Vatican (0.44 km2)
No matter how surprising it may sound, but the smallest state on Earth is the Vatican, located on the territory of modern Rome. Its area is only 0.44 km2, and the length of the border passing through Italy is 3.2 km. The population is 836 people, most of whom are subjects of the Holy See.
The Vatican is governed by the Holy See, whose sovereign is the Pope, who is elected by the cardinals for life. In his hands is the judicial, executive and legislative power. However, to govern this dwarf state, the Pope appoints a governor.
Despite its tiny size, the Vatican has its own economy, however, for the most part non-profit. The main source of income is donations from Catholics from all over the world. In addition, a considerable part of the profit is brought by tourists, who sometimes leave quite large sums here, buying souvenirs, various gifts, Vatican euros (yes, it even has its own currency) and so on.
On the territory of the country there are real masterpieces of architecture. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and also the Vatican Library, known to the whole world for its incredibly large collection of manuscripts from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, immediately come to mind. In addition, it contains more than 1.5 million books, 150 thousand manuscripts, a huge number of coins and medals, about 100,000 geographical maps and engravings.
It also has its own railway line, only 700 meters long, which, however, connects to the network of Italian railways. The station was built in 1932. But there is no airport, which is not surprising - it simply would not fit here. But there is a helipad, opened in 1976 - it is used by the Vatican to communicate with the Roman airports of Ciampino and Fiumicino.
Interestingly, the Vatican even has its own domain zone - .va. However, there are very few sites in it.
Monaco (2.02 km2)
Second place is occupied by one of the most famous states in the world - we are talking about the Principality of Monaco. It is located on the coast Ligurian Sea and borders on France. Despite the small territory that this country occupies, the number of local residents is more than 36 thousand people. And this is not to mention the tourists, who are incredibly numerous here.
The economy of Monaco is developed primarily on tourism, as well as gambling. Among the advantages that attract wealthy guests are low taxes and banking secrecy. Monaco is very different low level unemployment, the absence of external debt, as well as a large stock of foreign exchange reserves.
Monaco is a country for the rich. It is here on the same street that you can meet as many exclusive Bentleys and Ferraris as you will not see in a lifetime in any other European city.
Gibraltar (6.5 km2)
Number three on our list is Gibraltar. It is an overseas territory belonging to the UK. Part of the European Union.
The most developed industries in the country are tourism, banking and finance. In addition, shipbuilding can also be noted. Total length roads is about 46 km, and the port has more than 70 sea vessels. Despite its small area, Gibraltar has its own runway strip and airport.
The total number of residents is about 29 thousand people, according to estimates for 2008.
Gibraltar is the only European country where semi-wild magot monkeys can still be found.
Tokelau (10 km2)
Tokelau is a three-island dependent territory administered by New Zealand. Located between the Hawaiian Islands and New Zealand.
About 1,500 people live in Tokelau, who survive mainly through fishing. At the same time, analysts say New Zealand helps the inhabitants of the island, and in addition, they are sent cash relatives living in other countries.
In addition to fishing, papaya, coconuts, bananas and some other fruits are grown here. Interestingly, a significant part of the income comes from the .tk domain zone.
For a long time, all the electricity here was generated using diesel power plants, but fuel costs were very high, so it was decided to switch to solar energy. The transition took place in 2012.
Cocos Islands (14 km2)
The next country on our list is the Cocos Islands or Keeling. Keeling consists of 27 coral islands, which are located in Indian Ocean near Australia. The locals are Malays, there are about 600 of them here.
Most of the population lives in West Island- the largest of 27. This is where the airport is located. Residents grow coconut palms, produce copra and serve the same airport. Keeling has its own domain zone.cc, which, by the way, is also quite popular.
Republic of Nauru (21.3 km2)
Another dwarf state, which will be discussed later, is the Republic of Nauru. The country is located on the island of the same name, which can be found in the western part of the Pacific Ocean.
Nauru is currently the smallest independent republic on Earth. It has no official capital. The island itself is oval in shape, 5.6 km long and 4 km wide. The number of people living is just over 9 thousand people, and a few years ago this figure was much higher.
