The smallest country in the world. The smallest countries in the world by area. Rating of the smallest countries in the world

There are quite a few countries on the planet that can fit, for example, on the territory of one district of Moscow. As a rule, such places are very interesting and exotic. Most of them are little known, but information about these countries is still available to readers of the “Smallest Countries in the World” rating.

In order not to be confused about where the country is located, and where the state or territory is located, you need to know: a territory is a community united by culture, land and history. If this community is isolated, even dependent, then it is already a country. But if it also has sovereignty, that is, political freedom to choose a state-legal organization, then you already have a state. So, which countries are the smallest?

Maldives, 298 sq. km

This is a state consisting of 2 thousand islands in Indian Ocean. In 1965, the Maldives became independent from Great Britain.

181 thousand inhabitants who speak Maldivian and English languages, make a living from tourism.

Saint Kitts and Nevis, 269 sq. km

The Caribbean country is home to 41 thousand English-speaking people. In 1983, Saint Kitts and Nevis was recognized as independent.


Here money comes from the export of sugar, shellfish, electronics and light industrial goods.

Seychelles, 217 sq. km

Seychelles is the most small state in Africa. Until 1976 it was subordinate to Great Britain.


After 69 thousand local residents became independent. They speak Creole, English and French. Residents have their main income from tourism.

Marshall Islands, 180 sq. km

The Pacific Marshall Islands are an archipelago of coral islets and reefs. The population of this small state is 52 thousand people.


The official language is English. Formally, the islands are subject to the British crown, and this despite the fact that they became independent in 1986. The island produces copra, fish and phosphates. Recently, tourism has become an important source of revenue for the treasury.

Liechtenstein, 160 sq. km

This tiny state is located in the Alps, between Austria and Switzerland. About 29 thousand people live in the country. Liechtenstein lives by exporting food, selling postage stamps, microchips and dental instruments. Moreover, the state is a fairly developed industrial country with high level life and an excellent financial services system.


Liechtenstein's population consists mainly of Germans, Austrians and Swiss. A third of the total population are foreigners. Everyone speaks German, but there are several dialects in the territory.

San Marino, 61 sq. km

This small state is located on the slope of Mount Titan, in the center of Italy. About 28 thousand inhabitants live on 61 square kilometers of San Marino. And they all speak Italian.


Citizens are proud that their state is one of the most ancient in Europe. From ancient sources it is known that San Marino was formed in 301. The mason Marinus came to this land.

He was fleeing from the Roman emperor Diocletian, who is known for his hatred of Christians. Marinus hid at an altitude of 701 meters on Mount Titan and created his own small Christian community. The then owner of this land, Felicissima, bequeathed her land to the community. At first the territory was called “Land of St. Marinus”, then it was renamed San Marino.

San Marino retained its physical independence thanks to its inconvenient natural location and poverty. Since the 17th century, the Constitution in the country, ruled by the Council of Sixty, has not changed.

San Marino is a small country in Europe

After the end of World War II, San Marino found itself on the list of the most poorest countries Europe. Now the country is visited annually by about three million tourists, so their money constitutes one of the main sources of income. Ceramics, wine, paints, chemicals, and building stone are exported from San Marino. Now, thanks to this, the inhabitants of this small country have become some of the richest in Europe.

Tuvalu, 26 sq. km

This state is located in the western part Pacific Ocean on a chain of nine coral atolls. It has a population of only 10.5 thousand people.


Every year the island's territory becomes smaller and, perhaps, in a few decades, there will be nothing left of it - if the sea level rises. However, if this does not happen, then Tuvalu will still slowly but surely “go to the bottom.” The main problems in the state are coastal erosion and population growth.

Nauru, 21 sq. km

This dwarf state is located on the coral reef of the same name in the western Pacific Ocean. The island has no capital of its own; it is the only such republic on the planet. About 13 thousand residents live here.


In the 1970s, the indigenous people of Nauru were the richest people in the world. Everyone profited from phosphates. Local authorities employed 95 percent of citizens, and also provided the people with free education and medicine. However, not everyone appreciated this - high school only a third of all children attended.

