Find Public APIsA building block for your next idea.
Populate a country reference panel with capitals, currencies, and language information.
Know before you build
The current v5 API requires a key. Older unauthenticated v3.1 examples are deprecated. Check the provider’s current free-plan quota.
Check current provider documentation ↗Your first request
Start with this documented example. Replace credential placeholders with your own test credentials. Browser execution depends on the provider’s CORS policy.
curl --request GET 'https://api.restcountries.com/countries/v5/names.common/Canada?pretty=1' \
--header 'authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY'Practical questions
What can I build with REST Countries?+
Populate a country reference panel with capitals, currencies, and language information.
Does REST Countries need authentication?+
The reviewed example is listed as “API key”. The current v5 API requires a key. Older unauthenticated v3.1 examples are deprecated. Check the provider’s current free-plan quota.
Can I call REST Countries from a browser?+
Browser access depends on the provider’s CORS policy for your origin, method, and headers. The playground makes a direct request and cannot bypass those restrictions.
Sources & confidence
Provider documentation was reviewed on 16 September 2026. This is not a live availability test or an endorsement.
Source catalogs can become outdated. Read our review and attribution policy. Plain-text guide ↗