Smallest Countries 2023 (2023)

What is the smallest country in the world by area?

The countries of the world can be ranked according to which has the smallest population or by which has the smallest total land area. Although many countries that appear on one list will also appear on the other, the order will change depending upon which statistic is chosen. The total area of a country refers to how much area (both land and water) is encompassed by the country's borders. Often denoted in terms of miles squared or kilometers squared, its total area is a numerical value of its physical size. Some of the largest countries globally are Russia (6.59 million square miles), Canada (3.85 million square miles), and China (3.75 million square miles). Unlike the population, the total area of countries usually does not change from one year to the next.

Total area and population size are often loosely connected—after allas the greater the area, the more people can fit onto it. However, the type and climate of the land (mountainous vs plains, swamps, deserts, etc), the development level (cities vs towns vs rural) and function of the land (farming vs forestry, manufacture, residential, etc) also have a significant impact upon the population of that land. Therefore, a country with a massive area is not guaranteed to have a massive population, and a country with very little area may pack an impressive number of citizens into that space.

Top 10 Smallest Countries in the World (by Total Area in km²/mi² - 2021)

  1. Vatican City — 0.49 km²/0.17 mi²
  2. Monaco — 2 km²/0.78 mi²
  3. Nauru — 20 km²/8.1 mi²
  4. Tuvalu — 30 km²/11.6 mi²
  5. San Marino — 60 km²/24 mi²
  6. Liechtenstein — 160 km²/62 mi²
  7. Marshall Islands — 180 km²/70 mi²
  8. Saint Kitts and Nevis — 260 km²/101 mi²
  9. Maldives — 300 km²/116 mi²
  10. Malta — 320 km²/122 mi²
(Video) smallest countries in the world 2023 by area

The country with the smallest area is Vatican City, which spans over just 0.19 square miles (.49 square kilometers). Ultra-luxurious Monaco comes in second with 0.78 mi²/2.02 km², and San Marino right behind at 24 mi²/60 km². Note that this list includes only countries. Territories such as Tokelau (New Zealand), Saint Barthélemy (France), and Macau (China) are comparably tiny, but not independent countries, and are therefore ineligible.

What is the least populated country in the world?

The smallest country in the world in terms of population is Vatican City, which has approximately 800 citizens. This is far and away the smallest population of any country, although as before, several territories come close: Tokelau (New Zealand territory) with 1,373 people, Niue (New Zealand territory) with 1,619 people, Falkland Islands (UK territory) with 3,533 people, Montserrat (UK territory) with 4,977 people, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon (French territory) with 5,766 people. Even restricting the list to only U.N.-recognized independent countries, there are still a surprising number of nations whose entire populations are small enough to fit into a football stadium:

Top 10 Smallest Countries in the World (by Population)

  1. Vatican City — 800
  2. Nauru — 10,876
  3. Tuvalu — 11,931
  4. Palau — 18,169
  5. San Marino — 34,017
  6. Liechtenstein — 38,250
  7. Monaco — 39,511
  8. Saint Kitts and Nevis — 53,544
  9. Marshall Islands — 59,610
  10. Dominica — 72,167

The census and population trends in the United States

The first US census was conducted on August 2, 1790, and is conducted every ten years. In other words, the Census Bureau of the United States of America performs a decennial census. Before the official decennial census, there were similar acts of counting the number of people in the US and recording the population. These documents are kept safe by the National Archives and Records Administration of the USA. The results of the United States' census offer an example of how a population can change and grow over the course of several decades: in 1940, the US population was 132,164,569 people and in 2020, it was 331,449,281 people.

While most countries see population growth over the years, several nations are experiencing population decline. This is due to lower birth rates (especially in developed countries, where young couples may prioritize careers over children), negative net migration, and higher death rates, particularly as the post-WWII "baby boomer" generation enters old age.

(Video) smallest countries in the world 2023 by population

Smallest Countries 2023

Smallest Countries 2023

Sources

FAQs

What is the smallest country 2022? ›

The Vatican City, often called the Holy See, has the smallest population worldwide with only 510 inhabitants. This is also the smallest country in the world by size. The Pacific islands Tuvalu, Nauru, and Palau followed in the next three positions.