Since there are no own rivers on the island, there is a strong shortage of fresh water, which is available thanks to just one desalination plant. Moreover, it periodically stops working due to problems with electricity. That is why the locals collect rainwater in basins and use it.
The fauna, like the flora, in Nauru is very stingy and poor.
Tuvalu (26 km2)
Tuvalu is a Pacific state in Polynesia. It is located on 4 islands and 5 atolls, the total land area of which is 26 square kilometers.
The total number of residents is 9500 people. Most live in the province of Funafuti. In fact, Funafuti is the capital of this country. It's interesting that official language is English. In addition, the language of Tuvalu is used in everyday life.
The main role in the economy of the state is played by fishing - and most of the population is engaged in it, especially since the income from fishing is very large and amounts to about 50% of all state revenues.
Macau (27.2 km2)
Macau is a socio-administrative region that was ruled by Portugal for several centuries. In fact, this is a peninsula that was once a separate island, but then was connected to the mainland.
Macau is a country known primarily for its gambling houses, casinos and nightclubs. In a word, various entertainments for the rich public. It is the gambling business that brings most of the income to the state's piggy bank.
It is not surprising that more than half a million people live here. However, they are employed not only in gambling, but also in the tobacco industry and fishing.
Norfolk (34.6 km2)
Another small island located in the Pacific Ocean. It is located between New Zealand and Australia, but unofficially refers to the latter. According to historical records, Norfolk was discovered by James Cook in 1774.
The population is 2300 people. The main profit comes from serving tourists, since tourism is very developed here.
Interestingly, the locals do not pay some taxes.
Pitcairn (47 km2)
The final tenth place is the Pitcairn Islands, which are located in the Pacific Ocean and border French Polynesia. Despite this, they are the only overseas territory England in the Pacific.
This state is known for the fact that only nine families live here, which consist of 67 inhabitants. They are mainly engaged in agriculture, but young guys prefer to go to work in New Zealand.
Living in big countries, not everyone and not always can travel all corners of their homeland. However, there are states in the world, all the sights and attractions of which can be seen in a day or two. So, we present the top 10 smallest states in the world.
1. Vatican
The Vatican is a closed city-state. It is located in one of the districts of Rome and covers an area of 44 hectares. It was founded in 1929 by the Roman Catholic Church, is controlled by the Pope and the conclave of cardinals, has the status of an independent state and even its own army. True, despite such a small territory, it is unlikely to be able to see it in one day - so many architectural, sculptural and pictorial masterpieces are collected in it. Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, Pope's Residence - Apostolic Palace and others - far from full list masterpieces. Half of the country's territory is occupied by the Vatican Gardens. Approximately 800 people are official citizens of the Vatican, and several thousand Italians travel here every day to work.
2. Monaco
Monaco is the second smallest country. Over the past 20 years, due to the drying of the sea, the area of the country has increased and now it is 20.2 square kilometers. kilometers. Monaco is a monarchical state, is one of the most densely populated countries in the world and has 30 thousand inhabitants. The main source of income for the residents is tourism.
3. Nauru
Nauru is located in the south Pacific Ocean in Micronesia. The area of the state is 21.3 sq. kilometers. The Republic of Nauru is the smallest island nation in the world. It gained independence in 1968, although the island was home to the natives for 3 thousand years. To date, the population of the country is about 9 thousand people. The state of Nauru has no armed forces.
4. Tuvalu
Tuvalu is located in the South Pacific Ocean, its area is 26 square kilometers. kilometers. The country also includes several coral islands. Previously, these islands belonged to the British crown and were called the Ellis Islands, but in 1978 they gained independence from the British. The population of the country is 10.5 thousand people. Due to lack natural resources Tuvalu has to live off the help of other countries.
5. San Marino
The Republic of San Marino covers an area of 61 sq. kilometer and has the smallest population among the member countries of the European Council. Is in Southern Europe surrounded on all sides by Italian territory. It is the oldest independent country in the world and was founded on September 3, 301. In addition, San Marino is one of the richest countries in the world, its income exceeds its expenses.
6. Liechtenstein
The area of the country is 160.4 sq. kilometers. Liechtenstein borders Switzerland and Austria and is landlocked. It is one of the richest states. There are more companies registered here than residents.
