Some countries are smaller in area than modern megacities. There are also some very strange ones, such as the unrecognized state of Sealand, located 10 kilometers from the United Kingdom. A certain Paddy Roy Bates declared himself the prince of a sea platform in 1967, and since then, his family has been ruling this “state.” However, in this article, we will focus on more traditional states.
Microstates are usually defined as those smaller in size than Luxembourg. Sometimes Luxembourg itself is included in this category. Most of them are relatively young, but there are also ancient ones, such as San Marino—the oldest state in Europe. When people hear the term “microstate,” they often think of Monaco, Liechtenstein, and Vatican City—the most famous and most visited by tourists. However, there are also those that are difficult to reach, so only the most adventurous travelers venture there.
This overview is dedicated to small but independent states.
1. Vatican City—The Smallest Country in the World
- Area: 0.44 km².
- Population: 800 people, of which over 450 have Vatican citizenship, while the rest have temporary or permanent residence permits.
- Main Attractions: St. Peter’s Square, Pinacoteca, Sistine Chapel, Raphael Rooms, library, Egyptian and Etruscan museums, Vatican Gardens.
Among all the countries in the world, Vatican City is officially the smallest. To put it into perspective, the area of Central Park in New York is several times larger: 3.41 km². Vatican City is surrounded by Rome on all sides and is not only a city-state but also an enclave state.
Moreover, Vatican City is the only country with zero birth rates. There is no maternity hospital here, and the first child was born in 2016, right in St. Peter’s Square. This also makes Vatican City the country with the smallest population.
A passport from this country is an extremely rare document. Only resident cardinals, diplomats of the Holy See, Vatican employees, and their family members can obtain one. When they finish their service, their citizenship is automatically exchanged for Italian citizenship.
2. Monaco
- Area: 2.02 km².
- Population: 36,000 people.
- Main Attractions: Museums of Old Monaco, botanical garden, Monte Carlo Casino, Prince’s Palace, opera house.
Thanks to its luxurious casinos, Monaco has become a favorite vacation spot for millionaires. On such a modest area, about 36,000 people live as of 2022. Thus, Monaco is not only one of the smallest countries in the world but also the most densely populated country.
About 20% of the residents are Monegasques, while the rest are citizens of other countries. As subjects of the principality, Monegasques enjoy certain privileges. For example, they are prohibited from visiting gaming halls and betting money, but they are exempt from paying income tax.
3. Nauru
- Area: 21.3 km².
- Population: 12,000 people.
- Main Attractions: The lunar-like landscape of local quarries.
Nauru Island is roughly the size of Monaco and Monte Carlo combined. It holds several records: it is the smallest independent republic, the smallest island nation, the smallest country outside Europe, and the only country in the world without an official capital. The administrative center is considered to be Yaren.
Phosphate was once mined here, and in the early 1980s, the country was among the richest in the world. But when the reserves were depleted, the economy began to decline. The quarries left from those times consist of labyrinths and depressions resembling the lunar surface. This can certainly be considered an island attraction.
About 12,000 people live on Nauru, speaking Nauruan and English. The island can be traversed by a 4 km railway or by car. Today, according to the WHO, 93% of the population suffers from obesity. This is due to a lack of physical activity and a diet high in calorie-dense processed foods imported from the mainland.
4. Tuvalu
- Area: 26 km².
- Population: 11,000 people.
- Main Attractions: Funafuti Lagoon, which bears traces of World War II, including an underground bunker on Te Puka Island. Also, the former experimental well on Funafuti Island, used to prove Darwin’s theory of coral atoll evolution.
Located in Polynesia, this fourth-world country attracts attention because it could face the fate of Atlantis. In 2018, scientists from the University of Auckland assessed how sea levels and reef areas changed from 1971 to 2014 and found that sea levels rose by 4 mm per year. Interestingly, only 27% of Tuvalu’s islands became smaller, while the rest, on the contrary, grew. Scientists explained this by the fact that the coastline shifted towards the sea due to the deposition of particles formed as a result of erosion.
In the local language, Tuvalu means “eight standing together,” as only eight islands were initially inhabited. The ninth, Niulakita, was settled recently. The total area of the islands is 26 km². By the way, the population of Tuvalu is about 11,000 people.
95% of the population belongs to the indigenous Polynesian people of the same name; English and Tuvaluan are spoken. Almost half of the population lives in the capital, Funafuti, which is also the only city.
If sea levels continue to rise, the residents of this small country may have to move to one of the “growing” islands, as the rest will be submerged. However, the country will not disappear—it will move to the metaverse. This was announced by the country’s authorities in 2022, and in 2023, it was enshrined in the constitution.
5. San Marino
- Area: 60.57 km².
- Population: 33,600 people.
- Main Attractions: Mount Titano with its three medieval towers.
