Russia is the largest country in the world, but it is also interesting to know which countries are actually the smallest. Here you can see which country is clearly the smallest by mass and population and what other small nations there are – not all of which are known!
Less than 0.5 million inhabitants
The smallest country in the world is clearly the Vatican. It has a land mass of just 0.49 km². The independent city-state is completely surrounded by Rome. San Marino is also a so-called “microstate” in Italy that is surrounded by land. At 60 km², San Marino is the fifth smallest country in the world.
As small countries almost always have small populations, typically less than half a million, they are small in two respects. Singapore is an exception: Almost 6 million people live here. However, in terms of land mass, Singapore is one of the 20 smallest countries in the world with its 726 km². Jamaica is around eight times larger, but has only half the population.
Vatican City: the smallest country in the world
The Vatican is by far the smallest country in the world. It can be crossed on foot in around 10 minutes and measures less than one square kilometer. The country is surrounded by high walls, which are guarded by the famous Papal Swiss Guard. As the Pope’s residence and place of work, security plays a major role in the Vatican.
Despite its small size, the Vatican has a great influence on the world, culturally, politically and spiritually. The country is the heart of the Roman Catholic Church, which has over one billion members worldwide. St. Peter’s Basilica dominates the small country. Visitors from all over the world come to Vatican City to see the Pope or even get an audience, to visit the cathedral, tour the Sistine Chapel or wander through the famous museums.
A total of around 800 people live permanently in the Vatican. Their main language is Latin, but Latin is also spoken at the many church events and ceremonies.
Monaco is the second smallest country
The second smallest country in the world is Monaco, with an area of just over 2 km² and a population of around 39,000 people. It is located on the French Riviera directly on the Mediterranean Sea and is known for being a playground for the rich and famous. Numerous private yachts, expensive cars and Formula 1 references make up the cityscape. The famous Princess Grace, an American actress who married into the royal family of Monaco, is also omnipresent here. She died in a tragic car accident on the winding roads of the country and is still revered to this day.
Monaco’s economy is largely based on tourism, luxury goods and financial services. The vacation destination is also known for its casinos.
Nauru: the third smallest country
In addition to the Vatican and Monaco, the island states of the Caribbean and the South Pacific are also among the smallest countries in the world. Nauru is in third place with 21 km². Around 12,000 people live here, fewer than in Monaco. The country is one of the least visited in the world. Probably only around 15,000 people who are still alive today have ever visited the country.
Until the 1990s, Nauru lived for a long time from producing phosphate – an important ingredient in fertilizers. However, the supply dried up, which led to an economic collapse. To this day, around 90% of Nauru’s inhabitants are unemployed. There are plans to relocate the entire population to another island. Australia supports the small country financially, but has also faced criticism for using Nauru as an offshore detention and processing center for immigrants.
The top 10 smallest countries in the world
The top 10 smallest countries in the world have small populations of between 500 and 73,000. Depending on whether you count the land mass or the inhabitants, the ranking is different. Here you can see the list by population(United Nations estimates from 2022)
- Vatican with 517 inhabitants and 0.44 km²
- Tuvalu with 11,387 inhabitants and 26 km²
- Nauru with 12,769 inhabitants and 21 km²
- Palau with 18,058 inhabitants and 459 km²
- San Marino with 33,644 inhabitants and 61 km²
- Monaco with 36,313 inhabitants and 2 km²
- Liechtenstein with 39,558 inhabitants and 160 km²
- Marshall Islands with 41,952 inhabitants and 181 km²
- Saint Kitts and Nevis with 47,745 inhabitants and 261 km²
- Dominica with 73,006 inhabitants and 751 km²
For comparison: Germany’s largest city, Berlin, has an area of almost 892 km² and is therefore larger than any country on this list. Europe’s smallest countries are the Vatican, Monaco and San Marino. The largest country in the world is Russia with an area of 17.1 million km². And the most populous country in the world is China with 1.4 billion people, closely followed by India with 1.399 billion.
The smallest and largest countries in the world are easy to determine – but what about the largest city in the world? Find out more here!
