From the Back Cover At age twenty-seven, Cassie De Pecol accomplished something remarkable. She became the first woman on record to travel to every country on Earth, and did it faster than anyone in history, male or female.

The record for the first woman to travel to every sovereign nation is often attributed to Dorothy Pine, who reportedly achieved the feat in the late 20th century, though documentation from that era can be less formalized than modern standards. In the contemporary era, the record-holder most recognized for speed and documentation is Lexie Alford (known as Lexie Limitless), who became the youngest person and female to visit all 196 sovereign nations at the age of 21 in 2019. Another prominent figure is Cassie De Pecol, who was the first woman on record to visit every country as part of an official "Expedition 196" in 2017, setting a Guinness World Record for speed at the time. In 2026, these trailblazers continue to inspire a new generation of "country collectors." It is important to note that the definition of "every country" can vary slightly depending on whether one uses the UN member list (193) or includes observer states and territories (up to 197).