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Top 100 Smallest Countries by Area

The world is home to a diverse range of countries, each with its unique size and geographical features. This overview focuses on the top 100 smallest countries by area, highlighting the compact nations that make up our world.

List Smallest Countries by Area

RankCountryTotal area in (km2)Total area in (mi2)Continent
1Vatican City0.440.17Europe
2Monaco2.020.78Europe
3Nauru218.1Oceania
4Tuvalu2610Oceania
5San Marino6124Europe
6Liechtenstein16062Europe
7Marshall Islands18170Oceania
8Saint Kitts and Nevis269104North America
9Maldives300116Asia
10Malta316122Europe
11Grenada344133North America
12Saint Vincent and the Grenadines389150North America
13Barbados430170North America
14Antigua and Barbuda442171North America
15Seychelles455176Africa
16Palau460178Oceania
17Andorra468181Europe
18Saint Lucia616238North America
19Micronesia702271Oceania
20Singapore719.1277.6Asia
21Tonga747288Oceania
22Dominica751290North America
23Bahrain780301Asia
24Kiribati811313Oceania
25Sao Tome and Principe1,001386Africa
26Mauritius2,040788Africa
27Comoros2,235863Africa
28Luxembourg2,586998Europe
29Samoa2,8421,097Oceania
30Cabo Verde4,0331,557Africa
31Trinidad and Tobago5,1311,981North America
32Brunei5,7652,226Asia
33Palestine6,2202,402Asia
34Cyprus9,2503,571Europe
35Lebanon10,4524,036Asia
36Kosovo10,8874,203Europe
37Jamaica10,9914,244North America
38Gambia11,2954,361Africa
39Qatar11,5864,473Asia
40Vanuatu12,1894,706Oceania
41Montenegro13,8125,333Europe
42Bahamas13,8785,358North America
43Timor-Leste14,8745,743Asia
44Eswatini17,3646,704Africa
45Kuwait17,8186,880Asia
46Fiji18,2747,056Oceania
47Slovenia20,2737,827Europe
48Israel20,7708,019Asia
49El Salvador21,0418,124North America
50Belize22,9668,867North America
51Djibouti23,2008,958Africa
52North Macedonia25,7139,928Europe
53Rwanda26,33810,169Africa
54Haiti27,75010,714North America
55Burundi27,83010,745Africa
56Equatorial Guinea28,05110,831Africa
57Albania28,74811,100Europe
58Solomon Islands28,89611,157Oceania
59Armenia29,74311,484Europe
60Lesotho30,35511,720Africa
61Belgium30,52811,787Europe
62Moldova33,84313,067Europe
63Taiwan36,00013,900Asia
64Guinea-Bissau36,12513,948Africa
65Bhutan38,39414,824Asia
66Switzerland41,28515,940Europe
67Netherlands42,19916,293Europe
68Estonia45,22717,462Europe
69Dominican Republic48,67018,792North America
70Slovakia49,03618,933Europe
71Costa Rica51,10019,730North America
72Bosnia and Herzegovina51,20919,772Europe
73Croatia56,59421,851Europe
74Togo56,78521,925Africa
75Latvia64,58924,938Europe
76Lithuania65,30025,212Europe
77Sri Lanka65,61025,332Asia
78Georgia69,70026,911Europe/Asia
79Ireland70,28227,136Europe
80Sierra Leone71,74027,699Africa
81Panama75,42029,120North America
82Serbia77,47429,913North America
83Czechia78,86730,451Europe
84United Arab Emirates83,60032,278Asia
85Austria83,87932,386Europe
86Azerbaijan86,60033,436Europe/Asia
87Jordan89,34234,495Asia
88Portugal92,22035,606Europe
89Hungary93,02835,918Europe
90South Korea100,26638,713Asia
91Iceland103,00038,768Europe
92Guatemala108,88942,042North America
93Cuba109,88042,425North America
94Bulgaria110,87942,811Europe
95Liberia111,36943,000Africa
96Honduras112,09043,278North America
97Benin114,76344,310Africa
98Eritrea117,60045,406Africa
99Malawi118,48445,747Africa
100North Korea120,54046,541Asia

Understanding Country Sizes

Country sizes vary dramatically, with some nations covering vast landmasses and others encompassing just a few square kilometers. The list of the smallest countries by area provides a fascinating glimpse into these compact nations, many of which hold significant cultural and historical importance despite their small size.

Notable Among the Smallest Countries

  1. Vatican City: The smallest country in the world, Vatican City is an independent city-state enclaved within Rome, Italy.
  2. Monaco: Known for its luxury and as a haven for the wealthy, Monaco is the second smallest country globally.
  3. Nauru: The smallest island nation, Nauru is known for its phosphate mining operations.
  4. Tuvalu: A Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, known for its low elevation and risk from rising sea levels.
  5. San Marino: One of the world’s oldest republics, San Marino is landlocked within Italy.

Economic and Cultural Significance

Despite their small size, many of these countries have significant economic and cultural impacts. For instance, Luxembourg, while small in area, is known for its robust economy and high standard of living. Similarly, countries like Malta and the Maldives are popular tourist destinations, known for their unique cultures and beautiful landscapes.

Challenges Faced by Smaller Nations

Smaller countries often face unique challenges, such as limited natural resources, vulnerability to climate change, and economic dependence on a narrow range of industries. Island nations like the Maldives and Tuvalu, for example, are facing the direct impact of rising sea levels due to climate change.

The smallest countries by area demonstrate that size isn’t always indicative of influence or potential. These nations contribute significantly to global diversity, offering unique cultures, histories, and landscapes. Their existence reminds us of the vast variety of human experiences and the importance of preserving and valuing all nations, regardless of size.

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