1 smallest country in the world. What is the smallest country in the world

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 immediately comes to mind. The Sistine Chapel, as well as the Vatican Library, known throughout the world for its incredibly large collection of manuscripts from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. 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 of the Ligurian Sea and borders with 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 has an extremely low unemployment rate, no external debt, and 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's an overseas territory British-owned. Part of the European Union.

The most developed industries in the country are tourism, banking and finance. In addition, shipbuilding can also be noted. The total length of roads is about 46 km, and there are 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 dependent territory, consisting of three islands, which is administered by New Zealand. Located between 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.

coconut islands(14 km2)

The next country on our list is the Cocos Islands or Keeling. Keeling consists of 27 coral islands located in the Indian Ocean near Australia. locals- 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, about which will be discussed further - the Republic of Nauru. The country is located on the island of the same name, which can be found in the western part Pacific Ocean.

Nauru is currently the smallest independent republic on the ground. She is missing 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 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 entertainment for wealthy people. It is the gambling business that brings most income to the state's treasury.

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.

On the world political map There are about 250 officially recognized independent states in the world. Among them there are mighty powers that have significant weight in various international organizations and taking an active part in the life of other states. As a rule, these states have enough (for example, Russia) and the amount of population (China).

Along with giant countries, there are also very small states, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich does not exceed 500 km², and the number of people living is comparable to the population small town. However, some of these countries play a very significant role. These include, for example, the state of the Vatican - religious center all Catholics, headed by the Pope.

As you may have guessed, today we have prepared a rating of the smallest countries in the world, the main criterion for the distribution of places is the area of ​​​​the territory occupied by the state.

344 sq. km

• Main language: English
• Capital: St. George's
• Number of population: 89.502 thousand people
• GDP per capita: $9,000

Grenada - Island state with a constitutional monarchy. Located in the Caribbean. It was first discovered by Columbus in the 14th century. In the agricultural sector, bananas, citrus fruits, nutmeg are grown, which are subsequently exported to other countries. Grenada is an offshore zone. Thanks to the provision of offshore financial services, the country's treasury is annually replenished by $ 7.4 million.

298 sq. km

• Main language: Maldivian
• Capital: Male
• Number of population: 393 thousand people
• GDP per capita: $7,675

Republic of Maldives located on an archipelago of more than 1100 islands in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is one of the best resorts in the world, therefore, along with fishing, the main share of the economy is the service sector (about 28% of GDP). There are all conditions for have a great holiday: magnificent nature with mild climate. abundance different types animals, among which are almost never found. The presence of beautiful underwater caves stretching along the entire archipelago, which will be a real gift for tourists who are fond of diving.

Interesting fact: With such a cluster of islands, there is not a single river or lake.

261 sq. km

• Main language: English
• Capital: Basseterre
• Population: 49.8 thousand people
• GDP per capita: $15,200

Saint Kitts and Nevis is a federation located on two islands of the same name, in the east of the Caribbean Sea. In terms of territory and population, this state is the smallest country in the Western Hemisphere. The climate is tropical. Due to this, the islands have a very rich flora and fauna. The main industry that provides most of the revenue to the treasury is tourism (70% of GDP). Agriculture is poorly developed, mainly sugarcane is grown. To modernize agriculture and industry in the country, a program was launched - "Citizen for Investment", thanks to which you can get by paying $ 250-450 thousand.

Interesting: Pavel Durov (creator of the social network VKontakte) has citizenship in this country.

181 sq. km

• Main language: Marshallese, English
• Capital: Majuro
• Population: 53.1 thousand people
• GDP per capita: $2,851

Marshall Islands (republic), located in the Pacific Ocean. The country is located on an archipelago, which includes 29 atolls and 5 islands. The climate on the islands is different, from tropical - in the south, to semi-desert - in the north. Flora and fauna have been significantly altered by man, including strong influence nuclear tests held by the United States in 1954. Therefore, on the islands, plant species characteristic of this area are practically not found; others were planted instead. The main sector of the economy is the service sector. The products produced in agriculture, for the most part, are used for their own needs within the country. The country has quite low taxes, which allows you to create an offshore zone. Due to poor infrastructure and high prices on transport (flight to the islands), tourism is at an early stage of development.

