Contents
There are about 250 officially recognized independent states on the world political map of the world. Among them there are mighty powers that have significant weight in various international organizations and take an active part in the life of other states. As a rule, these states have a fairly large area (for example, Russia) and population (China).
Along with the giant countries, there are also very small states, the area of u500buXNUMXbwhich does not exceed XNUMX 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, for example, include the state of the Vatican – the religious center of all Catholics, headed by the Pope.
As you may have guessed, today we have prepared a rating of the smallest countries in the world, the main criterion for the distribution of places is the area of the territory occupied by the state.
10 Grenada | 344 sq. m. km
- Main language: English
- Capital: St. George’s
- Number of population: 89,502 thousand people
- 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, nutmeg 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 annually replenished by $ 7,4 million.
9. Maldives | 298 sq. km
- Main language: Maldivian
- Chair: Male
- Number of population: 393 thousand people
- GDP per capita: $ 7,675
The Republic of Maldives is located in an archipelago of more than 1100 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 the service sector (about 28% of GDP). It has all the conditions for a wonderful holiday: magnificent nature with a mild climate, clean beaches. An abundance of different species of animals, among which there are almost no dangerous species. The presence of beautiful underwater caves stretching along the entire archipelago, which will be a real gift for tourists who are fond of diving.
Interesting fact: With such a cluster of islands, there is not a single river or lake.
8. Saint Kitts and Nevis | 261 sq. km
- Main language: English
- Capital: Baster
- Number of population: 49,8 thousand people
- 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 Sea. In terms of territory and 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 that provides most of the 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 get citizenship by paying $ 250-450 thousand.
Interesting: Pavel Durov (creator of the social network VKontakte) has citizenship in this country.
7. Marshall Islands | 181 sq. km
- Main language: Marshallese, English
- Capital: Majuro
- Number of population: 53,1 thousand people
- GDP per capita: $ 2,851
Marshall Islands (republic), located in the Pacific Ocean. The country is located on an 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 have been significantly altered by man, including the 1954 nuclear tests conducted by the United States. Therefore, on the islands, plant species characteristic of this area are practically not found; others were planted instead. The main sector of the economy is the service sector. The products produced in agriculture, for the most part, are used for their own needs within the country. The country has quite 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 early stage of development.
6. Liechtenstein | 160 sq. km
- Main language: German
- Capital: Vaduz
- Number of population: 36,8 thousand people
- 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 scenery, because. 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 instrumentation enterprises operate in the country. Also, Liechtenstein is one of the largest financial centers in the world, with a highly developed banking sector. The country has a very high standard of living and well-being. In terms of GDP per capita, this state ranks second in the world, after Qatar, with an amount of 141 thousand dollars. Liechtenstein is a vivid example of the fact that even such a small country can exist with dignity and occupy a significant place in world politics and the economy.
5. San Marino | 61 sq. km
- Main language: Italian
- Capital: San Marino
- Number of population: 32 thousand people
- GDP per capita: $ 44,605
The Republic of San Marino is located in the southern part of 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. Ancient buildings and Mount Titano itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The basis of the economy is production, which gives 34% of GDP, and the service sector and tourism also play an important role.
4. Tuvalu | 26 square meters km
- Main language: Tuvalu, English
- Capital: Funafuti
- Number of population: 11,2 thousand people
- GDP per capita: $ 1,600
The state of Tuvalu is located on a cluster of atolls and islands (there are 9 in total) 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 quite 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 fishing. Also, Tuvalu is one of the poorest countries in the world.
3. Nauru | 21,3 sq. km
- Main language: English, Nauruan
- Capital: None (Government is in Yaren County)
- Number of 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. This country does not have a capital, 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 lack of fresh water. Just like in Tuvalu, the flora and fauna are very scarce. The main source of replenishment of the treasury for a long time was the extraction of phosphorites (in those years, the country was one of the richest countries in the world with a 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 sufficient until 2010. In addition, the development of phosphorites caused irreparable damage to the geology and ecosystem of the island. Tourism is not developed due to the severe pollution of the country.
2. Monaco | 2,02 sq. m. km
- Main language: French
- Capital: Monaco
- Number of population: 36 thousand people
- GDP per capita: $ 16,969
Surely, many have heard about this state, thanks to the city of Monte Carlo and its famous casinos. Monaco is located next to France. Also, sports fans, in particular auto racing, this country is known because of the Formula 1 championship held here – the Monaco Grand Prix. Tourism is one of the main sources of income for this tiny state, along with construction and real estate sales. Also, due to the fact that Monaco has very low taxes and there is a strict guarantee of banking secrecy, wealthy people from all over the world willingly store 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. Vatican | 0,44 sq. km
- Main language: Italian
- Form of government: Absolute theocratic monarchy
- Pope: Francis
- Number of population: 836 people
The Vatican is the leader of our ranking, is the smallest country in the world. This city-state is located inside Rome. The Vatican is the seat of the highest leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. The citizens of this state are subjects of the Holy See. The Vatican has a non-profit economy. Donations make up the bulk of the budget. Also, cash receipts to the treasury come from the tourism sector – payment for visiting museums, selling souvenirs, etc. The Vatican plays a significant role in the settlement of military conflicts, calling for the preservation of 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 own currency, passports, 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 Sealand (from English – sea land), the area of u550buXNUMXbwhich is XNUMX sq.m. This state is located on a platform, not far from the coast of Great Britain. But, since the sovereignty of this state was not recognized by any country in the world, it was not included in our rating.
The smallest country in Eurasia – Ватикан – 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 Surinam – 163 821 sq. Km.