The Smallest Countries In The World

When it comes to small countries, island nations are typically small, and their government's jurisdictions end on their coastlines. Still, exceptions like Hispaniola exist, wherein Haiti and the Dominican Republic share a moderately large island. The Vatican is officially the world's smallest country with a compact 0.19 mi² (0.49 km²) of total area. The following tiniest countries are Monaco (0.77 mi²), Nauru (8.1 mi²), and Tuvalu (10 mi²). However, to break things down, the world's smallest countries are sorted here, in terms of total area, by the continents they inhabit. 

• Complete Ranking of the Smallest Countries
• While Technically Not Countries, Other Micronations From Around the World

The 15 Smallest Countries In The World

Map of the Smallest 15 Countries

1. Vatican City

Vatican City, with an area of 0.19 square miles, holds the title as the smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world, not just Europe. A landlocked city-state within the confines of Rome, Italy, it boasts remarkable compactness. Its boundaries encompass St. Peter's Square, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Gardens, contributing to its mesmerizing architectural layout. The country exists because, in 1929, Pope Pius XI signed a treaty as compensation for the Vatican's loss of influence elsewhere in Italy.

2. Monaco

Monaco, situated on the French Riviera in Western Europe, encompasses an area of 0.77 square miles. The densely populated principality thrives along the Mediterranean coastline, strategically hugging rugged, rising terrain. Monaco's geographic hallmark, the Rock of Monaco, provides a vantage point that emphasizes its smallness, with the entirety of its urban expanse often visible from this point.

3. Nauru

Nauru occupies an area of 8.1 square miles, earning it the distinction of the smallest island nation not only in Oceania but also in the world. The central plateau, known as Topside, dominates the geography with phosphate rock outcrops scattered across its surface. An encircling narrow coastal strip fringed with palm trees provides a sharp contrast to this rocky interior. Although its size is small, Nauru's features, such as the Buada Lagoon situated inland, demonstrate its compact nature that still provides plenty for its residents.

4. Tuvalu

Spread across an area of just 10 square miles, Tuvalu is the second smallest country in Oceania. It consists of a chain of nine coral atolls, with Funafuti, its largest atoll, serving as the nation's capital. The highest point in Tuvalu is only 15 feet above sea level, accentuating its small size. Despite its compressed dimensions, Tuvalu manages the Funafuti Conservation Area along its coast, an extensive marine protected region that is about 12.7 square miles of reef and land.

5. San Marino

San Marino, with its 24 square miles, is an enclaved microstate situated on the northeastern side of the Apennine Mountains in Italy. This hilltop republic, the third smallest country in Europe, encompasses a region typified by a rugged, mountainous landscape. Mount Titano, the highest peak in the country, stands as a testament to the country's size, as the three towers perched atop it overlook virtually all of San Marino's territory.

6. Liechtenstein

The micro-state in Europe takes a leap in size comprising ​​160 square kilometers principality with 39,475 residents and population density of 243 people per sq. km. Lichtenstein neighbors Switzerland to the west and south and Austria in the east. Its capital city is Vaduz and German is the main language, while 34% of the inhabitants are foreigners. The state is most-known for mountainous terrain with many winter sport resorts and tax haven attracting the active wealth. The country's economy depends on international companies that in-turn benefit from Liechtenstein's low taxes.

7. Marshall Islands

Covering an area of 70 square miles, the Marshall Islands is an archipelago nation in the central Pacific Ocean. It comprises 29 atolls and five islands, a geographical spread that exemplifies its size. The islands are characterized by flat terrains not exceeding 10 feet above sea level on average. The largest atoll, Kwajalein, includes a substantial lagoon measuring approximately 1,125 square miles, despite the island's thin, encircling 5.6 square miles. Even with its seemingly diminutive landmass, the Marshall Islands' extensive aquatic territory is a resource in and of itself, helping the government to establish and maintain sovereignty.

8. Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis, two island territories amassing a total area of 101 square miles, represent the smallest sovereign state in the Western Hemisphere. Occupying a portion of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea, the duo's geography consists primarily of volcanic landscapes. The islands' principal physical feature, Mount Liamuiga, reaches its maximum height at only 3,793 ft (1,156 m).

9. Maldives

The Maldives, an Asian country composed entirely of coral islands, covers an area of approximately 120 square miles. It sprawls across the Indian Ocean, near the southwestern coast of India, in a chain of 26 atolls. The highest point in this flat, low-lying country does not exceed 8 feet above sea level, a feature that makes the Maldives one of the lowest countries on Earth. Despite its small size, the Maldives harbors extreme importance in the realm of biodiversity, with over 2000 species of fish calling the island chain home.

