Which country has the smallest population. The smallest country in terms of population. The smallest countries by area

Introducing the Top smallest countries in the world, both in terms of area and population.

The smallest countries by area:

Only independent states recognized by other states are included. Also included are associated states (a form of confederation of unequal states united on a bilateral basis, in which a smaller state, while formally maintaining sovereignty and independence, entrusts a significant part of its power to a larger state).

10th place:- state in the eastern part caribbean, consisting of two islands - Saint Kitts and Nevis. The area of the country is 261 km². Population - 49 898 people. Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest country in Latin America in terms of area and population.

The southeastern peninsula of St. Kitts, with the island of Nevis in the background

9th place: Cook Islands- an archipelago and a self-governing state entity of the same name in free association with New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean. Area - 236 km², population - 19,569 people.

8th place:- Pacific state associated with the United States. The Republic of the Marshall Islands is located on 29 atolls and 5 islands, the total area of which is 181 km², the population is 68,000 people.

7th place: Liechtenstein- state in Central Europe associated with Switzerland. Area - 160.4 km², population - 35,870 people.

6th place:- a state surrounded on all sides by Italy. Area - 61 km², population - 32,075 people.

5th place:- Pacific state, located on 5 atolls and 4 islands. The total area is 26 km². Population - 10 544 people. Tuvalu is one of the poorest countries in the world and this country would be even poorer if the country's leadership had not guessed to put up for auction the national domain zone.tv and the buyer was quickly found, because. zone.tv is a tidbit for TV companies and video sites. Tuvalu now receives $1 million quarterly in exchange for the right to use the .tv domain zone

4th place:- state on the same name coral island in the Western Pacific Ocean with an area of 21 km². Population - 9 322 people. Nauru is the smallest independent republic in the world, the smallest island state, the most small state Oceania, the smallest state outside Europe and the only republic in the world without official capital.

3rd place: Monaco principality associated with France. Monaco is located in southern Europe on the coast mediterranean sea. Area - 2.02 km², population - 35,986 people.

2nd place: Vatican located within the territory of Rome. The Vatican is a state associated with Italy. The area of the Vatican is 0.44 km². Population - 836 people.

The smallest country in Europe and the whole world - Order of Malta(not to be confused with the state of Malta), the full name is "The Sovereign Military Hospice Order of Saint John, Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta". Like the Vatican, the Order of Malta is located inside the territory of Rome. Since 1998, the Order has also owned Fort St. Angelo on the island of Malta. The area of territories controlled by the Order of Malta is 0.012 km². The order consists of 12.5 thousand people who can be considered citizens of this state. Not everyone recognizes the Order of Malta as a state, but the order has diplomatic relations with 104 states and is a permanent observer at the UN. The Order of Malta issues its own passports and car plate numbers, prints its own currency and stamps, i.e. has almost all the signs of a full-fledged state.

The Palace of Malta in Rome - the actual capital of the Order of Malta

The smallest states by area by continents and parts of the world:

The smallest country in Asia is the Maldives (area - 298 km²).
The smallest country in Oceania is Nauru (area - 21 km²).
The smallest country in Europe is the Order of Malta (area - 0.012 km²).
The smallest country in Africa Seychelles(area - 455 km²).
The smallest country North America- Saint Kitts and Nevis (area - 261 km²).
The smallest country South America- Suriname (area 163,270 km²).

The smallest countries in the world by population:

Only independent (including associated) states recognized by other states are included.

10th place: (for this country, see above). Population - 49 898 people.
9th place: Liechtenstein(for this country, see above). Population - 35 870 people.
8th place: (for this country, see above). Population - 32 075 people.
7th place: Palau is an island state in the Pacific Ocean. It is in association with the USA. Consists of 328 islands with total area 458 km². Population - 20 842 people.
6th place: Cook Islands(for this country, see above). Population - 19 569 people.
5th place: Order of Malta(See above for more details). The order consists of 12.5 thousand people.
4th place: (for this country, see above). Population - 10 544 people.
3rd place: (for this country, see above). Population - 9 322 people.
2nd place: Niue- an island and a self-governing state entity of the same name in free association with New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean. Area - 261.46 km², population - 1,398 people.
The smallest state in the world in terms of population - (see above about this country). Population - 836 people.