What are the 3 smallest country in the world? ›

The three smallest countries in the world are Vatican City, an enclave within Rome, Italy. Monaco, a principality at the Mediterranean coast and an enclave within Southern France, and Nauru, an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.

What is the 30 smallest country in the world? ›

With only 0.44 km², Vatican City in the heart of Rome is by far the smallest country in the world.
...
The smallest countries by population.
Rank1
CountrySouth Georgia *
Population30
Area3,903.0 km²
Population per km²0.01
29 more columns

What is the tiny country? ›

The smallest country in the world is Vatican City, with a landmass of just 0.49 square kilometers (0.19 square miles).

What countries are getting smaller? ›

  • Bulgaria. Bulgaria's population is expected to decline by 22.5% from 6.9 million in 2020 to 5.4 million in 2050. ...
  • Lithuania. The Lithuanian population is projected to shrink by 22.1% over the next three decades. ...
  • Latvia. ...
  • Ukraine. ...
  • Serbia. ...
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina. ...
  • Croatia. ...
  • Moldova.

Which country has only 27 citizens? ›

Principality of Sealand
Principality of Sealand Micronation
Prince
• 1967–2012Paddy Roy Bates
• 2012–presentMichael Bates
Establishment
16 more rows

Which country has only one city? ›

Today, Monaco, Singapore, and Vatican City are considered the only true city-states.

What is the 100 smallest country? ›

Vatican City

What is oldest country in the world? ›

Here are the countries World Population Review lists as the oldest in the world by date of earliest known organized government:
  • Iran - 3200 BCE.
  • Egypt - 3100 BCE.
  • Vietnam - 2879 BCE.
  • Armenia - 2492 BCE.
  • North Korea - 2333 BCE.
  • China - 2070 BCE.
  • India - 2000 BCE.
  • Georgia - 1300 BCE.
Jan 18, 2023

Which country is low population? ›

Vatican city is the least populated country in the world with a population of just over 800 persons.

What are the 15 smallest countries? ›

Square Kilometers
  • Vatican City. 0 sq. km.
  • Monaco. 2 sq. km.
  • Nauru. 21 sq. km.
  • Tuvalu. 26 sq. km.
  • San Marino. 61 sq. km.
  • Liechtenstein. 160 sq. km.
  • Marshall Islands. 181 sq. km.
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis. 261 sq. km.

What is the smallest country to ever exist? ›

Situated on the western bank of the Tiber River, Vatican City's 2-mile border is landlocked by Italy. The official seat of the pope of the Catholic Church since 1377, Vatican City was not declared an independent state until the Lateran Treaty of 1929.

Which country has only 33 population? ›

Do you believe there is such a tiny country in the world? The total population of the country is only 33 people. The wife of the President has multiple duties and shoulders important responsibilities. This country is called the Republic of Molossia.

What country begins with M? ›

M
  • Macao SAR, China.
  • Madagascar.
  • Malawi.
  • Malaysia.
  • Maldives.
  • Mali.
  • Malta.
  • Marshall Islands.

Which are the 7 smallest countries in the world? ›

7 Smallest Countries in the World
  • Vatican City. Area: 0.44 Km2. Location: Europe. ...
  • Monaco. Area: 2.02 km2. Location: Western Europe. ...
  • Nauru. Area: 21 Km2. Location: Australia. ...
  • Tuvalu. Area: 26 Km2. Location: North-East of Australia. ...
  • San Marino. Area: 61 Km2. Location: Europe. ...
  • Liechtenstein. Area: 160 Km2. ...
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Mar 14, 2020

What are the 6 smallest countries? ›

The smallest countries in the world
  1. Vatican City. Area: 0.19 square miles/0.44 square kilometers. ...
  2. Monaco. Area: 0.78 square miles/2 square kilometers. ...
  3. Nauru. Area: 8.1 square miles/21 square kilometers. ...
  4. Tuvalu. Area: 10 square miles/30 square kilometers. ...
  5. San Marino. ...
  6. Liechtenstein. ...
  7. Marshall Islands. ...
  8. Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Oct 21, 2022

What is the smallest nation in America? ›

The smallest independent country in the Americas is the island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis with 261 km².

Where is the world tiny city? ›

To find the world's smallest city, you'll need to look for the world's smallest country as well. You can find them both—Vatican City is in fact a country and a city—encircled by Rome, Italy. At only 0.17 square miles, the tiny city-state is not even a quarter of the size of the next smallest country, Monaco.