Nauru Island is the smallest country in the Pacific Ocean

However, phosphates did not last forever, and 90 percent of the island became unproductive. All that remained were depleted mines. And this is not the only problem of a small state. Most local residents suffer from obesity. A too slow and sedentary lifestyle, a large amount of fatty foods and alcohol have taken their toll - 9 out of 10 have too many extra pounds. Moreover, almost half of Nauru's population has diabetes. As a result, the state has the highest incidence of this disease in the world.

Monaco, 1.96 sq. km.

Monaco takes second place in the list of “Smallest Countries in the World”. The area of ​​this dwarf state is almost two square kilometers, and each has about 24 thousand inhabitants. For the last seven centuries, the Grimaldi family from Genoa has ruled here. Now the Prince rules together with the National Council.


One to five - this is the ratio of native Monaco residents to visitors. Why did this happen? Because for quite a long time there was no income tax in the country. Therefore, wealthy foreigners, businessmen and owners of large companies came here in droves. After lengthy debates with the French authorities, who were unhappy with the outflow of their wealthy entrepreneurs along with their capital to neighboring state, an income tax has been introduced in Monaco. However, this change did not affect the indigenous people.

The smallest country in the world is Vatican City, 0.44 square meters. km

This country may be small, but it is very powerful. The Vatican is an independent territory of the Holy See of the Catholic Church, before which a billion people on the planet bow. In fact, the Vatican is the residence of the head catholic church. Vatican City is the smallest country in the world

Italian and Latin are spoken in the Vatican. The country's economy is exceptional: it is the only non-profitable one in the world. The Vatican treasury comes from the pockets of Catholics around the world, that is, it is formed from donations, income from the sale of books, postage stamps and tourism. And one more important note: The Vatican does not collect taxes as a spiritual center.

In the ranking of the smallest countries in the world, there are many island states located close to the equator and with very hot climate. We also invite you to read about the hottest countries in the world.
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On the Internet you can easily find information about where the smallest country in the world is located. Thanks to the global network in the 21st century, you can walk along the streets of another country without leaving your city. Moreover, many states are not far from Russian megacities in size: in distant Europe there are states much smaller than the smallest district of Moscow.

Rating of the smallest countries in the world

According to official data, the list of the smallest states looks something like this:

  1. Order of Malta
  2. Vatican
  3. Monaco
  4. Nauru
  5. Tuvalu
  6. San Marino
  7. Liechtenstein
  8. Marshall Islands
  9. Cook Islands
  10. Saint Kitts and Nevis

Of these, Tuvalu is the poorest, but its government registered a zone for .tv domains and sold it, and successfully: after all, TV is an excellent domain zone for telecommunications companies, channels and Internet portals with video materials from around the world. Tuvalu itself is located in Polynesia. Entry is absolutely free for tourists: a visa is issued for 30 days upon arrival at the local airport.

The Order of Malta is the smallest country on the planet

The Order of Malta is a state whose area is only 0.012 sq. km. It consists of two buildings in Rome and one in the city of Birgu in Malta. The main state building, the Magistral Palace, is located in the capital of Italy near the Spanish Steps.
Moreover, part of this palace is rented out for restaurants and shops. It is here that government meetings are held and the residence of the prince is located. The palace is recognized as the capital of the Order.


The spool is small, but at the UN

The sovereignty of the miniature state was recognized by about 100 countries. It has UN observer status. There are representative offices of the Order of Malta in different parts of the world. In the Russian Federation, his Mission is located in Moscow on Volkhonka.
The Order issues identity cards, which allow free entry without a visa to 30 countries, and mints coins - scudos. Its exchange rate varies, but approximately 1 scud is equal to 0.24 euros. Although the real cost of scud is somewhat higher, because... These coins are minted from real precious metals.
The official language of the state is Latin. The Order issues exclusive stamps that are very popular among collectors. The Order's post office is not part of the Universal Postal Union, so its stamps can not be used in all countries of the world, but only in 60.


