Special Report
25 Smallest Countries and Territories in the World
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The world’s smallest countries and territories by population are also among the most remote. Many are island nations in the South Pacific, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic Ocean. Because many of these nations are remote, you may not have heard of them.
Almost all of these tiny countries are territories either currently controlled by major powers or former colonies that have achieved independence or a degree of autonomy.
Not all small countries are in distant corners of the globe. Some are postage-stamp nations in Europe, like the Vatican and Monaco, that you may have visited as a tourist. Others, like Turks and Caicos Islands and the British Virgin Islands, have capitalized on their tiny size and developed robust tourism industries.
Whether you’re exploring cathedrals, lounging on beaches, or viewing exotic wildlife, many are tourist hotspots, some even for the very rich.
247 Wall St. has compiled a list of the smallest nations and territories by population based on data assembled by the United Nations.
There are many reasons why these countries don’t have a large population, but the biggest factor seems to be geography. In the case of the Pacific islands, it is their remoteness that has contributed to a limited population. In Europe, politics and geography have restricted the size of certain nations.
Click here to see the 25 smallest countries and territories in the world.
To identify the least populated states in the world, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed social and economic data on 232 states and territories recognized by the United Nations from its publication “World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision” from the Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ Population Division. Recognized designations include member states, non-member states, non-self-governing member states and official designated areas.
25. Northern Mariana Islands
> 2016 population: 55,000
> Land area: 180 square miles
> Geographic location: Micronesia
> Sovereignty: United States
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Paramount, California
The Northern Mariana Islands became a U.S. commonwealth after World War II.
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24. Saint Kitts and Nevis
> 2016 population: 55,000
> Land area: 101 square miles
> Geographic location: Caribbean
> Sovereignty: United Kingdom
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Port Arthur, Texas
Saint Kitts and Nevis are two islands off the coast of Venezuela famous for being visited on Christopher Columbus’ second voyage to the west in 1493, where he found it inhabited. In fact, Saint Kitts is the shortened name of Saint Christopher, named by Columbus himself.
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23. Marshall Islands
> 2016 population: 53,000
> Land area: 70 square miles
> Geographic location: Micronesia
> Sovereignty: United States
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Revere, Massachusetts
Less than 17% of Marshall Islands residents use the internet in this U.S territory consisting of 1,200 islands in the central Pacific.
22. Faeroe Islands
> 2016 population: 49,000
> Land area: 538 square miles
> Geographic location: Northern Europe
> Sovereignty: Kingdom of Denmark
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Caldwell, Idaho
The Faeroe Islands are a group of islands administered by the Kingdom of Denmark with over 40% of their population living in the capital city of Tórshavn. Many of the inhabitants are direct descendants of Norwegian Vikings who colonized the islands around 800 AD.
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21. Sint Maarten
> 2016 population: 39,500
> Land area: 5 square miles
> Geographic location: Caribbean
> Sovereignty: Kingdom of Netherlands
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Atlantic City, New Jersey
Sint Maarten, a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is located on the southern third of the island of Saint Martin, the remainder of which is part of France. Sint Maarten’s population is growing at 3.1% annually, faster than the 0.5% rate of the Netherlands itself.
20. Monaco
> 2016 population: 38,500
> Land area: .77 square miles
> Geographic location: Western Europe
> Sovereignty: Sovereign
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Hurst, Texas
A small country that promotes a big lifestyle, the Principality of Monaco hosted 329,000 tourists at its luxurious hotels and establishments in 2014, more than eight times its population. But if you’re there to play at the world-famous Monte Carlo Casino, be sure to bring your passport as Monaco’s laws restrict locals from entering.
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19. Liechtenstein
> 2016 population: 38,000
> Land area: 62 square miles
> Geographic location: Western Europe
> Sovereignty: Sovereign
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Roy, Utah
This citizens of Liechtenstein, which is located in between Switzerland and Austria, are living well. The country’s gross domestic product per capita of $157,000 is about three times the U.S figure of $54,000.
