israel (formed as a state for the Jewish people after 1945 and largely settled by emigrating European Jews).

Countries or dependencies that are akin to the Western world. Colonization left a considerable impact on these, and today Romance or Germanic languages hold there an official status. Also, their culture is somewhat similar to the Western one, but they lack the very high development of the core countries. Disputed cases include South Africa (the most highly developed country in Africa as traces of European, mainly the Dutch and the British colonization, left a considerably larger impact than on other African countries).

Countries or dependencies that were at some point influenced by the Western world, but their allegiance is usually disputed.