Vatican City is the country with the lowest population in the world, with estimates generally falling between 500 and 900 residents. As an independent city-state enclave within Rome, Italy, it is both the smallest sovereign nation by population and land area. Other small-population countries include Tuvalu and Nauru.
The top 10 smallest countries by area are led by Vatican City, followed by Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Maldives, and Malta, all incredibly tiny sovereign states with unique locations and characteristics.
It's a sovereign city-state surrounded by Rome, with an area of less than half a square kilometre and an officially counted population of only a few hundred people.
Which country is losing its population the fastest?
The UN says Bulgaria is actually the world's fastest shrinking nation, with its current population of about 7 million people expected to dwindle to 5.4 million by 2050 and 3.9 million by the end of the century.
From the dynamic landscapes and cultural heritage of Zambia and Zimbabwe to the historical significance of former nations like Zaire and Zululand, these countries hold special tales and traditions.
With a total area of 6,592,846 square miles (17,075,400 square km), Russia is the world's largest country. A distant second is Canada, with 3,848,758 square miles (9,968,242 square km). At the opposite end is Vatican City, which is the world's smallest country. It covers just 0.17 square mile (0.44 square km).
A microstate, or ministate, is a country that is very small in size and population. 🏞️ For a country to be called a microstate, it usually has fewer than 1 million people living there and covers a small area, often fewer than 1,000 square kilometers. Some examples include San Marino and Malta.
1. Greenland. Greenland has a population density of 0.14 people per square kilometre (0.36 people per square mile) and is the least densely populated country in the world. Just under 57,000 people live in a 2.2 million square kilometre space.
For more than 30 years, France has held the top spot as the most visited country globally, reaching the 100-million-visitor milestone for the second consecutive year with 102 million arrivals in 2024 and accounting for 7% of the global tourism market.
The best countries to live in are the Netherlands, Iceland and Luxembourg, based on the current combined data of the Global Happiness Index, Global Peace Index and GDP per capita league table. At some stage, we've all considered moving to another country for a fresh start and a better life.
Russia is the largest country in the world by far, with a total area of just over 17 million square kilometers. After Antarctica, the next three countries are Canada, the U.S., and China; all between 9.5 and 10 million square kilometers.
Vatican City holds the title as the world's smallest country, with an area of just 0.17 square mile (0.44 square km). As a point of comparison, the largest country in the world, Russia, is almost 39 million times bigger.
In terms of age, civilizations in other parts of the world precede China. Writing systems in Egypt and Mesopotamia predate Chinese writing by a thousand years. The world's first city, Uruk, in modern-day Iraq, dates back seven thousand years. Even in comparison to Europe, China isn't that old.
Demographics. The youngest countries in the world are located in Africa. The youngest of them all is Niger at a median age of just 15 years - meaning that an equal amount of people in the country are older and younger than 15.
1. Egypt (6,000 BCE): Home of the pyramids. Nestled on the northeastern tip of Africa, the first country on our list is a modern-day holiday hit thanks to its sparse desert landscapes and bustling beach resorts lapped by glittering blue seas.
Zimbabwe is renowned for numerous internationally acclaimed tourist destinations that offer site seeing, game and bird viewing, game hunting, camping, rafting, elephant rides, walking with lions, and bungie jumping.
Zambia is far safer to visit than other countries in Africa. But in the cities and tourist areas there is a risk of being targeted by thieves. You can reduce the risk significantly by being sensible.