The smallest states in terms of population by continents and parts of the world:

The smallest country in Asia - South Ossetia (population - 72,000 people) - is a partially recognized state: it was recognized by Russia and four other UN member states (Nicaragua, Nauru, Venezuela and Tuvalu).
The smallest country in Oceania is Niue (pop. 1,398)
The smallest country in Europe - the Vatican (population - 836 people)
The smallest country in Africa - Seychelles (population - 87,476 people)
The smallest country in North America is Saint Kitts and Nevis (pop. 49,898)
The smallest country in South America is Suriname (pop. 472,000)

All of the above countries dependent territories recognized by the international community or at least by several states, however, there is a state not recognized by any country, which is smaller in area than the Order of Malta and in population less than the Vatican.
The Principality of Sealand, located on an offshore platform in the North Sea, 10 kilometers from the coast of Great Britain, has an area of only 0.00055 km² (550 m²). As for the population, in 2002 the authorities of Sealand stated that the population of the state was 27 people. However, at the same time, only a guard constantly lives on the territory of Sealand.

Physically, the territory of Sealand arose during the Second World War. In 1942, the British Navy built several platforms on the approaches to the coast. One of them was Roughs Tower. During the war, the platforms housed anti-aircraft guns and had a garrison of 200 men. After the end of hostilities, most of the towers were destroyed, but Roughs Tower, being outside British territorial waters, remained intact. In 1967, retired British Army Major Paddy Roy Bates announced the creation of the sovereign state of Sealand (Sealand, in English) on the territory of the Roughs Tower platform. sea land") and proclaimed himself Prince Roy I. In 1972, Sealand began to mint a coin. In 1975, the first constitution of Sealand came into force. A flag and coat of arms appeared.
In 1997, it turned out that without the knowledge of the leadership of Sealand, the passports of this state were illegally distributed. In total, more than 150 thousand passports were sold, after which Sealand was forced to cancel the passports. In January 2007, the owners of the country announced their intention to sell it. Immediately after that, the torrent site The Pirate Bay began raising funds for the acquisition of Sealand in order to achieve independence from the authorities of other states, but the deal did not take place.
Sealand official website - sealandgov.org

Everyone knows that China and India are the most populous countries. About one third of the population is concentrated there. Many sights are located in them, and the features of culture, history and art are studied even at school. However, there are microstates that few people know anything about, although they have no less interesting life, natural and historical features. So, which countries are the smallest in terms of population, what are their features?

About a hundred states do not have a population of even a million people. These include such famous countries like Cyprus, Montenegro, Luxembourg, Iceland and many other territories. Despite the fact that their area is small, and people can be accommodated in a large football stadium, not all of them are representatives of microstates. Here is a list of the smallest countries in terms of population.

Pitcairn Island

This island nation is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Pitcairn is the only British territory located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the smallest country in terms of population, with only 49 people living here. There is even a capital on the island - Adamstown, but, however, this is just one locality Pitcairn.

Vatican

Many people think that the Vatican is the smallest country in terms of population, but 842 people live in this state, and almost 800 people less on Pitcairn Island. The Vatican, or, as it is otherwise called, the city-state, is located on the territory of Rome. The country of the Vatican is the center of leadership of the Roman catholic church. As before, so now the territory of the state is considered a holy place, but in antique time nobody lived here. Basically, the entire population living in the Vatican are representatives of the clergy. It is noteworthy that it is impossible to obtain citizenship here by inheritance.

Tokelau

This territory is administered by New Zealand. The state consists of three islands in the Pacific Ocean, and people live on each of them. The population of Tokelau is 1383 people. The inhabitants of the islands live off fishing. Also, a certain income comes from the production of souvenirs, stamps and coins. Some agricultural crops are also grown here and cattle breeding is carried out.

