There are billions upon billions of individuals all across the world.
Countries, like people, can be weird and include some interesting facts.
I often wonder what country is the world’s largest, longest, lowest, or most opulent, and what treasures that country contains.
We’ll take a look at ten of the world’s tiniest countries.
But don’t be deceived by their size; these locations contain a wealth of information on everything from the people to the scenery.
#1. Grenada – 133 Square Mile
Grenada, often known as the Spice Islands of the Caribbean, is the world’s tenth smallest country.
Grenada has a population of around 107,000 people as of January 2016.
Is a relatively less populated location, measuring 133 square miles, as compared to some of the countries to come (344 sq. km).
Grenada is renowned as the Spice Isle of the Caribbean because it is one of the world’s largest producers of nutmeg and mace, with residents claiming the aroma wafts throughout the island.
Cricket is the most popular sport in the country.
#2. Malta – 122 Square Mile
Malta is nearly a bustling empire when compared to Grenada’s population of 107,000.
It is one of Europe’s most populous countries, with about 419,500 residents as of January 2016.
The Maltese Republic is divided into three parts: Gozo, Comino, and Malta.
Malta is the world’s 48th happiest country, according to a UN survey from 2013.
Calypso Cave is a cave in Malta that overlooks Sandy Beach in Ramla Bay.
This is the site where Calypso imprisoned Odysseus as a “prisoner of love” for seven years in Homer’s “The Odyssey.”
If he stayed with her, she promised him immortality, but he fled to his wife Penelope.
#3. Maldives – 116 Square Mile
The Maldives is a 1,192-island archipelago divided into 26 coral atolls, 200 of which are inhabited.
As a result, the Maldives is Asia’s most dispersed country.
The Maldives gained independence in 1965 and had a population of slightly under 367,000 people in January 2016.
When it comes to this topic, climate change is a major concern.
The president at the time, Barack Obama, and 13 other officials sat at desks at the bottom of the sea in 2009.
They dressed up in full dive gear to raise awareness about the islands’ possible risks.
#4. Saint Kitts and Nevis – 101 Square Mile
This two-island republic in the Eastern Caribbean has a population of over 6 times that of the Maldives (55,000 people) yet is only 15 square miles smaller.
This shows the sheer secluded nature of the beautiful place.
Some well-known people have called this island home at one time or another.
For example, one of the founding fathers of the United States, Alexander Hamilton, was born here.
#5. Liechtenstein – 62 Square Mile
Liechtenstein is a fascinating country that has experienced some strange events throughout its history.
The population was only 37,000 in January 2016, less than ten times that of the Maldives.
The country, which is located between Switzerland and Austria, is extremely safe; the crime rate is extremely low, with the last homicide being in 1997!
When it comes to the military, Lichtenstein has a strange past.
The country was unintentionally invaded by the Swiss army in March 2007, when 170 armed soldiers crossed an unmarked boundary for a mile.
#6. San Marino – 23.5 Square Mile
San Marino claims to be the oldest sovereign state still in existence.
San Marino has a population of roughly 32,000 people as of January 2016.
As you can see, this is a rather small country with a dense population.
Especially when compared to Saint Kitts and Nevis, which boasts an additional 77.5 square miles and a population of barely 13,000 people!
San Marino has an odd connection with the United States.
The administration of San Marino wrote to then-President Abraham Lincoln in 1861, asking whether he would be interested in forming an alliance.
Lincoln accepted the offer in exchange for honorary citizenship in San Marino.
San Marino, on the other hand, is not extremely successful in sports, particularly soccer.
After founding in 1990, they did not win their first international match until 2004, when they defeated Liechtenstein 1-0.
#7. Tuvalu – 10 Square Mile
Tuvalu was once known as the Ellice Islands, which are located just off the coast of Australia (no, not that Ellis Island).
As of January 2016, there is only one hospital on the island, serving a population of slightly under 10,000 people, or 384 persons per square kilometre!
The island has a low elevation, with the highest point being 16 feet above sea level.
Tuvalu is a rather remote destination, with only 2,000 visitors in 2010, 65 percent of them were business travellers.
It does, however, have an unusual caving system…
Two scuba divers discovered underwater tunnels in 1986, which isn’t very unusual, but when they spotted dark areas that looked like fire searing, their eyebrows were aroused.
Many thousands of years ago, the island was much higher out of the sea than it is today, theoretically demonstrating how much sea levels have changed.
#8. Nauru – 8 Square Mile
The island of Nauru is located east of Australia.
It’s the world’s smallest island nation, but with a population of roughly 10,200 people as of January 2016, it’s clearly not as sparsely populated as some of the previous examples.
Despite its amazing beauty, the country has a serious unemployment problem.
Only 10% of the population are employed, and they are all employed by the government.
The island is also plagued with obesity, and it is frequently referred to be the world’s most obese island nation.
Obesity affects 97 percent of males and 93 percent of women.
As a result, type 2 diabetes is quite common in Nauru, with 40% of the population suffering from it.
#9. Monaco – 0.75 Square Mile
Monaco, as we all know, is a highly wealthy country that hosts Grand Prix races and a variety of other events.
France borders the country, and its flag is extremely similar to that of Indonesia, with the exception that the Indonesian flag is larger.
AS Monaco, the country’s most important football team, wears the red and white flag and is known as Les Rouge et Blanc (the red and whites).
The Stade Louis II stadium of AS Monaco can accommodate more than half of the country’s population, which was over 37,500 in January 2016!
#10. State of the Vatican City – 0.17 Square Miles
The Vatican City, which is located in Rome, Italy, is home to the Pope and many other religious figures.
With a population of only 800 people, only 450 of whom are citizens, many residents live elsewhere.
On February 11, 1929, the Italian government recognised its sovereignty through the Lateran Treaty.
The Vatican issues its own stamps, passports, and licence plates, as well as minting its own euros and having its own flag and anthem.
The only capability it lacks is the power to tax.
The Swiss Guard has been protecting the Vatican City and the Pope since 1506 when the then-Pope Julius II engaged the Swiss as his personal guardians.
Whether you’re devout and see the Vatican City State just for its religious significance, or you enjoy the oddities of the isolated small country, I strongly believe that everyone should visit just to say they’ve done so!
Even if you ignore Vatican City, the rest of the countries on this list are well worth visiting.
It could be for the beauty, culture, or scent (in Grenada’s case).
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