World geography · Updated September 2026
Smallest countries in the world
Smallest countries by area: Vatican City, Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Maldives and Malta.
Vatican City is the smallest widely recognised country — about 0.44 km² inside Rome. Monaco is second and is the most densely populated country on most lists.
Several of the next names are Pacific islands (Nauru, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands) or European microstates (San Marino, Liechtenstein, Andorra). The Maldives is the lowest-lying country on Earth and a climate-search staple.
Small does not mean unimportant. Vatican City is a UN observer and a global religious capital. Monaco and Liechtenstein are high-income states. Tuvalu and the Maldives appear in every climate-change lesson.
Smallest countries in the world — key facts (2026)
| Topic | Fact |
|---|---|
| Smallest by area | Vatican City (~0.44 km²) |
| Second | Monaco |
| Smallest island UN member | Nauru (often listed) |
| Lowest average elevation | Maldives |
| European microstates | Vatican, Monaco, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Andorra |
| UN members among the ten smallest | All except the Holy See, which is an observer |
| Population note | Vatican has about 800 residents; Monaco about 39,000 |
| Not a country | Hong Kong and Singapore are small, but Hong Kong is a Chinese SAR |
Figures are the usual classroom and news-desk numbers for 2026. Border disputes and membership votes can change a count by one or two.
People also ask
Is Vatican City a country?
Yes in ordinary speech. It is a sovereign state and a UN observer (Holy See), not a UN member.
Is Singapore one of the smallest countries?
Singapore is small and densely populated, but several island and European states are smaller in area.
What is a microstate?
A very small sovereign state, usually under 1,000 km². The term is informal.