Niue

This state is located on an island in the Pacific Ocean, the capital is the village of Alofi. The population of Niue is 1612 people. This island was discovered at the beginning of the 18th century by Europeans, at that time Niue was inhabited by savages, which is why it was called “the island of savages”, but later renamed. The territory has a rich geological basis, so quite a few people come here a large number of tourists and scientists. There are 14 villages in Niue, and it is divided into two regions, Motu and Tafiti.

Falkland Islands

The archipelago is located in Atlantic Ocean and is an important point, one might say, a transit point from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. Basically, all residents of the territory speak English, and the population is 2912 people. The main activities of the residents Falkland Islands is sheep breeding, fishing and tourism.

Saint Helena

A more complete name looks like this: the island of St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. This territory volcanic origin, and many scientists visit it, which has a positive effect on the country's economy. total population is 3956 people.

Montserrat

Another British Overseas Territory with a population of 5,154. At the end of the 20th century, there were almost ten thousand more inhabitants in Montserrat. The decrease in numbers is associated with volcanic activity in this area and now South part Montserrat is closed to the public. The island was discovered in the 15th century by the great traveler and explorer Columbus, and in the 17th century it began to be inhabited.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

The island community of France is located in the Atlantic Ocean. The population lives on two islands, but Miquelon is the larger one, and, accordingly, lives there more people. The population is 6301 people. Fishing is mainly developed in the territory.

Saint Barthélemy

Another overseas province of France, with a population of only 9,417. open this island was again Columbus. This area is popular with tourists, and this is what the residents of this community live for.

Tuvalu

The state of Tuvalu is located in the Pacific Ocean, in Polynesia. The island of Tuvalu was settled in 300-500 years by immigrants from the island of Samoa. The population is 9943 people, basically the entire economy of the country rests on agriculture and fishing. Tourism could develop in Tuvalu, there are all the factors for this, but due to poor transport links with this state, the tourist flow is quite small.

Nauru

The Republic of Nauru is an island state located in the Pacific Ocean, it gained independence in 1968. The population of the country is 10263 people. The most developed here is agriculture, fishing and, to some extent, tourism, but its expansion is hindered by the pollution of the territory, which, of course, scares away many travelers.

The smallest countries in the world in terms of population often change, in general, on average, the list is re-formed every 4 years. Only the position of the Vatican remains unchanged: it has always been on the list of the smallest countries, both in terms of the number of inhabitants and in terms of area. It is noteworthy that basically all the smallest countries in terms of population are located on islands or archipelagos. Their economy is mainly based on fishing and agriculture, but tourism is also developed in some.

Which countries are the smallest in terms of population?

Our life consists of everyday little things that in one way or another affect our well-being, mood and productivity. I didn’t get enough sleep - my head hurts; drank coffee to improve the situation and cheer up - he became irritable. I really want to foresee everything, but it just doesn't work. Moreover, everyone around, as usual, gives advice: gluten in bread - do not come close, it will kill; a chocolate bar in your pocket is a direct path to tooth loss. We collect the most popular questions about health, nutrition, diseases and give answers to them, which will allow you to better understand what is good for health.

We all know that Russia ranks first among the states of the world in terms of area and is in the top ten in terms of population. But there are many countries in the world that are so small in area that it is difficult to immediately find them on the map.

There are also states whose population is comparable to the number of inhabitants of a Russian regional center or even a small village. Meanwhile, they have all the paraphernalia necessary for a sovereign state - the recognition of other states and international organizations, monetary system, government, etc.

The smallest countries in the world by area

The list of the smallest countries in the world is of interest not only from geographic point view, but also from the standpoint of the justification of the existence of these independent states for the rest of the world.

How did small states manage to maintain their sovereignty in the era of the most severe wars for territories and resources? Meanwhile, many so-called dwarf states have considerable weight in world politics.

