Most of these countries are no bigger than a city – discover exactly where the smallest countries in the world are
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It might seem strange to imagine walking the length of an entire country in a matter of hours, or covering its entire perimeter with a short car journey – but there are a number of countries around the world where that is actually the case.
Here we reveal the top five smallest countries – according to their land area – in reverse order, along with some unique size comparisons to visualise just how small these countries are.
5. San Marino (62 sq. km)
Surrounded by Italy on all sides, San Marino is a microstate that is also the oldest republic in the world, established in 301 AD. At 62 sq. km, San Marino is over six times smaller than the Isle of Wight.
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Mount Titano dominates the country’s land area, accounting for most of San Marino’s landscape. The capital city, San Marino, is located on the slopes of the mountain, with three medieval fortresses acting as the main attractions.
Home to around 34,000 people, San Marino is reliant on tourism to keep its economy ticking over, hosting more than three million people every year.
4. Tuvalu (25.8 sq. km)
Tuvalu is a group of nine islands, spread across an area of just 25.8 sq. km, in the South Pacific. Funafuti is the largest of the island chain, serving as the country’s capital.
A good size comparison is that Tuvalu is around 2.5 times smaller than Guernsey in the UK. The country won independence from the UK in 1978, becoming its own nation and the second smallest country in Oceania.
The highest point in Tuvalu is only 4.5m above sea level, placing it in grave danger of climate change-induced sea-level rise. With no rivers or streams, the country’s 11,500 residents rely on rainwater collection for drinking, washing and cooking.
3. Nauru (21 sq. km)
Nauru, located in the central Pacific is the third smallest country in the world.
At just 21km squared, Nauru is one-quarter of the size of Robben Island, South Africa – the location where Nelson Mandela was held prisoner. It is home to 10,800 people.
The top export of the country and the driver of its economy has long been phosphate mining, although the main mine closed in 1980. As a result of over 100 years of this industry, the island’s landscape has been devastated, with the population becoming heavily reliant on aid from international sources.
The country has also made the headlines for being a key part of Australia’s offshore detention centre policy for asylum-seekers, with questions being raised about the ethics of the programme.
2. Monaco (2.02 sq. km)
The second smallest country in the world is quite a jump in size difference, nearly ten times smaller than Nauru.
At just 2.02 sq. km, Monaco is surrounded by France on three sides and is a constitutional monarchy. Its sovereignty was officially recognised by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861, becoming a full UN voting member in 1993.
To help you visualise just how small the country is – the London Congestion Charge Zone is 12 times bigger than Monaco.
With a population of 38,300 people, Monaco is an extremely wealthy nation with a GDP per capita of 240,862.18 USD in 2022.
Its wealth is due to several reasons including the fact the country is a tax haven, with no income tax for its residents. It is also a major banking centre, with banks specialising in private banking and asset management, drawing clients from across the world.
Tourism is another big driver of the economy, especially during the Formula One race events which take place every year on a track which covers most of the country.
1. Vatican City (0.49 sq. km)
The Vatican is recognised not only as the smallest country in Europe but also in the world. It is best known for being the residence of the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church.
At only 0.49 sq. km, the Vatican City is smaller than the Pentagon Building in the US.
Surrounded by the Italian capital city of Rome, the territory’s population of 453 is made up mainly of priests and nuns of many nationalities.The head of the church is also the head of state in Vatican City. Pope Francis is the current leader, coming to power in 2013 after the resignation of long-serving Pope Benedict XVI.
Many tourist attractions such as St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Gardens all fall within the country’s boundaries, receiving millions of visitors every year.