The Order of Malta even has its own license plates, but they belong exclusively to the national government and are found mainly in Rome. Vehicle number format: alphabetic code SMOM and 2 digits. Between the numbers and letters there is a small Maltese cross. The Order of Malta does not have its own domain zone. Also, the country cannot boast of having a police and army.

Order of Malta: a walk through a small country

The Order of Malta can be called the most isolated state in the whole world. For example, on Sunday any visits to the country are prohibited. All 3 buildings of the small state are closed.
On weekdays, the Trunk Palace is open to the public. Moreover, everyone can enroll in the library of the Order of Malta, which is located on the second floor of the palace. To do this, you need to fill out an application.
But entry into the Maltese Villa (the second building of the state) is strictly prohibited for outsiders. But enterprising tourists came up with another form of entertainment. At the gate of the building there is a small keyhole through which you can see 3 European countries:

  • Order of Malta
  • Vatican
  • Italy

Those. Rome is a city that is home to two of the smallest countries in the world. To look into this well, you often have to stand in a long line of travelers from all over the world.
The third building of the Order of Malta is located in the city of Birgu and is called Fort Sant'Angelo. But it has been reconstructed for many years, and therefore is closed to tourists.

Little Vatican

The Vatican is the most famous small country on earth. This state is located in one of the districts of Rome. Its area is 0.44 sq. km. The length of the Vatican state border is 3.2 km.


Politics and economics of the Vatican

The Vatican is the residence of the Pope. This small state serves as an observer to the UN and cooperates with Interpol. The Vatican has diplomatic relations with 176 states around the world, incl. with the countries of the European Union. The country falls under the Hague Convention, which provides for the protection of cultural property if war breaks out. It is included in the UNESCO list.
The Vatican is governed by the Holy See, represented by the sovereign - the Pope. The Pontiff is elected by the cardinals. If he dies or abdicates, his duties are performed by the Camerlengo until a new Pope is chosen. Moreover, the elections of the Pope can last from 2 days to several years!
When a new pontiff is appointed, white smoke comes out of the small chimney of the Sistine Chapel. Traditionally, the ballots of voters are burned, but to give the smoke the desired shade, the following are thrown into the fire:

  • rosin
  • lactose
  • berthol's salt

The white smoke is accompanied by the shimmering ringing of the bells of St. Peter's Basilica. This is necessary to once again confirm the election of a new pontiff.

The Vatican has its own state bank, which is otherwise called the Institute of Religious Affairs. The state is part of the eurozone and can create an individual design for the obverse of euro coins. Traditionally, the obverse features a portrait of the Pope who is currently reigning.
The Vatican has a separate domain zone: .va. Official languages: Latin and Italian. The Vatican is the only country in the world where you can find menus in Latin at ATMs!

What visa is needed to visit the smallest country - Vatican City?

The Vatican is a separate state, but no special visa is needed to visit it. Before traveling to Italy, Russians apply for a regular Schengen visa and, on its basis, cross the Vatican border. But tourists from all over the world sometimes have difficulties because of their appearance. You are not allowed to wear open T-shirts, short skirts or shorts on Vatican territory. Travelers will be asked to change clothes or leave the country.
Only clergy and special guests are allowed to reside on Vatican territory. There are no hotels (even the most expensive ones!) for ordinary tourists.


