Did you know that there are several countries in the world that are smaller than the city of Madrid? But that doesn’t make them any less interesting or appealing. Quite the opposite, actually. In these independent states, we can find beaches, art, and luxury. Let’s discover which is the smallest country in the world and which others follow it!
The Smallest Country in the World
The top smallest countries in the world are made up of independent states that have their own political and touristic identity. And yes, they may be small countries, but it would be unfair to define them only by their size. As the saying goes, “Good things come in small packages.” The appeal of these countries isn’t just in their size, but in the many other things they have to offer.
Let’s see the top 10 smallest countries in the world and how they compare!
Vatican City
Vatican City, located in the heart of Rome, covers an area of 0.44 km², ranks as THE smallest country in the world. It has a population of approximately 800 people (according to 2014 data), of which 572 have the right to Vatican citizenship, while the rest are authorized to reside there without citizenship rights.
Vatican City is home to the Holy See, the highest institution of the Catholic Church. The highest authority in the Vatican and its head of state is the Pope of the Catholic Church, making it the only theocracy and the last absolute monarchy in Europe.
As a few interesting facts, you should know that Vatican City has no official language, although the two spoken languages in this independent state are Latin and Italian. Also, it is so small that St. Peter’s Basilica and the surrounding buildings occupy 70% of its total area.
And why should you visit the smallest country in the world?
Well, apart from everything already mentioned, its appeal lies in the fact that the architectural and historic-artistic ensemble that makes up Vatican City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
2. Monaco
The second smallest country in the world is the Principality of Monaco, with an area of 2.02 km² and a population of 35,000 people. Monaco is a sovereign country in Western Europe (bordering France) and one of the most densely populated countries in the world.
Its official language is French, although Italian, Monégasque, and Occitan are also spoken.
Monaco is one of the six European micro-states. It ranks first as the smallest UN member state and second overall as the smallest country in the world, right after Vatican City.
3. Nauru
This Micronesian state, with an area of 21 km² and a population of 10,947, ranks third on the list. Despite its small size, Nauru (officially the Republic of Nauru) has not gone unnoticed throughout history. It was once a protectorate of Britain and Australia, and it was even occupied by Japan during World War II. It finally gained independence from Australia in 1968.
Today, Nauru has two official languages: Nauruan (spoken by around 7,000 people) and English. Nauruan is part of the Micronesian languages, specifically within the Austronesian language family.
4. Tuvalu
Tuvalu is a group of islands located between Hawaii and Australia. With an area of 26 km² and approximately 12,000 inhabitants, it is the third least populated independent nation in the world and the fourth smallest country on the list.
As it consists of several islands spread across atolls and surrounded by coral reefs, the inhabitants mainly survive on what the sea provides and on imports from other countries. Additionally, Tuvalu is one of the populations most vulnerable to the effects of global warming.
Despite its small size, Tuvalu is a member of the United Nations. In fact, it is the UN member state with the smallest population.
Its official languages are Tuvaluan and English.
5. San Marino
The fifth country on the list is completely surrounded by Italian territory. It has an area of 61 km² and approximately 34,000 inhabitants (according to 2022 data).
San Marino was founded around the year 300 and is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the historic centers of San Marino and Borgo Maggiore, and Mount Titano.
Its official name is The Most Serene Republic of San Marino, or simply, the Republic of San Marino.
While Italian is the official language, the local population also speaks Emilian-Romagnol, a Gallo-Italic language from the Romance language group.
The Top 5-10 Smallest Countries in the World:
To round out the top 10 smallest countries in the world, here are the rest of the top 10:
- Liechtenstein
- The Marshall Islands
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- The Maldives
- Malta
We hope you’ve discovered something new with this article—and that you feel inspired to visit one of the smallest countries in the world!
Berta is a translator and Spanish instructor originally from Barcelona. She speaks 4 languages and loves to travel and learn about new cultures. She's visited more than 35 countries! She also loves animals and spending time in nature. She has also studied Italian, German, and Chinese and plans to pick one of these up again using MosaLingua. She speaks: Spanish, Catalan, English, and French.
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