7. Marshall Islands
This state is located in the center of the Pacific Ocean and consists mainly of coral islands. The area of the country is 181 sq. kilometer, population 62 thousand. In 1986, the Islands gained independence from the United States, but the country has no natural resources and imports of goods far exceed exports, so until now only America's help helps them "keep afloat".
8. Seychelles
Heaven on earth Seychelles occupy an area of 455 square kilometers, a population of 84 thousand people. The archipelago is located in the Indian Ocean, north of Madagascar and consists of 115 islands. The islands were able to develop thanks to the export of coconut, vanilla and cinnamon. But since independence in 1976, tourism has become the main source of income.
9. Maldives
The Republic of Maldives is an island country. It is located in the Indian Ocean and is the smallest Asian country in terms of area. The area of the country is 298 sq. km., the population is 396 thousand. Two-thirds of the population lives in the capital of the country - Male. Formerly country developed through the export of dried tuna, kauri clams and coconut ropes, now the main income comes from tourism.
10. Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
Located in the West Indies - between North and South America on islands Atlantic Ocean. The state consists of two islands with a total area of 261 sq. km. These were the first islands inhabited by Europeans. The main source of income is tourism, agriculture and offshore banking are also developed.
In the school curriculum in geography, unfortunately, interesting geographical facts of our planet, and there are so many of them: colorful beaches or lakes, gigantic or smallest countries, the highest or low points earth's surface and much more. Therefore, many children, and then adults, do not have the desire to travel to see something interesting with their own eyes.
In this article, you will learn about the 10 smallest countries in the world in terms of the area they occupy.
- Order of Malta. This is the smallest country in Europe and the whole world in terms of area occupied by the territory - only 0.012 km² (these are two buildings in Rome). The Order of Malta is not recognized by all countries of the world as an independent full-fledged state, but all members of the order are considered its citizens (12.5 thousand people), it issues passports, has its own currency and stamps.
- . The most famous small country in the world, located, like the Order of Malta, in Rome. The Vatican, less than one square kilometer (0.44 km²) in area, is home to just 826 people, and 100 of them serve in the Swiss Guard that protects its borders. It is the residence of the head of the Catholic Church, the Pope of Rome, and therefore, despite its small size, enjoys great political influence.
- Monaco. This small country in the south of Europe is the most densely populated among the mini-countries: over 20 thousand people live here per 1 km². France is Monaco's only neighbor. A feature of this country is that there are five times more visitors than the indigenous population.
- Gibraltar. Located on the southern side of the Iberian Peninsula, on a formidable rocky cape, connected to the mainland by a very narrow isthmus of sand. Although its history was very closely connected with Great Britain, it is now a completely independent state. The entire area of this state is 6.5 km², with an average population density for Europe.
- Nauru. Nauru is the smallest island country in Oceania, located on the coral island of the same name in the Western Pacific Ocean, with an area of 21 km² and a population of slightly more than 9 thousand people. It is the only state in the world without an official capital.
- Tuvalu. This Pacific state is located on 9 coral islands (atolls) with a total area of 26 km², population - 10.5 thousand people. This is a very poor country, which may disappear due to rising water levels and coastal erosion.
- Pitcairn. It is located on five islands of the Pacific Ocean, of which only one is inhabited, and is considered the country with the smallest population - only 48 people.
- . European state, located on the slope of Mount Titan and surrounded on all sides by Italy, with an area of 61 km² and a population of 32 thousand people. It is considered one of the oldest states in Europe.
- Liechtenstein. The territory of this mini-state with a population of 29 thousand people is 160 km². It is located between Switzerland and Austria, in the Alps. Liechtenstein is a highly developed industrial country, exporting various products and high level life.
- Marshall Islands. This is a whole archipelago, consisting of coral reefs and islets, with a total area of 180 km² with a population of 52 thousand people. Until 1986, it was a colony of Great Britain, but now it is an independent state, popular with tourists.
Having introduced you to the 10 smallest countries in the world, I would like to add that the big advantage of living in these countries is the constant concern of the government for its citizens.
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The capital of the state, in the view of the majority, is a large metropolis with a huge population, covering kilometers of area. However, there are countries that are quite modest in size, and even their capitals are not at all large.