160 sq. km

• Main language: German
• Capital: Vaduz
• Number of population: 36.8 thousand people
• GDP per capita: $141,000

The Principality of Liechtenstein is located in Western Europe, bordering Switzerland and Austria. Although this state occupies a small area, it is very beautiful. lovely mountain scenery, because the country is located in the Alps, also in the western part of the state flows the most big europe- Rein. The Principality of Liechtenstein is a technologically advanced state. Precision instrumentation enterprises operate in the country. Also, Liechtenstein is one of the largest financial centers in the world, with a highly developed banking sector. The country has a very high standard of living and well-being. In terms of GDP per capita, it ranks second in the world, after Qatar, with an amount of 141,000 thousand dollars. Liechtenstein is a prime example that even such a small country can exist with dignity and occupy significant place in world politics and economics.

61 sq. km

• Main language: Italian
• Capital: San Marino
• Number of population: 32 thousand people
• GDP per capita: $44,605

The Republic of San Marino is located in the southern part of Europe and borders Italy on all sides. San Marino is the oldest European state formed in the 3rd century. This country is in highlands, 80% of the territory lies on western slope mountains of Monte Titano. ancient buildings and Monte Titano itself belongs to the objects world heritage UNESCO. The basis of the economy is production, which gives 34% of GDP, and the service sector and tourism also play an important role.

26 sq. km

• Main language: Tuvalu, English
• Capital: Funafuti
• Number of population: 11.2 thousand people
• GDP per capita: $1,600

The state of Tuvalu is located on a cluster of atolls and islands (there are 9 in total) and is located in the Pacific Ocean. The climate in this country is tropical, with pronounced seasons - rains and droughts. Often, they pass through the islands. vegetable and animal world This state is quite scarce and is represented mainly by animals brought to the islands - pigs, cats, dogs and plants - coconut palms, bananas, breadfruit. The economy of Tuvalu, like other countries in Oceania, is mainly made up of the public sector, and to a small extent agriculture and fishing. Also, Tuvalu is among the poorest in the world.

21.3 sq. km

• Main language: English, Nauruan
• Capital: None (Government is in Yaren County)
• Population: 10 thousand people
• GDP per capita: $5,000

Nauru is located on a coral island in the Pacific Ocean and is the smallest republic in the world. This country does not have a capital, which also makes it unique. The climate on the island is quite hot, with high humidity. One of the main problems of this country is the lack of fresh water. Just like in Tuvalu, the flora and fauna are very scarce. The main source of replenishment of the treasury for a long time was the extraction of phosphorites (in those years, the country was one of the richest countries in the world with a high GDP), but since the 90s, the level of production began to decline, and with it the well-being of the population. According to some estimates, phosphate reserves should have been sufficient until 2010. In addition, the development of phosphorites caused irreparable damage to the geology and ecosystem of the island. Tourism is not developed due to the severe pollution of the country.

2.02 sq. km

• Main language: French
• Capital: Monaco
• Number of population: 36 thousand people
• GDP per capita: $16,969

Notable: Monaco - the only state, in which the number of regular troops (82 people) is less than in a military band (85 people).

0.44 sq. km

• Main language: Italian
• Form of government: Absolute theocratic monarchy
• Pope: Francis
• Number of population: 836 people

The Vatican is the leader of our ranking, is the smallest country in the world. This city-state is located inside Rome. The Vatican is the seat of the highest leadership of the Roman catholic church. The citizens of this state are subjects of the Holy See. The Vatican has a non-profit economy. Donations make up the bulk of the budget. Also, cash receipts to the treasury come from the tourism sector - payment for visiting museums, selling souvenirs, etc. The Vatican plays a significant role in the settlement of military conflicts, calling for the preservation of peace.

There is an opinion that the smallest country in the world is the Order of Malta, with an area of ​​0.012 km2, because. it has all the necessary attributes to be called a state (its monetary unit, passports, etc.), but its sovereignty is not recognized by all members of the world community.