Is Mexico a tiny country? ›

Mexico covers 1,972,550 square kilometers (761,610 sq mi), making it the world's 13th-largest country by area; with approximately 126,014,024 inhabitants, it is the 10th-most-populous country and has the most Spanish-speakers.

Is there a small country inside the US? ›

The Republic of Molossia has quietly been an official, independent, sovereign country inside Nevada for more than forty years. The president, His Excellency Kevin Baugh, and his wife/first lady declared their property a micronation right in the heart of Dayton, Nevada, all the way back in 1977.

Is the United States shrinking? ›

While 2021 saw a record-low increase in population rate, it was not a significant outlier in terms of the last decade. Thirty-seven states grew more slowly in the 2010s than in the previous decade and three states saw population decreases, according to the 2020 census.

Is the US population declining? ›

DEC. 22, 2022 – After a historically low rate of change between 2020 and 2021, the U.S. resident population increased by 0.4%, or 1,256,003, to 333,287,557 in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Vintage 2022 national and state population estimates and components of change released today.

Why is Japan losing population? ›

Japan's rapid population shrinkage is primarily caused by persistently low fertility. Japan's fertility rate has been declining since the mid-1970s, reaching a total fertility rate (TFR) of around 1.3 children per woman in the early 2000s.

What is the smallest country in the world for kids? ›

With an area of just under a third of a square mile, Vatican City is the world's smallest country.

Which country is the center of the world? ›

That point of intersection is the geographic centre which is 611km from Ghana. According to Lieutenant Commander Stephen Manu of the Ghana Navy who was onsite to explain the phenomenon, although the figure might seem big in real terms, it places Ghana as the most proximate country to the centre of the earth.

Which country flag is smallest? ›

The flag is the national flag of Canada, and its colour was created by oxidising a bare silicon wafer in a tube furnace in order to grow a layer of Silicon dioxide of a carefully chosen thickness. Thin film interference effects in the silicon dioxide layer gives the flag a red colour.

Which country has no human population? ›

Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent in terms of total area. (It is larger than both Oceania and Europe.) Antarctica is a unique continent in that it does not have a native human population.

Which country has only 32 people? ›

Republic of Molossia has only 32 people. Republic of Molossia, a self-proclaimed nation in the US state of Nevada, has a total population of 32. The nation was founded in 1977 by Kevin Baugh, who is now the President of the 'micronation'.

Which country has short night? ›

Reykjavik, Iceland

In Icelandic folklore, the shortest night of the year is an enchanted time when cows talk, seals turn into humans, and elves and trolls venture down from the mountains.

What city has 0 population? ›

Carbonate, Colorado. This ghost town is the smallest town in America—with a population of zero.

What is the 3 oldest country in the world? ›

Top 10 Oldest Countries in the World (by date of earliest known organized government)
  • Iran - 3200 BCE.
  • Egypt - 3100 BCE.
  • Vietnam - 2879 BCE.
  • Armenia - 2492 BCE.
  • North Korea - 2333 BCE.
  • China - 2070 BCE.
  • India - 2000 BCE.
  • Georgia - 1300 BCE.

What city no longer exists? ›

A lost city is an urban settlement that fell into terminal decline and became extensively or completely uninhabited, with the consequence that the site's former significance was no longer known to the wider world.

What are the 5 smallest countries by population? ›

Top 10 Smallest Countries in the World (by Population)
  • Vatican City — 800.
  • Nauru — 10,876.
  • Tuvalu — 11,931.
  • Palau — 18,169.
  • San Marino — 34,017.
  • Liechtenstein — 38,250.
  • Monaco — 39,511.
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis — 53,544.

What 3 countries are surrounded by land? ›

Liechtenstein (one of the "doubly landlocked" countries, between Austria and Switzerland) Moldova (if ignoring non-recognized Transnistria, between Romania and Ukraine) Mongolia (between China and Russia) Nepal (between China and India)

What is the smallest unofficial country? ›

Located 12km east of Suffolk in the North Sea, the Principality of Sealand is a micronation that claims to be the world's smallest country.

Who is the youngest country? ›

Which is the youngest country in the world? Answer. The youngest country in the world is the Republic of South Sudan.