10. Malta

Malta is an archipelago located in the Mediterranean Sea and composed of three main islands. Its landscape is characterized by high hills and terraced fields, as well as numerous bays, harbours, and beaches. Evidence of human settlement on the islands dates back to around 5200 BCE. The small country of 216 sq. km. in area is a popular cultural destination with rich history and prehistoric buildings, like the megalithic temples of Tarxien and the Mnajdra and Hagar Qim temples. The latter was built during a unique era to function like a clock. Malta has always been a strategically important place, as well as scene of battles among its conquerors. It was ruled by several nations over years, with all leaving a cultural mark, before final independence from Britain.

11. Grenada

The island nation of Grenada, extending over an area of 133 square miles, ranks as the second smallest independent country in North America. Also located in the Lesser Antilles, Grenada features a terrain defined by a central highland spine, where the island's highest point, Mount Saint Catherine, stands tall at 2,757 ft (840 m).

12. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, an archipelago nation in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, comprises an area of 150 square miles. It is an assemblage of the main island, Saint Vincent, and a chain of smaller islands, the Grenadines. The most significant geographic feature, La Soufriere volcano, is not only the highest peak in the country, but it has been active since 1995 with continuous eruptions. 

13. Barbados 

The Eastern Caribbean country is the 13th smallest independent state in the world spreading over an area of 430 square kilometers. Barbados is the easternmost island of the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Atlantic, just off the coast of Venezuela and Guyana, and most-visited by tourists in the Caribbean. The thought-after destination encompasses a real paradise with beautiful weather under nearly-constant sunshine.

14. Antigua and Barbuda

Covering an area of only 440 sq. km, the dual-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda is in the Caribbean Sea. Located where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Lesser Antilles, the terrain of both islands is generally hilly, covered in lush vegetation and dotted with golden sand beaches. The history of the islands dates back to pre-Columbian times when it was inhabited by Arawak or Ciboney peoples. Antigua was colonized first by British interests in 1632 while Barbuda only had permanent settlement as a result of recruiting free African slaves and former enslaved Africans from surrounding Caribbean Islands. Since obtaining its independence from Britain in 1981, Antigua and Barbuda has become one of the most prosperous nations in the region, boasting excellent tourist infrastructure and a stable government.

15. Seychelles

Seychelles, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, has a total land area of 175 square miles, making it Africa's smallest country. Composed of 115 islands, it displays a mix of coral atolls and granitic islands. For reference, the Morne Seychellois National Park (11.7 mi²) occupies almost 20% of the main island of Mahé (60.7 mi²).

Despite their limited sizes, these independent nations persistently maintain their sovereignty, affirming the principle that a country's significance is not measured by its geographical expanse but by its capability to self-govern and sustain a distinctive culture. Small nations continually challenge our understanding of what defines a country, emphasizing that territorial dimension is just one attribute in the intricate character of nationhood.

All 195 Countries Ranked By Total Area (Smallest To Largest)

Micronations Around The World

Besides the small states mentioned above, there exist many micronations around the globe that claim sovreignity or independece but are not internationally recognized as such. These nations include: Macau, Hong Kong, The Principilaity of Sealand, and Liberland.

Macau, Hong Kong, And Taiwan

Macau is a special adminstrative region of China, and it spains 32 km² making it just a little larger than the island nation of Tuvalu. A former Portuguese colony, Macau is the most densely populated place in the world, having a population of 686,607 and a density of 20,870 people/km² Hong Kong is also a special adminstrative region of China; it covers 1,104 km² of area and is almost twice the size of the Seychelles. At the end of the Opium wars in 1841, Hong Kong was established as a British colony for some time, and was, in WW2, occupied by Japanese forces. In 1997, Hong Kong was transferred back to China, and now has a separate economic systems than China, but stands as one of the most developed places in the world. It is also worth mentioning that Taiwan is a relatively small nation that claims independence from China, a claim that is of course heavily disputed by the PRC. There are 13 countries around the world that recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan, but with the increasing pressure and assertiveness of the PRC in regards to foreign policy, this number is not likely to increase any time soon.

The Principality Of Sealand

The Principality of Sealand is a micronation located on a former World War II platform in the North Sea off the coast of England and was declared as an independent state by British pirate radio broadcaster, Paddy Roy Bates, in 1967. Despite not being officially recognized by the British government, Sealand has established itself with its own government, symbols, and currency. It is only 0.004 km² in area, making it about the size of a football field.

Liberland

Liberland is a self-proclaimed micronation founded in 2015, claiming a small piece of land on the western bank of the Danube River, an area that has been disputed by Croatia and Serbia. It bills itself as a free and sovereign state with a focus on individual freedom and limited government. However, it is not recognized as a sovereign state by any country. Its estimated total area is 7 km^2, making it larger than Monaco. Despite this, it has a government, flag, national motto, and currency.

There are many other micornations around the world, with some not being recognized by any supernational authority, but still stand strong in their claim. These nations mentioned above are some of the most notable of them all.