It is worth noting that there is a so-called principality Sealand(from English - sea ​​land), the area of ​​which is 550 sq.m. This state is located on a platform, not far from the coast of Great Britain. But, since the sovereignty of this state was not recognized by any country in the world, it was not included in our rating.

The smallest country in Eurasia - - 0.44 sq. km.
The smallest country on the African continent Seychelles – 455 sq. km.
The smallest country on the North American continent - - 261 sq. km.
The smallest country of the South American continent - Suriname - 163,821 sq. km.

Greetings, dear guys! And to you, dear parents, a big hello!

On the political map of the world, you can easily find at least 250 independent states, among which there are mighty powers like our Russia. And there are those who are very tiny, but also defend their right to exist. And if the school has a topic about the 5 smallest countries in the world, then you are here today.

Lesson plan:

Vatican

The honorable first place in the top five mini-countries is occupied by a tiny state within another state.

Countries surrounded by the territory of other states are called enclaves.

The independent Vatican is located inside the Italian Rome. Officially, it is called the sovereign territory of the Holy See. On an area less than half of one square kilometer(to be precise, 0.44 sq. km) has a population of only 840 people.

The Vatican is governed by the Pope, who is elected for life.

This dwarf state is one of the most famous museums located under open sky where great works of art and architecture are collected.

Although the area of ​​the Vatican is no larger than a golf course, however, its influence on world civilization is such that not every country can boast of such. Billions of believers bow before the Vatican Catholic Church, it always stands up for peace and tries to prevent military conflicts.

But what is interesting about the meager Vatican.

Principality of Monaco

Second place among the smallest! The mini-state is located on two and a tail of square kilometers (2.02 sq. km) not far from France on Ligurian coast. Among the small states, Monaco is one of the most densely populated. 38,400 people live on the territory comparable to the Moscow VDNKh.

The Principality is not in poverty at all, earning money from visiting rich people who come here on their beautiful yachts to play at the world famous casino in Monte Carlo. The Monaco Grand Prix is ​​also held here - one of the stages of the Formula 1 world car race.

A lot of money is brought to the treasury by tourism and banks, which store the capital of the world's most famous billionaires.

What do they write about the Principality of Monaco?

Nauru

The republic is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on a coral island and, in terms of an area of ​​21 sq. km, ranks third among the five small countries. 10800 people live here.

This unique country just over fifteen years ago was one of the rich. All thanks to the reserves of phosphorites available there. Merciless mining has disrupted the ecosystem of the island and led Nauru to a number of undeveloped third world countries. Environmental pollution after the development of phosphorite deposits has deprived the country of attractiveness for tourists.

How is Nauru different?

Tuvalu

In fourth place is the dwarf Tuvalu - a state located on nine atolls and islands in the Pacific Ocean. This is one of the poorest countries in the world. And she also has a very funny name for us, Russians, the name of the capital - Funafuti.

10,700 people live on an area of ​​26 sq. km. The islands of Tuvalu were discovered by the Spanish navigator Alvaro de Neira in the 16th century. Until the 20th century, the dwarf state was a colony of Britain.

Own modern name the island baby received only in 1975, and it means “8 standing together” - according to the number of islands inhabited at first, the inhabitants settled on the ninth later.

The country was originally called the Lagoon Islands.

How different is Tuvalu?

San Marino

Our top five of the smallest republics in terms of area in the southern part of Europe, surrounded on all sides by Italy, completes our list. 80% of a tiny country common area which has 61 sq. km, huddles on the western mountain slopes Monte Titano.

The oldest European state, which appeared in 301, is home to 33,000 inhabitants. According to legend, the name of the dwarf republic was named after St. Marino, an ordinary Christian - a bricklayer, who, in salvation from the Roman emperor, found shelter at an altitude of 700 meters and created a community.

At first it was one of the poor European countries, which did not attract attention, and was also inconveniently located. This helped San Marino maintain its independence. Today small state, which exports ceramics, building materials and wine, is visited by millions of tourists. The locals are now one of the richest in Europe.

Evgenia Klimkovich.