1. The smallest officially recognized state in the world today is the residence of the Pope Vatican. It is located in the capital of Italy, Rome, and covers an area of only 0.44 square kilometers with a population of about 900 people.

However, the influence of the Vatican world politics incommensurate with its area. In fact, it is the capital of the Catholic world, which includes more than a billion people from dozens of countries on all continents.

2. In second place in terms of area is the European Principality of Monaco, which occupies 2.02 square kilometers on Cote d'Azur Mediterranean Sea - the most famous and fashionable resort area peace. The state is governed by the Prince of Monaco, whose power is inherited.

The number of subjects is a little over 30 thousand people. Monaco is famous for its gambling houses and international banks, which bring the main income to the treasury.

3. Nauru- the third largest officially recognized state. This is an island lost in the Pacific Ocean, with an area of 21.3 square kilometers, on which about 10 thousand people live. Nauru does not even have its own capital, as its territory can be explored on foot in a few hours.

Until the 80s, the main income of Nauru was the extraction of phosphorus minerals, because of which the ecology of the island was seriously disturbed. In the 90s, the state became an offshore banking zone and actively traded in its passports. Today, Nauru's economy is supported primarily by aid.

4. Tuvalu- Another Pacific island state, uniting 9 coral islands with a total area of about 26 square kilometers, where a little less than 10 thousand people live. This is one of the poorest countries in the world, the main income of which is generated by issuing licenses to fish in its territorial waters.

The population is mainly engaged in agriculture, growing vegetables for their own subsistence and coconut palm for the production of copra for export.

5. San Marino- the fifth largest state, occupying 61 square kilometer in the northern part of the Apennines and surrounded on all sides by the territory of Italy.

This oldest republic in Europe has all the hallmarks of a real state: a developed and diversified economy, a multi-party system, its own university and research center.

The smallest countries in the world by population

List of independent countries with smallest number population is almost the same as territorial list.

1. Vatican - 793 people.

2. Tuvalu - 9916 people.

3. Nauru - 10,222 people.

4. Palau - 21,291 people.

5. San Marino - 31,781 people.

If we take into account the dependent territories under the protectorate of more than major states, the list will look like this:

1. Pitcairn Islands (British protectorate) - 56 people.

2. coconut islands(territory of Australia) - 550 people.

3. Vatican - 793 people.

4. Tokelau (New Zealand protectorate) - 1383 people.

5. Niue (New Zealand protectorate) - 1610 people.

Principality of Sealand - the unrecognized leader of the dwarf states

Off the coast of Britain, in the waters North Sea the Principality of Sealand, which has existed since 1967, is located. This is the Roughs Tower platform, left over from defensive structures British army during World War II. Retired Major Roy Bates declared her his principality, and himself, respectively, Prince Roy I.

Today, there are 27 people in the world who have Sealand passports and are formally its citizens. However, there is only a shift guard on the 550 square meter platform at all times. The State of Sealand is not recognized by any officially existing state in the world.

Historically, humanity has sought to divide endless expanses 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.

Majority names major countries we studied 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 most large area- 298 km². But in terms of population density, this state can compete with any big country Over 400,000 people live in this 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 - Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is located in the eastern part of the Caribbean Sea 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

Republic Marshall Islands in area it occupies 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 thanks to its unique system management of the state in such a way that 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 been an independent country ever since. 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.

You will be surprised, but there is a country on our planet in which only ... 49 people live) At some weddings there are more guests, by golly. About small population countries and amazing facts about this state in today's TravelAsk section.

Former British colony

The smallest state in terms of population is located in the Pacific Ocean on five islands. We live, however, only one of them. They are called the Pitcairn Islands. Despite their small area (47 square kilometers) and even fewer inhabitants (49 people), these islands have a very rich and interesting story.