This country, half the size of Manhattan, claims to be the oldest sovereign state in the world, as it was founded in 301 AD. The locals count their years from this date. Yes, besides the regular calendar, San Marino has its own, and according to it, it is currently the 17th century.
About 33,600 people live in San Marino.
6. Liechtenstein
- Area: 160 km².
- Population: 39,000 people.
- Main Attractions: Medieval castles Vaduz and Gutenberg, as well as other lesser-known castles.
The Principality of Liechtenstein is entirely located in the foothills of the Alps and is surrounded by Austria to the east and Switzerland to the west. The state was formed in 1719 when the Holy Roman Emperor recognized the Austrian Prince of Liechtenstein, the owner of these lands, as a sovereign prince.
Since then, it has been one of the three states in the world named after the ruling dynasty. The other two are Jordan and Saudi Arabia. People joke that the country has the highest density of noble persons per square kilometer in Europe. As of 2022, there are about 39,000 residents. The country’s area is 160 km², which is only twice the size of Central London.
7. Marshall Islands
- Area: 181 km².
- Population: 42,000 people.
- Main Attractions: Alele Museum, which introduces the early culture of the Marshall Islands, and World War II relics on Bikini Atoll.
This already small country is scattered across 29 atolls and five islands of the eponymous archipelago. The total land area is roughly the size of Miami Beach. About 42,000 people live on the Marshall Islands, belonging to the ethnic groups Ralik and Ratak—named after the two island chains of the country. English and Marshallese are spoken here, both of which are official languages.
Flora and fauna have suffered significantly from human activity, particularly from the famous US nuclear tests on Bikini Atoll, after which the bikini swimsuit was named: a few days after the tests, it was released under the slogan “Bikini—split the Atom!”, referencing both nuclear fission and the previous swimsuit model called “Atom.”
In 2020, experts from the Columbia University Center for Nuclear Studies found elevated levels of radioactive elements in 38 soil samples from 11 different islands. The most contaminated were Runit, Enjebi, Bikini, and Naen. In fact, Bikini Island has a thousand times more plutonium than Chernobyl or Fukushima.
The main economic activities are agriculture and fishing; tourism is underdeveloped due to the remote location and expensive airfare. Therefore, only the most adventurous travelers come here. However, traveling within the country is not a problem: local planes fly here like public transport, landing on each of the islands.
8. Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Area: 261 km².
- Population: 48,000 people.
- Main Attractions: The coastal village of Old Road Town, an abandoned Jewish cemetery, Independence Square—a former slave market.
The state consists of the islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, which belong to the Lesser Antilles. They are separated by 3 km of sea; moreover, tiny Nevis has its own parliament. In total, the country has 14 districts; the legal system is a combination of British and American law: for example, corporate laws are based on Delaware state laws. As you might guess, the population here is English-speaking.
In 1493, Christopher Columbus discovered the islands, but Spain was not interested. The French and British were less picky, and a long struggle for control of the territory ensued, which was eventually won by Great Britain. In 1983, the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis gained independence but remained a member of the British Commonwealth. Thus, Queen Elizabeth II is recognized as the monarch here.
Thanks to the hot tropical climate, mangoes, breadfruit, and tamarind grow here; as well as bananas, papayas, and avocados. Sugar cane is grown on the mountain slopes. The forests are home to many tropical birds, monkeys, and pelicans and other seabirds nest on the coast, as the coastal waters are rich in fish.
It is not surprising that the main sources of income here are agriculture and tourism. Most of the population is of African descent, descendants of slaves; the indigenous population, the Carib Indians, makes up 3%. In total, about 48,000 people are citizens of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
9. Maldives
- Area: 298 km².
- Population: 524,000 people.
- Main Attractions: Numerous beaches and coral reefs. Diving is a must here.
The Maldives is among the ten smallest countries in the world, yet it is the largest coral nation. The Republic consists of a chain of 26 atolls, which are made up of 1,192 coral islands. With a total area of 90,000 km², the land area occupies 298 km², which is almost three times smaller than Dubai.
The pristine white sandy beaches and crystal-clear blue waters have made the country a paradise for vacationers. However, in 2020, scientists from Flinders University in Australia recorded the highest levels of microplastic pollution on the planet here. This could threaten not only tourism but also life on the islands.
10. Malta
- Area: 316 km².
- Population: 531,000 people.
- Main Attraction: the charming streets of Malta’s capital, Valletta — by the way, pay attention to the city clocks, as we explained here why they lie, the Grandmaster’s Palace, city museums, and natural attractions like beaches, caves, and grottos on the islands.
The Republic of Malta occupies not one but seven islands that form an archipelago. Their total area is approximately eight times smaller than San Francisco.
About half a million people live on this tiny territory, but there are no rivers or lakes, only the Mediterranean Sea surrounding it. Malta is the only country in Europe without freshwater sources. It is imported from other countries, and taking a bath every day is a great luxury.
