A globe-trotting traveller extraordinaire, who had visited 190 countries over the last four decades, has died of a heart attack, travellersÂ’ organisation De Berejstes Klub has announced. He was 63.

At the time of his death, Bjarne Lund-Jensen – a school teacher, author and amateur actor from the island of Funen – was just six short of visiting the 196 countries recognised by the club.

Although the club could not rule out whether another Dane could have visited more countries than Lund-Jensen, no-one had ever disputed his claim, or his Guinness World Records confirmation as the most travelled Dane.

In order to be recognised as having visited a country, a traveller must have been there for at least 24 hours, according to the clubÂ’s rules.

Lund-Jensen was still an active traveller at the time of his death, and had aimed to complete his world map, the club said in his obituary. Had he done so, he would have been the first Dane to accomplish the feat.

At the time of his death, the countries he had not visited were Afghanistan, Liberia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, the Vatican and Sudan. 

According De Berejstes Klub, its most-travelled member is now the former diplomat and executive Peter Schønsted, who has visited 172 countries, including all 53 African states.