With 449,964 km², Sweden is the world’s 57th largest country and thus holds the entire top 10 list of the world’s smallest countries within its borders by a good margin according to Countryaah.
Fortunately for these microstates, however, it is not just size that matters and they have more to offer than just square meters. Here you have them, the 10 smallest countries in the world. If you want to find more countries, please visit Abbreviationfinder.
10. Malta
Area: 344 km²
Capital: Valletta
Little Malta consists of seven islands inhabited by more than 400,000 Maltese. It is a hit-loving country that has never won the Eurovision Song Contest. Tourism is the country’s most important source of income with about one million visitors a year.
9. Maldives
Area: 316 km²
Capital: Malé
The beautiful island nation in the Indian Ocean is a very popular destination for sun worshipers and has been inhabited since before the time of Christ. Due to the fact that most islands barely reach 2 meters above sea level, the Maldives’ around 350,000 residents risk becoming homeless if sea levels rise.
8. Saint Kitts and Nevis
Area: 300 km²
Capital: Basseterre
The two volcanic islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean have been an independent state since 1983. Christopher Columbus himself added to the volcanic kingdom in 1493, and today it is inhabited by more than 40,000 people. The country’s largest source of income comes from tourism.
7. Marshall Islands
Area: 261 km²
Capital: Majuro
As one of countries in Oceania, the Marshall Islands is an island kingdom in Micronesia consisting of 31 atolls and 1152 islands. The islands that were inhabited around the year 2000 BC were discovered by Spanish seafarers in the 16th century and have since belonged to Spain, Germany, Japan and the United States. In 1986, the Marshall Islands declared independence after belonging to the United States for 40 years. The country’s production of coconuts and breadfruit accounts for the largest share of the agricultural industry, but the country is largely dependent on financial assistance from other countries.
6. Liechtenstein
Area: 160 km²
Capital: Vaduz
The microstate Lichtenstein is a constitutional monarchy with a prince who rules the country together with 25 members of parliament. The country is best known for its prominent skiers and for the high standard of living. More than 35,000 people live in the country.
5. San Marino
Area: 61 km²
Capital: San Marino
San Marino is a tiny republic located on the Apennine Peninsula in southern Europe that already existed in the Middle Ages. The country’s around 29,000 residents have the world’s lowest mortality rate among adults.
4. Tuvalu
Area: 26 km²
Capital: Funafuti
The island of Tuvalu in Polynesia, which consists of 8 islands, has been inhabited since the 11th century and was recognized in 1978 as a separate state. The nation’s main industries are fishing, tourism and the export of copra and coconut. However, the largest government revenue is raised through the sale of stamps and coins.
3. Nauru
Area: 21 km²
Capital: Yaren
The tiny island that used to be called Pleasant Island in the Pacific Ocean has been recognized as an independent republic since 1968 and formerly belonged to Australia. The country’s national sports are Australian football and weightlifting, and of the more than 13,000 residents, about a third suffer from diabetes. The population is namely one of the world’s most overweight where over 90 percent of the adult population suffers from obesity.
2. Monaco
Area: 1, 95 km²
Capital: Monaco
The small Jetset paradise Monaco on the Riviera is the world’s most densely populated country with just over 16,000 residents per square kilometer. The Principality with Prince Albert II at the throne boasts, among other things, the Monaco Grand Prix and the famous casino in Monte Carlo. In 2008, the small country withdrew from the Eurovision Song Contest due to poor results year after year.
1. Vatican City State
Area: 0.44 km²
The host’s smallest country is nestled in the heart of Rome, and the most famous of its approximately 800 residents is, of course, none other than the Pope himself. The whole state is basically one big attraction and crowds of tourists flock annually to visit St. Peter’s Basilica and look at the Sistine Chapel.
American and Australian Culture and Traditions by Country
Recent Updates
- Alexander, North Dakota Weather by Month (4/30/2024)
- Geography of Saint Lawrence County, New York (4/20/2024)
- Geography of Sussex County, New Jersey (4/12/2024)
- Geography of Coconino County, Arizona (4/4/2024)
- Geography of Bristol County, Rhode Island (3/30/2024)