TOP 10 most famous sights of the Vatican

The most significant cultural and historical sites of the Vatican include:

  • St. Peter's Square is a huge space, symmetrically bounded by semicircles of colonnades and having a high obelisk in the center;
  • St. Peter's Cathedral is a spectacular building erected over the tomb of the Apostle Peter, where you can see mosaics and paintings by Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini;
  • The Apostolic Palace is the residence of the pontiff, representing a single complex of palaces, galleries, chapels and gardens;
  • The Sistine Chapel is a landmark famous for frescoes by Botticelli, Rosselli and Perugino, as well as Michelangelo's monumental depiction of the Last Judgment;
  • Pinacoteca is an art gallery that exhibits more than 450 paintings by Raphael, Giotto, Caravaggio, Titian, etc. mainly on religious themes (the unfinished painting by Leonardo da Vinci “Saint Jerome” is kept here);
  • Stanzas of Raphael - 4 huge rooms in the Apostolic Palace with frescoes by Raphael;
  • Belvedere Palace is a small complex of buildings, on the territory of which you can see unusual bronze sculptures in the form of a pine cone and a broken ball - the famous “Sphere within a Sphere”;
  • The Vatican Gardens are a park area of ​​more than 20 hectares, where the heliport for transport communication With Italian airports;
  • Grotta di Lourde - consecrated artificial grotto in Vatican Gardens;
  • The Apostolic Library is the greatest book depository in the world, where manuscripts from the Renaissance and the Middle Ages can be found, but tourists are only allowed into a certain part of the library.

Usually the Vatican Museums are open to the public from 9-00 to 18-00, the ticket office closes at 16-00. You can also purchase tickets to the Vatican Museums on their website www.museivaticani.va. In the periods from 2.05 to 29.07 and from 2.09 to 28.10, the Vatican Museums are also open from 19-00 to 23-00. To visit Vatican attractions after sunset, you must book your ticket in advance.

Little Principality of Monaco

Monaco is the smallest country in the Mediterranean. It is located near Cote d'Azur. The area of ​​the principality is only 2.02 sq. km. Moreover, over the past 20 years, this area has even increased by 40 hectares due to the drainage of sea borders.
Everyone who comes to Monaco should visit at least a few of its attractions. These include:

  • The Monte Carlo Casino is a grandiose gambling establishment where anyone can play (except for citizens of Monaco - gambling is prohibited for them by law);
  • Casino Square is a small square and park area in front of the casino, where you are not allowed to wear jeans and T-shirts - the status of a nearby establishment obliges you;
  • Opera of Monte Carlo - famous Opera theatre, on the stage of which Chaliapin, Caruso, Verdi and many other famous singers and musicians from all over the world performed;
  • museum vintage cars, which even houses the London taxi that Grace Kelly once rode in;
  • Larvotto is amazing beautiful beach with clear water and artificial white sand, where many vacationers sunbathe without even taking off their jewelry;
  • Oceanography Museum, built by Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

Of course, this is an incomplete list. Monaco - amazing country, which seems to consist entirely of architectural and cultural monuments, therefore, each tourist must independently choose the most important attractions for himself.

Due to their miniature size, small states cannot boast of success in military affairs or industry, so they actively attract travelers from all over the world. Everyone needs to visit them to feel their originality.

The smallest countries in the world 🗺

You and I live in huge countries. But there are also small countries on earth. Moreover, although they are small in size, some of them are quite significant and authoritative.

Of the 10 smallest countries, two are located in the Caribbean, four are in Europe, one is in Asia and three are in Oceania. There are four more countries on the continent, 3 of which do not even have access to the sea, and six tiny countries are located on islands. For such countries, livelihoods are vital.

Country Vatican

The smallest state is with an area of ​​0.44 square kilometers, located inside the territory of Rome. The Vatican is a state associated with Italy. Population - 836 people. The strongest apparatus of the entire Roman Catholic Church works for the Vatican with big amount followers all over the world. He receives all his finances from donations from Catholics on a voluntary basis. He also sells stamps, books and part of the money comes from tourists. There is no tax in the Vatican.

Country Monaco

The second smallest country is considered to be with an area of ​​1.96 km². Moreover, there are 23,660 inhabitants per square kilometer. The country is one of the most densely populated countries in the world and has about 30 thousand inhabitants. The main income for residents comes from tourism. Monaco is located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

Country Nauru

Nauru- a state located on a 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 smallest state in Oceania, the smallest state outside of Europe and the only republic in the world without an official capital. The state of Nauru does not have an army.

