How many states did Germany consist of before unification?

Germany was not unified until 1871. Before that, it consisted of 39 states, including:

3 kingdoms: Germany (Prussia), Bavaria, and Saxony.

15 Duchies: Anhalt, Baden, Brunswick, Hesse-Darmstadt, Hesse-Nassau, Holstein, Lauenburg, Luxembourg, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Nassau, Oldenburg, Saxe-Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and Saxe-Meiningen.

17 Principalities: Hohenzollern-Hechingen, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Lippe, Reuss Elder Line, Reuss Younger Line, Schaumburg-Lippe, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, Waldeck and Pyrmont.

4 Free cities: Bremen, Hamburg, Lübeck, and Rostock.