Featured in today's selection. Despite their modest size and population, these cities often play an important role both on the national and international stage.
10. La Valletta
On the site of the modern capital of Malta, the first settlements arose 3 thousand years ago. Today, about 9 thousand people live here permanently. It is noteworthy that, like on the entire island, there are no rivers in the city. fresh water residents of the capital receive from desalination plants, as well as by collecting rainwater.
9. Lobamba
The unique city of Lobamba is one of the two capitals of Swaziland. The first capital, Mbabane, has about 100,000 inhabitants. There are only 5,800 people in Lobamba. But here are collected the cultural attractions of Swaziland - National Museum and the royal palace.
8. Vaduz
The population of the capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein is 5,300 people. The city was founded in the XIII century. The capital is interesting for the castle of the same name, the town hall, and the government house. There are several museums here, but there is no train station and airport.
7. Funafuti
This city is the capital of the state of the same name, located on an isolated atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The population of the capital is 5,070 people. There are also traditional buildings with roofs made of palm leaves, and modern buildings made of glass and concrete. The main attractions of the city are the Church of Tuvalu and the remains of an American aircraft that crashed here during the Second World War.
6. San Marino
A settlement on the site of the city was founded in 302 AD. Today, the area of the capital of the dwarf state is 7 square meters. km. The population of San Marino is 4,600 people, which is about 15% of the population of the entire state. The city is picturesquely located on the natural terraces of Monte Titano.
5. Stanley
State Falkland Islands has a single city - the capital Stanley. Less than 2,500 people live here. The city is interesting for its original architecture, a museum and an Anglican cathedral.
4. Monaco (Monaco-Ville)
The entire Principality of Monaco is divided into 10 administrative territories. One of them is the capital with a population of 1034 people. The main attractions of the capital are the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, as well as the Oceanographic Museum, which was once headed by Jacques-Yves Cousteau.
3. Vatican
This city - . It is inhabited by 836 people, and its area is only 0.44 sq. km. With such a modest size, the influence of the Catholic capital is enormous. In addition to the clergy, the Vatican is inhabited by about 40 lay people, as well as employees of the Swiss Guard guarding the Pope. About three thousand people come to the Vatican every day to work, but they are not residents.
2. Ngerulmud
capital island nation Palau is inhabited by 270 people. Strictly speaking, Ngerulmud is more of a village than a city. The main part of the population is employed in agriculture, tourism and fishing.
1. Adamstown
The state capital Pitcairn is the only locality this tiny island nation. There are only 69 inhabitants in the city, there is central square and a church with a belfry. Despite its remoteness, Adamstown students receive an advanced education using the Internet, and residents have the opportunity to use satellite television and cellular communications.
Historically, it so happened that humanity seeks to divide the vast expanses of our planet into separate pieces. In the course of thousands of years of conquest, each nation has secured its own territories - some have more, some have less.
We learned the names of most large countries at school, but few people remember about these states. They do not have huge armies or natural deposits, but are known for their tiny area. This compilation contains the 10 smallest countries in the world!
10 Maldives
This ranking of countries in descending order is headed by . Among the top tiny countries, they have the largest area - 298 km². But in terms of population density, this state can compete with any large country - more than 400 thousand people live here on such an area.
The Maldives consists of 26 atolls, which, in turn, are a chain of 1192 coral islands. The only city in the Maldives is Male, which is also the capital of this country. This amazing archipelago is a unique reef ecosystem, various types fish and marine organisms.
9 Saint Kitts and Nevis
This small country covers an area of 261 km² and consists of two islands - St. Kitts and Nevis. It is located in the eastern part caribbean and has the title of the smallest state in the Western Hemisphere. The population of Saint Kitts and Nevis is small - only 50 thousand people.
The state is well known among tourists and the income from this destination is more than 70% of the country's GDP per year. It also processes sugar cane and shellfish. The largest city of this country, and concurrently the capital, is inhabited by 11 thousand people. Saint Kitts and Nesiv have their own army of 300 people.
8 Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands covers an area of 181.3 km² of land. It is located in the western part of the Pacific Ocean and is a chain of atoll islands. These islands were discovered in 1526 by Alonso de Salazar, and for many centuries passed as a colony from one country to another.