Country Tuvalu

A Pacific country located on 5 atolls and 4 islands. The total area is 26 km². Population - 10,544 people. Due to lack natural resources Tuvalu has to live off the help of other countries. This country is one of the poorest countries in the world and would have been even poorer if the country’s leadership had not thought of putting the national domain zone .tv up for auction and a buyer was quickly found, because zone.tv is a tasty morsel for television companies and video sites. Now Tuvalu receives $1 million every quarter in exchange for the right to use the domain zone.tv

Country San Marino

A state surrounded on all sides by Italy. Its area is 61 km², population - 32,075 people. Most of The population is engaged in agriculture, growing grapes, fruits, corn and livestock. But the main source of income is tourism. San Marino is one of the richest countries in the world, its income exceeds its expenses.

Country Liechtenstein

A state in Central Europe associated with Switzerland. Area - 160.4 km², population - 35,870 people. has no access to the sea. One of the richest countries in the world, the main income comes from a large flow of tourists.

Pacific state associated with the United States. The Republic of the Marshall Islands is located on 29 atolls and 5 islands, with a total area of ​​181 km² and a population of 68,000 people.

- an archipelago consisting of 15 islands. The State of the Cook Islands is in free association with New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean. Area - 236 km², population - 19,569 people, of which almost 80% are on the island of Rarotonga. The basis of the economy is tourism.

State in the eastern part Caribbean Sea, between northern and South America. Consists of two islands - Saint Kitts and Nevis, with total area 261 sq. km. These were the first islands settled by Europeans. The main source of income is, of course, tourism, but there are also developed Agriculture and offshore banking.

Country Maldives

The island country is located in the Indian Ocean and is the smallest Asian country in terms of area. Includes approximately 1190 coral islands with a total area of ​​298 sq. km, population 396 thousand. Two thirds of the population lives in the country's capital, Male. Previously, the country developed thanks to the export of dried tuna, cowrie shellfish and coconut ropes, now the main income comes from tourism.

Sealand State

All these countries are recognized by the international community, but there is a state that, in terms of area and population, can rightfully be considered the smallest in the world. This state is ( Sealand), with an area of ​​500 square meters. It is a concrete platform with dimensions of 30 by 10 meters. The platform is located outside the three-mile zone in the North Sea, which means it is in neutral waters.

Roy Bates took advantage of this in the 70s and officially occupied this area. Roy proclaimed himself king, his wife queen, and the state proclaimed a monarchy and settled down with all his loyal subjects in his state. But he did not think to stop there; in 1975, Roy issued a constitution and a national currency.

The platform was originally created during the Second World War as a base for the British Army, but was subsequently abandoned, which was used by British Army Major Roy Bates to host a pirate radio station and, to avoid trial, officially declared the independence of Sealand.

2 years later, Britain tried to occupy the state, but Roy did several warning shots to the air. A lawsuit was brought against Roy, as an English citizen. But justice triumphed, the court delivered a historically important verdict, it recognized that the case was outside the jurisdiction of Great Britain. In 2002, the population of Sealand was 27 people. However, only a guard permanently lives on the territory of Sealand.

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Residents of Russia, who at best have only seen a few percent of their country's territory, often forget that not everyone is so lucky. There are small countries, such as Holland, Sweden or the Netherlands, and there are also very tiny ones, such that you can not only travel around them, but also walk around them in a day. But the smallest state in the world has quite serious political weight.

Vatican

This is not just a country within a country – it is a country within a city. Actually, it resembles a nesting doll: in the state of Italy there is the city of Rome, and in the city of Rome there is the state of the Vatican. True, the Vatican does not have a capital; it simply does not fit there. But it has an incredible number of temples, cultural and art monuments. But the main thing is that it is the seat of the Holy See - the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.

There are 557 citizens registered in this state. All of them are men. Most of them are priests, some are military, and only 43 are laymen. Of course, there are not enough of them to service all the museums, churches and other institutions, so the Vatican employs guest workers - residents of another state, in this case, Italy.

