American Michael Zervos has broken a by visiting every country in the world faster than any person in history. The globetrotter set foot in all 195 -recognised nations in just 499 days.

During his record-breaking adventure, called , Mr Zervos, a filmmaker, recorded multiple interviews in every nation, asking people, "What was the happiest moment of your life?", collating positive stories from around the world. Speaking after his challenge, Zervos said: "It felt long, terminable, difficult, frustrating, but at the same time, it was beautiful. It was mesmerising. It was captivating, meeting people from all walks of life everywhere in the world."

The previous record was 554 days, and breaking it was an enormous logistical undertaking. In fact, only 600 people in history have been able to visit every country in the world-fewer people than have made it to space.

Mr Zervos finished his challenge in Detroit on Friday (May 30), breaking the previous record by nearly two months.

There are 195 recognised countries in the world today. This total comprises 193 member states of the UN and two with non-member observer status - and the State of Palestine.

The Adventure travel company Untamed Borders guided the ambitious traveller in 13 of the most challenging destinations and acted as his travel consultant for the extended trip.

assisted Mr Zervos through some of the more problematic stretches, including Afghanistan, Iran, South Sudan, Syria and .

Founder James Willcox explained some of the considerations needed to help Michael complete his feat. He said: "The planning process to help Michael achieve this goal started well over 6 months before he departed in early 2024. We recommended Michael journeyed through some of the most difficult nations early in the adventure, as unexpected hiccups in tricky nations, at the end of the project, could have put the put the record attempt in jeopardy.

"We guided Michael in some of the most challenging countries, including , Yemen and Syria. Travelling in these destinations can provide unique considerations and hurdles to overcome, particularly when it comes to gaining the correct permissions, visas and security.

"Having experienced Untamed Borders guides, who spoke the local languages, helped reduce a lot of the potential conundrums he may have faced when in the countries. These include navigating checkpoints, having all the correct documentation and travelling safely through areas, which have a heightened risk level.

"We ensured Michael was up to date on ever-changing security situations across the challenging nations we serve, along with other countries, and remained nimble to change the plan accordingly, if necessary.

"We made sure that, despite only visiting places for a few days, Michael maximised his time in each country, visiting wonderful sites, such as the Umayyad Mosque, in Damascus, and Shibam in Yemen, known as "the Manhattan of the Desert."

The challenge is awaiting final verification from the Guinness World Records.