Consider Unicode v16.0 and Emoji v16.0.
If there are 3,790 emoji in the Emoji Count v16.0, then why does the Full Emoji List v16.0 only seem to have 1,910 entries? (The Emoji List v16.0 too.)
I downloaded the data files too but there's not a single place where I can see the 3,790 number (or the 1,910 number, for that matter).
What am I missing?
So what exactly are the 3,790 emoji cited by the standard, and where are they?
Make sure you read the introduction of the Emoji List / Emoji Full List pages, and understand the key for the Emoji Counts page: some of the rows are giving counts of emoji with skin tone modification. The count of skin tone modified emoji is 1,875 (655 + 60 + 500 + 365 + 295). Both the Emoji List and Full Emoji list pages say, "Emoji with skin-tones are not listed here".
So, if you discount the skin tone modified emoji, you're left with 1,915 (3,790 - 1,875). Thus, your question is why the Emoji (Full) List pages only show 1,910 items instead of 1,915.
The discrepancy is in emoji components. As explained in the Emoji Counts Key,
An isolated component, such as a skin tone modifier or hair component, not typically shown on emoji keyboards.
The Emoji (Full) List pages show 4 out of 9 components. What are not shown on that page are the five skin tone modifier characters. As explained, these pages do not include skin tone modifiers.
So, 1,910 is consistent with how the Emoji (Full) List pages are described.