As for the territory of the Vatican, it is the smallest recognized state in the world. Its area is about 0.44 square kilometers, and the length of the border is only 3 kilometers.

This state is the second largest in area, it occupies a little more than two square kilometers. If it were presented in the form of a regular figure, it would occupy a rectangle with sides of 1 by 2 kilometers.

But, unlike the Vatican, which has less than a thousand people, Monaco is a fairly densely populated state. Its population is about 36 thousand inhabitants. Another significant difference is the housekeeper. It is clear that industry cannot be built on such territory, but this is not required. Tourists bring money to the Vatican, and most importantly, donations from believers. Monaco was able to build a completely viable and efficient economy. Monte Carlo is one of largest cities The country is the gaming capital of the world, which, if inferior to Las Vegas, is not much.

The country even has an armed force - 82 people. It’s interesting that there are 85 of them in a standard military band. This completely characterizes Monaco - this country has everything, but it’s miniature. Besides the budget. He's quite impressive.

The Vatican and Monaco are small states, but quite prosperous, with a high standard of living. But Nauru, unfortunately, is not one of them. Or rather, in the seventies, the economy of this island state flourished. Phosphates were mined and exported on the island, but when the deposit was depleted, it turned out that the island had nothing more to boast of. And in parallel with the development of resources, there was also ecological catastrophy: the territory was polluted, natural biodiversity was almost destroyed.


Not good picturesque island

Then the country tried to sell its citizenship, but not for too long and without success. Next came the era of offshores, which brought significant profits, but international groups quickly closed this shop. Tourism is undeveloped, there is no industry, there are no resources, there are no minerals, there is no (fresh) water. The territory is inhabited not by robots, but by ten thousand people, who are evenly distributed over an area of ​​21 square kilometers. They live mainly thanks to the help of nearby Australia.

The third and fourth states from the bottom are largely similar in territory - island states with a population of predominantly indigenous origin and a catastrophically underdeveloped economy. Tuvalu is classified not even as a third world country, but as a fourth world country, i.e., the poorest of all existing states.


There is little land, but there is a lot of water

Tuvalu receives income by selling the right to fish in its waters to ships of other states. But recently another good source has appeared - the sale of national top-level domain names. It is quite aptly called .tv, which determines good demand.

But even this does not make the life of 11 thousand residents of this state more prosperous. And the tiny territory, 21 square kilometers of land and the adjacent water area do not imply any special prospects.

It so happens that most of the dwarf states are located in Europe. And San Marino is no exception. This little one is another of the independent dwarf states located in Italy. Fortunately, Italy can afford to host more than one such country. Considering that San Marino is only 61 square kilometers in size, this is not difficult. True, it is quite densely populated - about 32 thousand people live in it.


The whole country on one mountainside

However, San Marino is unique in its own way. This is the oldest independent state. It declared its sovereignty on September 3, 301 (this is not a typo, really 301). Political map the world was redrawn dozens of times, countries changed names and territories, but little San Marino seemed to remain outside this carousel.

Add to this fact thousands of years of architecture and culture, an endless number of monuments, museums and castles, and you have a real tourist trap. It is not surprising that most travelers visiting Italy spend 1-2 days to get to know this unique country.

Now you know which is the smallest state in the world in terms of area. However, its significance is enormous, because all Catholics in the world listen to the opinion of the Vatican, San Marno is unique the most ancient state, Monaco is the gambling capital... In politics, size is really not the most important indicator.

The smallest countries in the world 🗺

You and I live in huge countries. But there are also small countries on earth. Moreover, although they are small in size, some of them are quite significant and authoritative.

Of the 10 smallest countries, two are located in the Caribbean, four are in Europe, one is in Asia and three are in Oceania. There are four more countries on the continent, 3 of which do not even have access to the sea, and six tiny countries are located on islands. For such countries, livelihoods are vital.

