On the world political map of the world, there are about 250 officially recognized independent states. Among them are mighty powers that have significant weight in various international organizations and are actively involved in the life of other states. As a rule, these states have a fairly large area (for example, Russia) and a population (China).
Along with the giant countries, there are very small states, the area of which does not exceed 500 km², and the number of people living is comparable to the population of a small city. However, some of these countries play a very significant role. These include, for example, the Vatican City - the religious center of all Catholics, led by the Pope.
As you might have guessed, today we have prepared a ranking of the smallest countries in the world, the main criterion for the distribution of seats is the area of the territory occupied by the state.
10. Grenada | 344 sq. M. Km
- Main language: English
- Capital: St. George
- Population: 89,502 thousand
- GDP per capita: $ 9,000
Grenada is an island state with a constitutional monarchy. Located in the Caribbean. It was first discovered by Columbus in the 14th century. In the agricultural sector, bananas, citrus fruits, nutmegs are grown, which are subsequently exported to other countries. Grenada is an offshore zone. Thanks to the provision of offshore financial services, the country's treasury is replenished annually by $ 7.4 million.
9. Maldives | 298 sq. M. Km
- Main language: Maldives
- Capital: Male
- Population: 393 thousand
- GDP per capita: $ 7.675
The Republic of Maldives is located on an archipelago that consists of more than 1,100 islands in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is one of the best resorts in the world, therefore, along with fishing, the main share of the economy is in the service sector (about 28% of GDP). There are all conditions for a wonderful holiday: magnificent nature with a mild climate, clean beaches. The abundance of different species of animals, among which almost no dangerous species are found. The presence of beautiful underwater caves, stretching along the entire archipelago, which will be a real gift for tourists keen on diving.
Interesting fact: With such an accumulation of islands, there is not a single river or lake.
8. Saint Kitts and Nevis | 261 sq. M. Km
- Main language: English
- Capital: Buster
- Population: 49.8 thousand
- GDP per capita: $ 15,200
Saint Kitts and Nevis is a federation located on two islands of the same name, in the east of the Caribbean. By the size of the territory and the number of population - this state is the smallest country in the western hemisphere. The climate is tropical. Due to this, the islands have a very rich flora and fauna. The main industry, which provides the bulk of revenue to the treasury, is tourism (70% of GDP). Agriculture is poorly developed, mainly sugarcane is grown. To modernize agriculture and industry in the country, a program was launched - “Citizen for Investment,” thanks to which you can obtain citizenship by paying $ 250-450 thousand.
Interesting: citizenship in this country is Pavel Durov (creator of the social network VKontakte).
7. Marshall Islands | 181 sq. M. Km
- Main language: Marshall, English
- Capital: Majuro
- Population: 53.1 thousand
- GDP per capita: $ 2,851
Marshall Islands (Republic) located in the Pacific Ocean. The country is located on the archipelago, which includes 29 atolls and 5 islands. The climate on the islands is different, from tropical - in the south, to semi-desert - in the north. Flora and fauna was significantly altered by humans, including nuclear tests conducted by the USA in 1954 that had a strong influence. Therefore, almost no species of plants characteristic of this area are found on the islands; in return, others were planted. The main sector of the economy is the service sector. Products produced in agriculture, for the most part, are used for domestic needs. The country has fairly low taxes, which allows you to create an offshore zone. Due to undeveloped infrastructure and high prices for transport (flight to the islands), tourism is at an initial stage of development.
6. Liechtenstein | 160 sq. Km
- Main language: German
- Capital: Vaduz
- Population: 36.8 thousand
- GDP per capita: $ 141,000
The Principality of Liechtenstein is located in Western Europe, bordering Switzerland and Austria. Although this state occupies a small area, it is very beautiful. Beautiful mountain landscapes, as the country is located in the Alps, also in the western part of the state flows the largest river in Europe - the Rhine. The Principality of Liechtenstein is a technologically advanced state. Precision engineering enterprises operate in the country. Also, Liechtenstein is one of the largest financial centers in the world, with a highly developed sphere of banking services. The country has a very high standard of living and well-being. In terms of GDP per capita, this state takes the second place in the world, after Qatar, with an amount of 141,000 thousand dollars. Liechtenstein is a prime example of the fact that even such a small country can exist with dignity and occupy a significant place in world politics and economics.
