10 Smallest Countries You Would Want to Visit
10 Smallest Countries You Would Want to Visit
Although countries come in different shapes and sizes, we generally have an idea of a country being a large mass of land with millions of people living in them. There are countries that stretch over hundreds and thousands of miles, and there are those that stretch on a couple of miles. Today we are going to look at some of the smallest countries in the world. Here we go:
10. Grenada
Area: 134.6 sq mi
Located in the southeastern Caribbean Sea, Hrenada is an island country that had an estimated population of some 110,000 back in 2012. Original inhabitants of the country were the indigenous Arawaks and later the Island Caribs. The country is often referred to as “Island of Spice” because of the mass production of mace and nutmeg. It’s national bird the Grenada dove is an endangered species today.
9. Malta
Area: 122 sq mi
Located in the Mediterranean Sea, the island country is has a population of some 450,000 people which makes it one of the smallest countries in the world. The place attracts a lot of tourists because of its nice Mediterrrina climate making tourism a huge business there. It’s a rich country with three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Valletta, Megalithic Temples of Malta and Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni. It’s worth noting that Malta is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.
8. Maldives
Area: 115 sq mi
Officially called the Republic of Maldives, the island country is located in the Indian Ocean. Besides being the smallest country in the world, Maldives is also one of the smallest Asian countries with a population of only 393,500 inhabitants. Maldives’ capital like all capitals in the world is the most populated city and owing to its location which is in the center of the country, its also called “King’s Island.”
7. Saint Kitts and Nevis
Area: 101 sq mi
It’s officially called the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis and also sometimes the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis. In the western hemisphere, Saint Kitts and Nevis holds the reputation of being the smallest country, both in terms of land area and population. It’s a Commonwealth realm, therefore, Queen Elizabeth II, the British monarch is the head of the state.
6. Liechtenstein
Area: 62 sq mi
Called the Principality of Liechtenstein, the country is headed by a constitutional monarchy. The Monarchy of Liechtenstein is the only European monarchy that still practices agnatic primogeniture. There is an estimated 37,000 inhabitant in the country, and economically they are very well-off. Liechtenstein has one of the highest GDP per capita with one of the lowest unemployment rate in the world.
5. San Marino
Area: 23.6 sq mi
Referred to as the Most Serene Republic of San Marino or just the Republic of San Marino, at 33,562, the country has one of the smallest population in the world. Located on the Italian Peninsula, it’s surrounded by Italy. It’s got a highly stable economy that depends largely on tourism, finance, etc.
4. Tuvalu
Area: 10 sq mi
Located in the Pacific Ocean, it’s officially known as the Ellice Islands. One of the first inhabitants of the island country were Polynesians before the Europeans discovered the place. Tuvalu is the 189th member of the United Nations and works entirely independently within the Commonwealth. The country has a strong economy but has seen inflation in the recent past.
3. Nauru
Area: 8.1 sq mi
The Republic of Nauru or Pleasant Island is one of the smallest countries in the world located in the Central Pacific. It’s the third country on our list right after Vatican City and Monaco. It had a large deposit of phosphate rocks that were mined and exported. It made Nauru the wealthiest country in the world in terms of GDP. The deposits exhausted and Nauru is now struggling to save its environment as well as its economy.
2. Monaco
Area: 0.78 sq mi
After Vatican City, Monaco is the second smallest country in the world. Officially known as the Principality of Monaco, it is surrounded by France and the Mediterranean Sea. With 38,400, it’s among the most densely populated countries in the world. Monaco is a tax haven closely followed by Zürich or Geneva. The country is ruled by a constitutional monarchy, and its lenient laws attract the rich and the famous so much so that 30% of the inhabitants are millionaires.
1. Vatican City
Area: 0.17 sq mi
Officially called the State of Vatican City or Vatican City State, is located within the city of Rome. Ruled by the Pope, the state is a sacerdotal-monarchical and its origin dates back to early Christianity. The economy of the Vatican city depends heavily on tourism. The Vatican has a Mediterranean climate and has several gardens that take over half of the territory that was created during the Baroque and Renaissance era.
Which one of these smallest countries would you like to visit, given a chance? Tell us in the comment section below.
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