Country Vatican

The smallest state is with an area of ​​0.44 square kilometers, located inside the territory of Rome. The Vatican is a state associated with Italy. Population - 836 people. The Vatican employs the strongest apparatus of the entire Roman Catholic Church with a large number of followers around the world. He receives all his finances from donations from Catholics on a voluntary basis. He also sells stamps, books and part of the money comes from tourists. There is no tax in the Vatican.

Country Monaco

The second smallest country is considered to be with an area of ​​1.96 km². Moreover, there are 23,660 inhabitants per square kilometer. The country is one of the most densely populated countries in the world and has about 30 thousand inhabitants. The main income for residents comes from tourism. Monaco is located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

Country Nauru

Nauru- a state located on a coral island in the western Pacific Ocean with an area of ​​21 km². Population - 9,322 people. Nauru is the world's smallest independent republic, the smallest island state, the smallest state in Oceania, the smallest state outside Europe, and the world's only republic without an official capital. The state of Nauru does not have an army.

Country Tuvalu

A Pacific country located on 5 atolls and 4 islands. The total area is 26 km². Population - 10,544 people. Due to the lack of natural resources, Tuvalu has to rely on help from other countries. This country is one of the poorest countries in the world and would have been even poorer if the country’s leadership had not thought of putting the national domain zone .tv up for auction and a buyer was quickly found, because zone.tv is a tasty morsel for television companies and video sites. Now Tuvalu receives $1 million every quarter in exchange for the right to use the domain zone.tv

Country San Marino

A state surrounded on all sides by Italy. Its area is 61 km², population - 32,075 people. Most of the population is engaged in agriculture, growing grapes, fruits, corn and livestock. But the main source of income is tourism. San Marino is one of the richest countries in the world, its income exceeds its expenses.

Country Liechtenstein

A state in Central Europe associated with Switzerland. Area - 160.4 km², population - 35,870 people. has no access to the sea. One of the richest countries in the world, the main income comes from a large flow of tourists.

Pacific state associated with the United States. The Republic of the Marshall Islands is located on 29 atolls and 5 islands, with a total area of ​​181 km² and a population of 68,000 people.

- an archipelago consisting of 15 islands. The State of the Cook Islands is in free association with New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean. Area - 236 km², population - 19,569 people, of which almost 80% are on the island of Rarotonga. The basis of the economy is tourism.

A state in the eastern Caribbean, between North and South America. Consists of two islands - Saint Kitts and Nevis, with a total area of ​​261 square meters. km. These were the first islands settled by Europeans. The main source of income is, of course, tourism, but agriculture and offshore banking are also developed here.

Country Maldives

The island country is located in the Indian Ocean and is the smallest Asian country in terms of area. Includes approximately 1,190 coral islands with a total area of ​​298 square meters. km, population 396 thousand. Two thirds of the population lives in the country's capital, Male. Previously, the country developed thanks to the export of dried tuna, cowrie shellfish and coconut ropes, now the main income comes from tourism.

Sealand State

All these countries are recognized by the international community, but there is a state that, in terms of area and population, can rightfully be considered the smallest in the world. This state is ( Sealand), with an area of ​​500 square meters. It is a concrete platform with dimensions of 30 by 10 meters. The platform is located outside the three-mile zone in the North Sea, which means it is in neutral waters.

Roy Bates took advantage of this in the 70s and officially occupied this area. Roy proclaimed himself king, his wife queen, and the state proclaimed a monarchy and settled down with all his loyal subjects in his state. But he did not think to stop there; in 1975, Roy issued a constitution and a national currency.

The platform was originally created during the Second World War as a base for the British Army, but was subsequently abandoned, which was used by British Army Major Roy Bates to host a pirate radio station and, to avoid trial, officially declared the independence of Sealand.

Two years later, Britain attempted to occupy the state, but Roy fired several warning shots into the air. A lawsuit was brought against Roy, as an English citizen. But justice triumphed, the court delivered a historically important verdict, it recognized that the case was outside the jurisdiction of Great Britain. In 2002, the population of Sealand was 27 people. However, only a guard permanently lives on the territory of Sealand.

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