So, in 1789, rebels landed here from the British ship Bounty. A conflict broke out on the ship, which was led by assistant captain Fletcher Christian. As a result, Captain William Bligh and his supporters were landed on a boat and sent to sail freely along Pacific Ocean. Surprisingly, the crew managed to escape, having overcome more than 6,700 kilometers! But that's a different story.)

Fletcher Christian, on the ship, sailed, in fact, to Pitcairn Island, where he decided to establish a colony. In general, these stories formed the basis of many works of art.

Pitcairn today is overseas territory Great Britain. It is administered by the British High Commissioner in New Zealand. But in fact, there is a self-government body here - the unicameral Island Council of 10 people.

There is a city on the island - Adamstown. It is the only settlement and capital. In combination, by the way, the smallest capital in the world.

An island story worthy of a TV series

There is debate about who and when discovered these islands. So, some researchers believe that the first Europeans visited here in 1606. It was a sailing team from Portugal. Another theory is that the islands were discovered in 1767 by Philip Carteret. He named the islands in honor of the son of one of the officers who first saw the land. However, they did not even try to land because of the strong surf.

Therefore, the islands were first settled by the Bounty rebels. By the way, enterprising sailors took women from the neighboring islands of Tahiti with them, so as not to get bored) But this is only the beginning of the story.

In addition to women, the sailors also captured Tahitian men, taking them as slaves. So, after a few years, the Tahitians rebelled and killed all the English. The women took revenge that same night and killed their countrymen.

As a result of the tragedy, only one Englishman managed to survive, his widows left him. And in 1808, 1 man, 8 women, 25 children lived on the island, of which 24 were mixed children, and 1 was a purebred Tahitian. Adams ruled the island until his death in 1829. Women gave birth very early (and not only in marriage), so the population of the island grew rapidly. In the 1920s, several more English sailors and a pastor joined the colony.

Moonshine was brewed on the island, so they lived, as you understand, a lot of fun. But then, in 1832, the Puritan Joshua Hill arrived on the island. The real False Joshua)) He posed as a representative of the British authorities, established a dictatorial regime on the island and forbade moonshine. The deception was revealed only six years later, after which Hill was expelled and a new leader was elected.

And so, in 1939, Pitcairn was officially declared a colony of Britain and a democracy was established here with elections to the magistrate. Both men and women were allowed to vote. Therefore, this territory became the first in the British Empire, where suffrage was introduced for women.

The inhabitants of the island made attempts to resettle. In the 30s of the XIX century, they were moved to Tahiti, because of which 12 people died, and 65 returned. Then another resettlement occurred in the 1850s - to Norfolk Island. By the way, it is here that today most of the descendants of the rebels of the Bounty ship live - about 800 people. In the 20th century, there was a constant migration of the population from Pitcairn to New Zealand. If we talk about population records, then most people lived here in 1937 - 233 inhabitants.

Interesting facts about the country with the smallest population

Fact #1. Despite the fact that the official language of the state is English, the inhabitants speak Pitcairn. It is a mixture of Tahitian and English languages of the 18th century. It has a lot of local idioms, which is why the language is almost incomprehensible to outsiders.

Fact #2. The islands are dominated by Adventism. It was "brought" to the island by Adventist missionary John Thau at the end of the 19th century. Since then, Saturday has been a day off, and pigs are unclean animals. By the way, the latter, brought since the time of the Bounty, were completely exterminated.

Fact #3. Ships regularly pass by the island, as it lies just on the way from the Panama Canal to New Zealand.

Fact #4. Pitcairn's main income comes from the collectible postage stamps they issue, as well as the honey and local produce they sell to passing ships. However, ships practically do not enter the island, since there is no good mooring here. Therefore, local residents swim to the ships on longboats.

Fact #5. The islanders also live on barter: they exchange products and sea gifts among themselves.

Fact #6. The Pitcairn Islands are of coral volcanic origin. True, the volcanoes here have long died out.

Fact #7. The water supply is very bad in the country. It is for this reason that only one island is inhabited - there is no fresh water on the others.