The smallest countries in the world are under 1,000 km², smaller than the size of Paris (105 km²) for the tiniest ones. Here is the top 10.
1. Vatican (0.49 km²)
The smallest country in the world. 825 inhabitants. Elective theocracy ruled by the Pope. Enclaved within Rome.
Quirks. Smallest country but also densest (1,700 inhabitants/km²). Pontifical Swiss Guard as army.
2. Monaco (2.02 km²)
Mediterranean principality. 36,000 inhabitants. Constitutional monarchy of the Grimaldi family since 1297.
Quirks. Densest country in the world (18,000 inhabitants/km²). No income tax. Formula 1 Grand Prix and Monte-Carlo Casino.
3. Nauru (21 km²)
Pacific island. 12,000 inhabitants. Smallest island country.
Quirks. Former phosphate wealth made it one of the world’s richest countries in the 1970s, then total collapse after exhaustion.
4. Tuvalu (26 km²)
Nine atolls in the Pacific. 11,000 inhabitants.
Quirks. Country most exposed to sea level rise. The .tv internet domain brings in significant income (sold for millions).
5. San Marino (61 km²)
Enclaved in Italy. 33,000 inhabitants. One of the oldest republics in the world, founded in 301.
Quirks. Three medieval fortresses accessible on foot.
6. Liechtenstein (160 km²)
Between Switzerland and Austria. 39,000 inhabitants.
Quirks. Constitutional monarchy. Richest country in the world by GDP per capita.
7. Marshall Islands (181 km²)
29 atolls in the Pacific. 60,000 inhabitants. Compact of free association with the US.
8. Saint Kitts and Nevis (261 km²)
Two islands in the Caribbean. 47,000 inhabitants. Smallest country in the Americas.
9. Maldives (298 km²)
26 atolls in the Indian Ocean. 540,000 inhabitants. Also the flattest country (maximum elevation 2.4 meters).
10. Malta (316 km²)
Mediterranean island. 530,000 inhabitants. EU member.
Slightly larger countries to know
Grenada (344 km²). Caribbean.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (389 km²). Caribbean.
Barbados (430 km²). Caribbean.
Antigua and Barbuda (442 km²). Caribbean.
Andorra (468 km²). Between France and Spain.
Why such small countries?
Three historical reasons.
Medieval heritage. Vatican, San Marino, Monaco, Liechtenstein are remnants of old political fragmentations.
Island geography. Many of the smallest countries are islands or archipelagos, necessarily limited by their geography.
Decolonization. For the Caribbean especially, independence created small stable states on modest islands.
Useful comparisons
- Vatican = Central Park / 100 roughly
- Monaco = Central Park × 2
- San Marino = Manhattan roughly
- Liechtenstein = Inner Paris roughly
- Malta = 3 times the city of Brussels
By continent: the smallest countries in Europe, the smallest countries in Asia and the six European microstates.
Worth reading: least visited countries in the world and countries that no longer exist to continue.
Frequently asked questions
What is the smallest country in the world?
Vatican City, at 0.49 km² (about 44 hectares), is the smallest country in the world. Enclaved within Rome, it is home to roughly 800 residents and is ruled by the Pope.
What is the smallest country by population?
Vatican City is also the smallest by population, with around 800 inhabitants. Among United Nations member states (the Vatican is not one), Tuvalu is the smallest, with about 11,000 people.
Is Sealand a real country?
No. The Principality of Sealand is a self-declared micronation on a former WWII sea fort off the English coast. It is not recognised by any sovereign state, so it does not count in rankings of the world’s smallest countries.
What is the smallest country on each continent?
The smallest country in Europe is Vatican City (0.49 km²). In Asia it is the Maldives (about 298 km²), in Africa the Seychelles (about 452 km²), in the Americas Saint Kitts and Nevis (261 km²), and in Oceania Nauru (21 km²).
How many countries are smaller than 1,000 km²?
More than twenty sovereign states are smaller than 1,000 km² — most of them island nations in the Caribbean and the Pacific, plus the European microstates (Vatican, Monaco, San Marino, Liechtenstein).
