It’s been said that size isn’t everything, and for many of the small countries in the world, that’s something of a mantra. While the focus of the world tends to be on the biggest things, like the biggest countries, and the ones with the highest per capita income, or more populous, it’s also important to remember the little guys. In this video, we’re doing just that. We taking a look at the very smallest countries in the world. From the tiny European country of Liechtenstein, to the small island nation of Tuvalu, to the tiniest nation of them all, Viewcation presents: The Smallest Countries in the World!
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein is a tiny European country that lives next to Switzerland and Austria. It takes up only 52 square miles, or 160 square kilometers, and has a population of just under 40,000 people. While it technically has a national language of German, it has a 34% rate of foreigners living there, so there are many languages spoken within its borders. Because of its many mountains and excellent winter terrain, it’s a popular vacation spot, especially for lovers of winter sports.
San Marino
San Marino is a country that fully sits inside another country. It has all of its borders inside Italy (with the exception of one border on the Adriatic Sea) and yet it’s its own country. It’s in the Emilia-Romagna region, which is in the northeast portion of the country. It has a size of 23.6 square miles, or 32 square kilometers. And it’s population is just under 34,000. Unlike many of the countries on this list, San Marino is big enough to have a capital – San Marino Citta. And it’s a lovely capital, to boot. It has a huge medieval castle with giant towers and classic fortress walls. It’s also open for tourist visits! Because of San Marino’s connection to medieval times, it has many themed festivals celebrating this era, and putting guests in a festive mood by making them feeling like they’ve traveled back in time. Unlike some of the other nations in this video, which only recently gained independence, San Marino has roots dating back centuries. It’s actually the oldest republic in Europe, with a found dating of 301 AD. Its constitution was ratified in around 1600. Not surprisingly, since it’s such a small nation, it has had a history full of tumult, as many have tried to invade it. But it has been helped by its natural fortifications, like hills and forests, as well as the man made ones. It’s popular with tourists for much of the year, but especially in the winter time. Ski lovers descend upon it for the great conditions, and the country leans into this by celebrating winter festivities, opening Christmas markets, and decorating their sun kissed streets.
Tuvalu
Tuvalo is a tiny set of islands, aka an archipelago, that sits in the South Pacific. It used to be called the Ellice Islands, and it’s about 10 square miles in size, or about 30 square kilometers. There are only about 12,000 people who officially call it home, but that swells with visiting tourists. It has an interesting economic journey, and a rare one. It was a very poor country for a long time, relying on tourism and small scale ventures like renting out areas in which to fish. At one point, they snagged the internet domain .tv, which was a sensible shortening for Tuvalu. But internet behemoth VeriSign bought the domain ending from them in 2000 for $50 million. The island suddenly went from being poverty stricken to being wealthy. Prior to that, Tuvalu was a British protectorate, but they gained independence in 1974. Sadly, Tuvalu is an island that is very threatened by rising sea levels due to climate change. Most of the island sits at sea level, with a dying coral reef that protects it. So, sadly, it likely won’t be around for that much longer.
Nauru
The third smallest country in the world takes up a space of only 8.1 square miles, or 21 square kilometers. The island nation of Nauru is about .6 the size of Manhattan, though has FAR fewer people. There are just under 11,000 people who call Nauru home. Set in the middle of the Pacific, Nauru offers visitors a coastline of about 30 kilometers in length, with gorgeous coral reefs, and pristine sandy beaches. It was called “Pleasant Island” at one point, which seems fitting. Because it’s so small, Nauru doesn’t have a capital. And there’s not even an area that might be considered “downtown” because there’s no areas of well defined urban neighborhoods. A district called Yaren houses the local government, though as you can imagine, it’s a pretty sparse area with a laid back vibe. But despite its small size, Nauru actually has a world-renowned airport, with its runways right along the coast. It’s the smallest republic in the world, since the next two countries on the list are more like principalities. It’s fairly close to Australia, and only got its recognition as a country from Australia and New Zealand in 1968.
Monaco
The second smallest country in the world is Monaco. This gorgeous and pristine locale sits on the coast of France, looking out over the Mediterranean Sea. It has long been a symbol of opulence, and it caters to the uber rich. It’s full of exclusive and luxurious resorts and hotels, and a drive around the city will allow you to spot pretty much every fancy car in existence. It only takes up about 0.78 square miles, which is 2 square kilometers of space. And it has a population of only around 38,000 people. Of course, on any given day there are far more people than that jammed into this tiny country. Thanks to famous tourist attractions the Monte Carlo casino and the Grimaldi Palace, and events like the Monte Carlo Grand Prix, it’s a locale that gets visitors from around the globe. Some are there because they are wildly rich, and they want to dock their yacht in Monaco for a little while. And others are there to catch a glimpse of the opulence and grandeur all over the country. It’s so small that it doesn’t have a capital. And there are so few people who live there (and so much money flying around) that it actually has the most amount of police per capita of anywhere in the world. It’s also the most densely populated country in the world. Though that’s not a huge surprise with just how tiny it is. Fun fact: the ruler of Monaco, Prince Albert II, went to college in the States, at the prestigious Amherst College in Massachusetts.
Vatican City
Coming in at number one is Vatican City. But don’t let the “city” in its name fool you. It’s an independent country located completely within Italy, and completely inside Rome. Not surprisingly, it’s fully intertwined with Rome in many ways. And yet it maintains its sovereignty. It takes up an area of 0.19 square miles, which is 0.44 square kilometers. As you are probably aware, Vatican City is the home of The Vatican, or the central HQ of the Catholic Church. It’s where the pope resides, and is among the holiest of places in the world. As such, it’s also a huge tourist destination, especially for Catholics around the world. It has a population of a little over 450 people, and since there’s no hospital, you can’t actually be born there, generally speaking. Because of that, citizenship to Vatican City isn’t granted by birth. It’s done by employment.
Among the attractions in this tiny country are Saint Peter’s Basilica, which not only is the biggest church in the world in terms of interior space, but is also accepted as one of the most holy shrines in Catholicism. There’s also the legendary Sistine Chapel, which is home to the renowned ceiling painted by Michelangelo. The chapel is located inside the Vatican Museum, which also contains the biggest collection of artwork on the globe.
The economic structure of Vatican City is interesting in that it’s primarily dependent upon donations from Catholics, as well as money earned from tourism. That includes tickets for museum entry, as well as the sale of things like souvenirs and stamps. It doesn’t impose any taxes on its citizens.
Now it’s time to hear from you! Have you ever visited any of these tiny countries? Let us know in the comments section below!