More On The 10 Smallest Countries In The World

With reference to a previous post, herewith some more interesting facts about these countries, some of them very well-known and some others quite unfamiliar. Countries listed according to their actual size, the smallest country listed 1^st. (Source: Wikipedia)

1. Vatican City State

• A landlocked sovereign city state within the city of Rome, Italy
• Size approximately 44 hectares
• Estimated population just over 800
• The smallest independent state (county) in the world in terms of size as well as population
• Established in 1929,it is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal (priesthood)-monarchical state, ruled by The Pope(Bishop of Rome)

2. Principality of Monaco

• A sovereign city state, surrounded by France and bordering the Mediterranean Sea, on the French Riviera
• Size approximately 1.98km²
• Estimated population of 35 986
• The second smallest and most densely populated country in the world
• The House of Grimaldi have ruled Monaco since 1297 (with brief interruptions)
• Most well-known Quartier in Monaco is Monte Carlo, home to the F1 Grand Prix

3. Republic of Nauru (formerly known as Pleasant Island)

• Located in the South Pacific, an island country in Micronesia
• Size approximately 21km²
• Estimated population of 9 322
• The world’s smallest republic and after the Vatican City the least populated
• Independent since 1968
• Nauru was a major exporter of phosphate and boasted the highest per-capita income enjoyed by any sovereign state in the world during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

4. Tuvalu (formerly known as the Ellice Islands)

• Located in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii & Australia
• A Polynesian island nation
• Size approximately 26km²
• Estimated population of 10 544
• Was under British rule together with 8 other islands but in 1974 they voted for separate British dependency status
• Tuvalu joined the UN as the 189^th member in 2000

5. Republic of San Marino

• Surrounded by Italy, located on the Eastern side of the Apennine Mountains
• Size approximately 61km²
• Estimated population of 30 000 +
• Capital is the City of San Marino
• The oldest surviving sovereign and constitutional republic in the world dating back to the year 301
• San Marino is considered a wealthy country with a stable economy, one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, no national debt and a budget surplus
• San Marino is also host to F1 Grand Prix

6. Principality of Liechtenstein

• A landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, surrounded by Switzerland and Austria
• Size approximately 160km²
• Estimated population of 35 000
• Capital is Vaduz
• The only country to lie entirely within the Alps
• Liechtenstein has a very strong financial sector and identified as a tax haven
• Part of the Schengen area but not part of the European Union

7. Republic (Presidential) of the Marshall Islands

• Island country located in the Pacific Ocean, geographically part of Micronesia
• Spread over 1 156 individual islands
• Estimated population of 68 000
• Most people located on atoll of Majuro, acting as the capital
• Many countries had associations with the Marshall Islands in the past. Currently under a compact of Free Association with USA, self-governing since 1979 and full sovereignty since 1986
• They use the US Dollar as currency and wealth is based on a service economy

8. Federation of St Kitts& Nevis (or Saint Christopher Island)

• Island in the West Indies between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean with Nevis the neighbouring Island
• Size approximately 168km²
• Estimated population of 35 000
• St Kitts & Nevis is the smallest nation ever to have hosted a World Cup event (2007 Cricket World Cup)
• The primary language for the Kittians is English with very high literacy rate (approx. 98%)

9. Republic of Maldives

• Island nation in the Indian Ocean, approximately 400km south west of India
• Size approximately of 90 000km²
• Estimated population of 328 536
• The most dispersed country in the world with the population residing on 200 of its 1 192 islands
• Capital Malé
• Had its forts free elections in 2008
• The smallest country by population and land area in Asia
• An area of great concern is the fact that the highest point in the entire Maldives is only 2.4 metres above sea level

10. Republic of Malta

• Part of southern Europe, an archipelago located in the centre of the Mediterranean sea, south of Italy
• Size approximately 316km²
• Estimated population of 368 250
• One of the smallest countries in the world and one of the most densely populated
• Gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1964, a republic since 1974, member of the United Nations and the European Union, Schengen Agreement and the Eurozone
• Geographically, Malta has had great strategic importance through history

AND JUST TO MAKE YOU THINK!!

One gets a very different perspective on the above when you consider the size and estimated population of the Dharavi slum situated in Mumbai compared to a small and very wealthy country such as Monaco