Who is older Japan or China? ›

Japan: 15 Million Years Old. China: 2100 BC. Armenia: 6500 BC.

What was the first language ever? ›

Sumerian can be considered the first language in the world, according to Mondly. The oldest proof of written Sumerian was found on the Kish tablet in today's Iraq, dating back to approximately 3500 BC.

Which country population is decreasing fast? ›

The countries that are likely to register a decline in population size are mainly located in or near Eastern Europe, except Japan and Cuba. From 2020 to 2050, the highest drop in population, 22.5%, will be recorded in Bulgaria.

Which countries are not overpopulated? ›

Greenland, Mongolia, Namibia, Australia, French Guiana, Iceland, Suriname, Libya, Guyana, and Botswana were among the least densely populated countries in the world in 2021. With a population of 0.14 people per square kilometer in 2021, Greenland was the least densely populated country in the world.

Is the poor population growing? ›

The number of global poor is estimated to have risen to 803 million in 2020, much greater than the 672 million initially expected.

Which is the 17 smallest country in the world? ›

These are the smallest countries in the world
  • Vatican City – 0.19 mi²
  • Monaco - 0.78 mi²
  • Nauru – 8.1 mi²
  • Tuvalu – 11.6 mi²
  • San Marino – 24 mi²
  • Liechtenstein – 62 mi²
  • Marshall Islands – 70 mi²
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis – 101 mi²
May 31, 2022

What are the 3 smallest countries by population? ›

With a population of 1,610 people in 2021, Niue was the least populated country in the world. Norfolk Island was the second-least populated country in the world, with a population of 2,510 people. With a population of 5,321 people, Saint Pierre and Miquelon was the third least populous country in the world.

What country starts with B? ›

B
  • The Bahamas.
  • Bahrain.
  • Bangladesh.
  • Barbados.
  • Belarus.
  • Belgium.
  • Belize.
  • Benin.
Jan 6, 2023

What are the smallest countries by size? ›

What is the order of countries from biggest to smallest? ›

Top 10 Largest Countries in the World (by total area km²):
  • Russia — 17,098,250 km²
  • Canada — 9,879,750 km²
  • China — 9,600,013 km²
  • United States — 9,525,067 - 9,831,510 km²
  • Brazil — 8,515,770 km²
  • Australia — 7,741,220 km²
  • India — 3,287,260 km²
  • Argentina — 2,780,400 km²

What are the top 10 countries by size? ›

Worldly | What are the 10 largest countries in the world?
  • Russia | 17.098.242 km²
  • Canada | 9.984.670 km²
  • United States of America | 9.826.675 km²
  • China | 9.596.961 km²
  • Brazil | 8.514.877 km²
  • Australia | 7.741.220 km²
  • India | 3.287.263 km²
  • Argentina | 2.780.400 km²

Which country is a very small? ›

Based on landmass, Vatican City is the smallest country in the world, measuring just 0.2 square miles, almost 120 times smaller than the island of Manhattan.

What is the 7 smallest country in the world? ›

7 Smallest Countries in the World
  • Vatican City. Area: 0.44 Km2. Location: Europe. ...
  • Monaco. Area: 2.02 km2. Location: Western Europe. ...
  • Nauru. Area: 21 Km2. Location: Australia. ...
  • Tuvalu. Area: 26 Km2. Location: North-East of Australia. ...
  • San Marino. Area: 61 Km2. Location: Europe. ...
  • Liechtenstein. Area: 160 Km2. ...
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Mar 14, 2020

What is the strongest country in the world? ›

United States of America The United States is the world's most powerful country, with a dominant military, economic strength, and cultural influence.

What country has the most land? ›

The largest country in the world is Russia with a total area of 17,098,242 Km² (6,601,665 mi²) and a land area of 16,376,870 Km² (6,323,142 mi²), equivalent to 11% of the total world's landmass of 148,940,000 Km² (57,510,000 square miles). See also: Most Populous Countries.

Which country has the most people? ›

China has the world's largest population (1.426 billion), but India (1.417 billion) is expected to claim this title next year. The next five most populous nations – the United States, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria and Brazil – together have fewer people than India or China.

What is the 51st largest country in the world? ›

Thailand is the world's 51st largest country. Russia is the largest. The United States is third largest.

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