The 10 smallest countries in the world – five are in Europe

While most people know Vatican City is the smallest country in the world – some other tiny nations are perhaps a lot less famous.

Among the world’s ten tiniest countries, five are located in Europe, two are completely surrounded by Italy and one is even smaller than Hyde Park in London.

Here Express.co.uk has pulled together a list of the ten smallest sovereign states – and there are some astonishing facts that might just pique your interest enough to venture there.

Vatican City

Vatican City is the smallest country in the world by both size and population, located entirely within the city of Rome. According to the 2023 census, it is home to just 764 people and spans a mere 0.17 square miles, smaller than Hyde Park.

Because it has no hospitals, no one can be a citizen of the Vatican by birth, and citizenship is only granted on the grounds of working in the service of the Holy See.

Monaco

Known for luxury super cars where the iconic Grand Prix snakes through the streets, Monaco stretches just 0.8 square miles. A tax haven for the rich, it also has the highest rate of billionaires per capita as of 2024.

Interestingly, most people who work in Monaco don’t actually live there. More than 30,000 French and 5,800 Italian nationals commute to Monaco to work every day.

Nauru

Nauru, which is the world’s smallest island country and comes in third place at just 8 square miles. While in terms of land area it’s similar to Camden in London, the island northeast of Australia boasts a beautiful coral reef and white sandy beaches.

Nauru has no armed forces, though there is a small police force under civilian control, and Australia is responsible for its defence.

Tuvalu

Tuvalu, a chain of nine islands surrounding a lagoon, covers just 10 square miles in the Pacific between Hawaii and Australia. Sadly scientists expect it to disappear under the sea in the next few decades due to global warming and rising sea levels.

It was claimed as a British Protectorate in 1877 and Tuvalu became a British colony in 1892, before gaining independence in 1978.

San Marino

San Marino ranks fifth smallest, spanning 24 square miles. This mountainous microstate surrounded by north-central Italy is known for its medieval architecture, including the Three Towers of San Marino.

The country has more registered cars than its residents, and its been fiercely independent since being founded in 301 AD.

Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein comes in at sixth place on our list and roughly the same size as St Albans at 62 square miles. The German-speaking principality sits between Austria and Switzerland and is known for its medieval castles, alpine landscapes and villages.

Marshall Islands

Between Hawaii and the Philippines, Marshall Islands spans 70 square miles. A sprawling chain of volcanic islands and coral atolls, it’s a remote paradise in the central Pacific Ocean.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

The dual-island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis cover 103 square miles between the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The larger of the two islands, Saint Kitts, is dominated by the dormant Mount Liamuiga volcano. For context, the whole country is smaller in land area than Birmingham.

Maldives

The honeymoon hotspot of the Maldives is the smallest country in Asia, stretching to 114 square miles. It’s made up of more than 1100 islands in the Indian Ocean, boasting crystal clear waters and feathery light sand.

Malta

Malta in Europe takes tenth smallest country at just 122 square miles large. The archipelago in the central Mediterranean between Sicily and the North African coast is known for its history and ancient architecture.