5. San Marino | 61 square meters Km
- Main language: Italian
- Capital: San Marino
- Population: 32 thousand
- GDP per capita: $ 44.605
The Republic of San Marino is located in southern Europe and borders Italy on all sides. San Marino is the oldest European state, formed in the 3rd century. This country is located in a mountainous area, 80% of the territory lies on the western slope of Monte Titano. The ancient buildings and Mount Monte Titano itself are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The basis of the economy is production, which accounts for 34% of GDP, and the service sector and tourism play an important role.
4. Tuvalu | 26 sq. Km
- Main language: Tuvalu, English
- Capital: Funafuti
- Population: 11.2 thousand
- GDP per capita: $ 1,600
The state of Tuvalu is located on a cluster of atolls and islands (a total of 9) and is located in the Pacific Ocean. The climate in this country is tropical, with pronounced seasons - rains and droughts. Often, destructive cyclones pass through the islands. The flora and fauna of this state is rather scarce and is represented mainly by animals brought to the islands - pigs, cats, dogs and plants - coconut palms, bananas, breadfruit. The economy of Tuvalu, like other countries in Oceania, is mainly made up of the public sector, and to a small extent agriculture and fisheries. Tuvalu is also among the poorest countries in the world.
3. Nauru | 21.3 square meters Km
- Main language: English, Nauru
- Capital: None (The government is located in Yaren County)
- Population: 10 thousand people
- GDP per capita: $ 5,000
Nauru is located on a coral island in the Pacific Ocean and is the smallest republic in the world. There is no capital in this country, which also makes it unique. The climate on the island is quite hot, with high humidity. One of the main problems of this country is the shortage of fresh water. Just like in Tuvalu, flora and fauna are very scarce. For a long time, the main source of replenishment of the treasury was the production of phosphorites (in those years the country was one of the richest countries in the world with high GDP), but since the 90s, the level of production began to decline, and with it the well-being of the population. According to some estimates, phosphate reserves should have been enough until 2010. In addition, the development of phosphorites caused irreparable damage to the island's geology and ecosystem. Tourism is not developed, in view of the country's heavy pollution.
2. Monaco | 2.02 sq. Km
- Main language: French
- Capital: Monaco
- Population: 36 thousand
- GDP per capita: $ 16,969
Surely, many have heard about this state, thanks to the city of Monte Carlo and its famous casino. Monaco is located near France. Also, for sports lovers, in particular, car racing, this country is known because of the Forums-1 championship held here - the Monaco Grand Prix. Tourism is one of the main sources of income of this tiny state, along with the construction and sale of real estate. Also, due to the fact that Monaco has very low taxes and a strict guarantee of bank secrecy, wealthy people from all over the world are willing to keep their savings here.
Noteworthy: Monaco is the only state in which the number of regular troops (82 people) is less than in a military band (85 people).
1. The Vatican | 0.44 sq. Km
- Main language: Italian
- Form of government: Absolute theocratic monarchy
- Pope: Francis
- Population: 836
The Vatican - the leader of our rating, is the smallest country in the world. This city-state is located inside Rome. The Vatican is the residence of the highest leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. Citizens of this state are subjects of the Holy See. The Vatican has a non-profit economy. The bulk of the budget is donations. Also, cash proceeds to the treasury come from the tourism sector - paying for visiting museums, selling souvenirs, etc. The Vatican plays a significant role in resolving military conflicts, calling for peace.
There is an opinion that the smallest country in the world is the Order of Malta with an area of 0.012 km2, because it has all the necessary attributes to be called a state (its monetary unit, passport, etc.), but its sovereignty is not recognized by all members of the world community.
It is worth noting that there is a so-called principality Selend (from English - sea land), the area of which is 550 sq.m. This state is located on a platform, off the coast of Great Britain. But, since the sovereignty of this state was not recognized by any country in the world, it did not fall into our rating.
The smallest country in Eurasia - the Vatican - 0.44 sq. Km.
The smallest country on the African continent - Seychelles - 455 sq. Km.
The smallest country in the North American continent - Saint Kitts and Nevis - 261 sq. Km.
The smallest country in the South American continent - Suriname - 163,821 sq. Km.