Today, these 34 atoll islands are real paradise. The territory of the republic has a unique head start and fauna, which, by the way, was almost destroyed by man. In the middle of the 20th century, Americans tested a hydrogen bomb here. The explosion was so powerful that it surpassed Hiroshima by 1000 times. However, local residents managed to slowly restore the ecosystem of the islands.
7 Liechtenstein
The European Principality of Liechtenstein is tiny and very famous in the world. Despite its area of 160 km², this state has a very powerful economy and developed industry. It can serve as an example for many powers due to its unique system of government in such a way that the people here lived very well.
Liechtenstein is located in Alpine mountains and borders Switzerland and Austria. The name of the country comes from the ruling dynasty, which has been ruling together with the Landtag for many years. The population of this European country small - about 36 thousand people.
6 San Marino
On the sixth line of our rating is the state of San Marino, which has an area of 60 km². It is unique in its location - it borders Italy on all sides. The name of the country was formed from the name of the saint who founded it according to ancient legend- stonemason Marin.
With modern borders, San Marino is considered the most ancient state in Europe, it was founded in 301. Almost the entire territory of the country (80%) is the foothills of the Apennines, so there is practically no arable land here. The population of the country is 33 thousand people with such a small area. This country has many unique architectural monuments on its territory.
5 Tuvalu
This small state in Polynesia has an area of 26 km². It consists of nine coral atolls, four of which make up the Tuvalu archipelago. The discoverer of the islands, Alvaro Mendanya de Neira, called them Lagoons, but they received their name Tuvalu only in 1975.
This a nice place, nevertheless, was ranked among the poorest countries as of 2016. The area of the islands is decreasing from year to year, so in 50 years, according to experts, Tuvalu may completely disappear from the face of the Earth as a state. The population of the country according to the latest data is just over 12 thousand people.
4 Nauru
The dwarf state of Nauru covers an area of 21 km² and was very popular in the middle of the 20th century. Such popularity was provided by phosphates, which the territory of this piece of land was full of. But today, only dilapidated mines remain from phosphates, and the country's ecology has been irretrievably damaged even for tourism.
Like the islands of Tuvalu, Nauru is located near the Republic of Kiribati and is located 42 km south of the equator. This country does not have an official capital, and the population is only 10 thousand people. But, unlike Tuvalu, this dwarf country again began to develop its economy and increase the birth rate.
3 Monaco
The third line of our rating is occupied by the well-known European Principality of Monaco. Probably everyone has heard about it, despite the fact that it occupies only 2.02 km². The legendary Monaco Grand Prix races are held here, and the casino in Monte Carlo is very famous among gambling enthusiasts.
The population of Monaco (with such and such an area!) Is 38 thousand people. This is a lot, but such popularity has its own explanation. For a long time there was no taxation in Monaco, so many businessmen, wealthy foreigners settled here and large companies were founded. Monaco is governed by Prince Albert II, who is assisted by a national council.
2 Vatican
The State of the Vatican, with its tiny area of 0.44 km², is a very powerful state that has been deciding the fate of many countries for many centuries. The country's population is equal to the number of employees - 836 people. At the same time, the Vatican has no economy, and the country's budget is replenished only through numerous donations from Catholic organizations.
Here is the residence of the Pope - the heart of the Catholic Church. The state is located inside Rome and is directly associated with Italy. But, despite the proximity, the Vatican gained its independence in 1929 and has since been independent country. By right, he has the title of the smallest country in the world, but there is another state that should be paid attention to.
1 Order of Malta
And the first place in this list is occupied by the state, which some countries do not recognize as a separate state unit. We are talking about the Order of Malta with a territory of 0.012 km². This Order has about 13,000 members who have the country's passports and use their own currency.
Not all countries recognize the sovereignty of the Order of Malta and consider it only at the level of diplomatic relations. The largest city Orders - Fort St. Angelo, which the country rents from Malta. If you do not take into account the shaky recognition of this sovereignty, then the Order is the smallest state in the world.
All these dwarf states rightfully take their place in the ranking of the smallest countries. They are unique and distinctive, and most of them, despite their small territory, are prosperous countries.
