10 Smallest Countries in The World

There are also minor sovereign nations, along with major countries, and some are so tiny that they are named microstates. The smallest of these is Vatican City, which in turn occupies just an old quarter in the middle of Rome (Italy) with a few houses and parks. Maybe the most peculiar nation, with its own government, its own military, its own diplomatic missions, but without a permanent indigenous population.

Posted On November 4th, 2020

Vatican City

Vatican City is the smallest nation-state in the country, often referred to as a city-state. It also has the distinction of being the Roman Catholic Church's worldwide headquarters. This ancient enclave, located in the centre of Rome, Italy, is home to the Holy See, which is another term for the Roman Catholic Church's administration. The pope is the head of this government, and his influence extends globally to all Catholics.

Monaco

Monaco, on the French Riviera, is a sovereign principality situated near the Mediterranean Coastline. France surrounds Monaco by land, and on its eastern coast in the Mediterranean. Often regarded as a tax haven for the extremely rich, Monaco is geographically so remote that the nation covers less than a square mile, occupying 202 hectares. Its main industry is tourism, and people flock to its quarters to gamble in the famed casinos of Monaco, to lay on its luxurious beaches, to go boating, and to see car racing events such as the Monaco Grand Prix.

Nauru

Nauru is widely considered to be one of the South Pacific's highly westernised islands, and about four-fifths of its inhabitants, the product of missionaries who came to the island in the late 1800s, identify themselves as Christian. For most of the 20th century, phosphate mining dominated the economy of this region, with Britain, New Zealand, and Australia controlling the industry within the boundaries of Nauru. Nearly all of Nauru's manufactured goods, food, and even water are imported, particularly from Australia. Their sole exporter is phosphate.

Tuvalu

Consisting of a remote archipelago of coral islands in the western-central Pacific Ocean extending about 676 km (420 miles) from northwest to southeast, the ground is steadily being covered by rising ocean levels. This is both because water levels are rising because of global warming and because the coral of Tuvalu is disappearing and coastlines are eroding into the sea. Scientists expect that in the next 50 to 100 years, this island country could become inhabitable. Ironically, the nation is now suffering from drought, and as the heat intensifies, it can no longer support itself by crops grown on its land.

San Marino

Situated in the centre of Italy as a landlocked republic, San Marino is home to around 33,785 people from Sammarina. The official spoken language is Italian, and most people living there are Roman Catholics, although there is no official religion in the region. Tourism and agriculture are both crucial to this largely urban region. Prominent welfare services promise that all residents receive high-quality medical care, free schooling up to the age of 16, and also assist with homeownership. San Marino, unexpectedly, dates back to before the Renaissance and is a legacy of the city-states of Italy that are self-governing. It originated as a settlement for Christians fleeing Rome's persecution.

Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein is situated between Austria and Switzerland and spans roughly 60 square miles (160 square km) and is home to 38,000 to 39,000 inhabitants. This tiny nation headed by a civil monarchy is distinguished by the Alps. Tourism, funded by the government, is a major component of its economy, as is international banking, renowned for protecting its clients' privacy.

Marshall Islands

The Marshall Islands, like the other island countries in this list, are coral atoll chains situated near the Equator. These islands, which number more than 1,000, cover just 70 square miles (181 square km) and are home to about 58,500 inhabitants. The United States provides assistance to the Marshall Islands and manages the protection and safety of the region while using the territory as a naval base and a test range for missiles. These islands are, like Tuvalu, sinking into the sea as well.

San Kit and Nevis

Surrounded by coral reefs, most of the inhabitants are of African origin. The sugarcane industry was once dominant in the region, but the driving force is now tourism. At various points in history, the British and French have also controlled this land, but Saint Kitts is now an independent Commonwealth member.

Maldives

Located in the Indian Ocean between Indonesia and Africa, at just four feet above sea level, this country claims its position as the world's lowest-lying nation. In the Maldives, there are 26 atolls and over 1,100 islands, less than one-third of which are populated by humans. The Maldives, which covers 114 square miles (297 square km), is home to over 500,000 individuals.

Malta

Malta is an island nation situated in the central Mediterranean Sea, dominated by everything from the Romans and Greeks to the Arabs, Sicilians, French, British, and more. Malta, which was admitted to the European Union in 2004, now has one of the world's largest population densities. Its diverse economy consists of shipbuilding and repair, banking, tourism, agriculture, fishing and manufacturing. The world's smallest countries form a fascinating and varied community. Some are tropical locations located well out at sea, but others are landlocked nations created in mountains or on coastlines on tiny pockets of land. These tiny rooms, firmly hanging on to their individuality, endure in a new world of ancient legends.