Today there are about 250 recognized independent states. Among them there are both giant states, such as Russia, the USA and Canada, as well as very small countries, comparable in area to major cities. Despite their "miniatureness", they play in some cases a huge role in the world political arena.

10 Grenada

Grenada is an island state with a constitutional monarchy. This wonderful land is located in the Caribbean Sea, and it was discovered by Columbus in the 14th century. Agriculture specializes in growing vegetables and fruits, which are subsequently exported. Since Grenada is located in an offshore zone, its treasury annually replenishes more than $ 7 million through offshore financial services.

9 Maldives

The Maldives is considered to be one of the best tourist resorts in the world. Everything is here: clear turquoise waters indian ocean, virgin nature, rich in a wide variety of plant and animal species, mysterious underwater caves and much more. The tourism sector annually brings in the state budget Maldives about 30 percent of income. Interesting fact: The Republic of Maldives consists of more than 1100 islands.

8 Saint Kitts and Nevis

This country is located on two islands of the same name and has a federal state structure. Agriculture is very poorly developed here (mainly sugarcane is grown), despite the favorable climate. But the tourism sector is developed. Travelers are attracted by the diversity of flora and fauna, as well as the soft tropical climate. It is worth noting that Pavel Durov himself (the creator of VKontakte) has the citizenship of this country.

7 Marshall Islands

Marshall Islands located in the Pacific Ocean are distinguished by their specific natural conditions. The fact is that the American nuclear tests of 1954 greatly changed the biological environment of this country, so there are almost no species of plants and animals that are typical for such an area. Therefore, others were brought out there. The islands have a very undeveloped infrastructure, so many economic areas are in the development phase.

6 Liechtenstein

Despite its small area, Liechtenstein is one of the most beautiful and richest countries in the world. The country is bordered by Austria and Switzerland, located in Alpine mountains, which provides it with a high tourist attraction. Liechtenstein - world Finance center with a highly developed banking system. It is also worth noting that in terms of GDP, the state ranks second in the world, right after Qatar.

5 San Marino

This small country is located on the mountain slope of Monte Titano and borders Italy on all sides. San Marino is the oldest state Western Europe, it was formed in the 3rd century. Many sights, including Mount Titano itself, are included in the list of objects natural heritage UNESCO.

4 Tuvalu

Tuvalu is considered one of the poorest countries in the world, which, in fact, is quite understandable. The country has an extremely unfavorable climate - here powerful downpours are replaced by droughts. From this, the nature of Tuvalu is very poor, which affected the development of agriculture.

3 Nauru

The Pacific nation of Nauru is unique in many ways. This the only country where there is no capital. This is the smallest republic in the world, and the smallest state, if you do not take into account European continent. The budget of Nauru is replenished mainly due to the extraction of phosphates, which, in turn, cause great damage to the island's ecosystem, which makes it almost impossible to develop agriculture and tourism.

2 Monaco

Of course, everyone has heard of the Formula 1 Grand Prix and the famous casino in Monte Carlo. Yes, all this is located in this small state on the border with France. It is logical that tourism is one of the main sources of income for the country. The richest people in the world also keep their savings here, because in Monaco there is a guarantee of banking secrecy.

1 Vatican

The smallest state in the world, paradoxically, is the most powerful, or at least “one of…”. The residence of the Pope is located in the Vatican, and the citizens of the country are called subjects of the Holy See. the Vatican has big influence in the military-political sphere, often calling on the warring countries to conclude peace.

In the school curriculum in geography, unfortunately, interesting geographical facts our planet, and there are so many of them: colorful beaches or lakes, gigantic or smallest countries, 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.

1. 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.


2. . 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.


3. 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.


4. Gibraltar. Situated on south side 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, but now it is quite independent state. The entire area of ​​​​this state is 6.5 km², with an average population density for Europe.


5. Nauru. Nauru is the smallest island country 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.


6. Tuvalu. This Pacific state, located on 9 coral islands(atolls) with total area- 26 km², population - 10.5 thousand people. This is a very poor country, which may disappear due to rising water levels and coastal erosion.
7. 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.


8. . The 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. Considered one of ancient states Europe.


9. 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 with a high standard of living.


10. 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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