world's smallest countries Archives

The smallest countries in the world are those with the fewest square kilometers within the country’s official borders. In order from the smallest to the least smallest, here are the top five smallest countries on the planet. Keep in mind that the list starts with the smallest country, Vatican City, and ends with San Marino as the fifth smallest country in the world.

1. Vatican City

Vatican City is a country that receives a lot of misinformation in informal conversations. If you take the capital of the United States and compare it to Vatican City, you will understand why Vatican City is not automatically considered a country. You see, the capital of the United States of America is Washington D.C.

The District of Columbia is not a separate state, but rather DC is a federal district. So when it comes to defining Vatican City, a similar title comes into play, and the Vatican is not always recognized by its official status as a country. Instead, the Vatican is considered a city, which is a misconception rooted in the fact that the name of the country contains the word city.

But try not to let the common misconception about the Vatican convince you otherwise because Vatican City is, in fact, a country. It is also the smallest country in the world. Vatican City is a country that encompasses less than a square mile in all. This fact is a contributing factor to the inaccurate assumptions so often made about Vatican City.

With a total area of approximately zero point seventeen square miles of land, Vatican City not only has the smallest total area of all time, but the population density of Vatican City is also extremely shocking.

By taking the population of this country and dividing it by the sum of the square miles within the borders of the country, we can determine how many people there are compared to the amount of land.

The population size of Vatican City is currently estimated at around a thousand people, which means that the thousand people residing in Vatican City face the reality of crushing less than a third of a mile of land.

Vatican City Statistics:
• Area: 0.19 square miles (0.49 km²)
• Population: 825
• Year of foundation: 1929
• Official language: Italian

2. Monaco

Monaco is a country located along from the coast of the always beautiful Côte d’Azur. As a destination country for people with more money than they know what to do, Monaco is full of parties, gambling, shopping and fun galore. Located very close to France and positioned on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Monaco is the second smallest country in the world.

The country of Monaco is only 0.81m2 in size which is hard to believe given the constant tourist activities and hectic adventures. Despite Monaco’s very small physical size, the European country remains a favorite among those with the cash to spend.

Monaco Statistics:
• Area: 0.81 square miles (2.1 km²)
• Population: 38,300
• Year of foundation: 1297
• Official language: French

3. Nauru

The lesser-known island of Nauru is a country in its own right, which is a surprising truth when you consider how small this island country is.

Geographically close to Australia and the Pacific Ocean, Nauru is part of the Australian mainland although it is not connected to the Australian mainland.

Nauru is a country that is only eight point one square mile high, making it not only the third smallest country in the world, but also the smallest island country in all that exists.

Statistics of Nauru:
• Area: 21 km²
• Population: 10,670
• Year of foundation: 1968
• Official languages: English, Nauruan

4. Tuvalu

Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is an island country located about halfway between Hawaii and Australia. The country is made up of nine individual islands, of which three are coral islands and six are atolls.

Due to its remoteness, Tuvalu is one of the most visited countries in the world with around 2,000 visitors per year. If Tuvalu is now the fourth smallest country in the world, it risks being overwhelmed by rising sea levels.

This is because the country’s highest point is only 15 feet above sea level. There has been talk of moving the population to Fiji or New Zealand, two neighboring countries that have strong foreign relations with Tuvalu, if that should happen. It might interest you to know that Tuvalu does not accept credit cards and relies exclusively on cash.

Tuvalu Statistics:
• Area: 10 square miles (26 km²)
• Population: 11,192
• Year of foundation: 1978
• Official languages: English, Tuvaluan

5. San Marino

San Marino is a micro state which is completely landlocked in Italy. A stonemason, who later became known as San Marino, founded the country. It has a high wealth when it comes to GDP per capita.

San Marino Statistics:
• Area: 60 square kilometers
• Population: 33,938
• Year of Foundation: 301 AD
• Official Language: Italian