18. Turks and Caicos Islands
> 2016 population: 35,000
> Land area: 366 square miles
> Geographic location: Caribbean
> Sovereignty: United Kingdom
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Pahrump, Nevada
The life expectancy of males on this Caribbean island nation is 79 years, compared with 77.4 for females. The average for the United States is 76.5 years for men and 81.3 years for women.
17. Gibraltar
> 2016 population: 34,400
> Land area: 2.3 square miles
> Geographic location: Southern Europe
> Sovereignty: United Kingdom
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
One hundred percent of Gibraltar’s population lives at the foot of the Rock of Gibraltar, the region’s famous landmark.
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16. San Marino
> 2016 population: 33,200
> Land area: 24 square miles
> Geographic location: Southern Europe
> Sovereignty: Italy
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Lawndale, California
Founded in 301 AD, San Marino is the oldest republic in the world. Located inside central Italy, it is famous for Mount Titano, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
15. British Virgin Islands
> 2016 population: 30,700
> Land area: 58 square miles
> Geographic location: Caribbean
> Sovereignty: United Kingdom
> Comparably sized U.S. city: Brooklyn Center, Minnesota
People living on the British side of the Virgin Islands, which is divided between the U.S and Britain, are avid sailors. Most locals learn to sail as children.
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14. Caribbean Netherlands
> 2016 population: 25,000
> Land area: 49 square miles
> Geographic location: Caribbean
> Sovereignty: Kingdom of Netherlands
> Comparably populated U.S. city: New Lenox, Illinois
Unlike other islands in the area, the Caribbean Netherlands couldn’t grow sugar or plantation crops to build their economy. With the opening of an oil refinery in 1918, oil refining and tourism became the basis of the island’s economy.
13. Palau
> 2016 population: 21,500
> Land area: 177 square miles
> Geographic location: Micronesia
> Sovereignty: United States
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Union Hill-Novelty Hill, Washington
Palau became a United Nations member state in December 1994. The country does not have its own military force and the United States is responsible for its defense.
12. Cook Islands
> 2016 population: 17,400
> Land area: 91 square miles
> Geographic location: Polynesia
> Sovereignty: New Zealand
> Comparably populated U.S. city: New Philadelphia, Ohio
Cook Islands are named after famed British navigator James Cook. Free medical services are available from government-owned hospitals or dispensaries on each island. Dental treatment also is free for schoolchildren.
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11. Anguilla
> 2016 population: 14,800
> Land area: 35 square miles
> Geographic location: Caribbean
> Sovereignty: United Kingdom
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Ladson, South Carolina
Christopher Columbus was the first European to sight Anguilla in 1493.For about 150 years, the British and French fought each other for control of the island.
10. Wallis and Futuna Islands
> 2016 population: 11,900
> Land area: 77 square miles
> Geographic location: Polynesia
> Sovereignty: France
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Fortuna, California
It’s hard to believe that in this day and age the internet is not ubiquitous, but in Wallis and Futuna Islands, only 9% of residents use the internet.Wallis has a number of crater lakes, one of the main tourist attractions.
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9. Nauru
> 2016 population: 11,350
> Land area: 8 square miles
> Geographic location: Micronesia
> Sovereignty: Australia
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Rosaryville, Maryland
Nauru is known as the country with the most obese people in the world, with 97% of its men and 93% of women obese or overweight.
8. Tuvalu
> 2016 population: 11,100
> Land area: 10 square miles
> Geographic location: Polynesia
> Sovereignty: United Kingdom
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Piedmont, California
Tuvalu served as an outpost for the United States during World War II and was subjected to air raids by Japan but was not conquered. The island became a member of the United Nations in September 2000.
7. Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
> 2016 population: 6,300
> Land area: 93 square miles
> Geographic location: Northern America
> Sovereignty: France
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Pacific, Missouri
Although the archipelago of Saint Pierre and Miquelon is south of Newfoundland, Canada, as a collectivity of France its currency is the euro.The island was a port of call for alcohol smugglers during Prohibition.
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6. Montserrat
> 2016 population: 5,150
> Land area: 39 square miles
> Geographic location: Caribbean
> Sovereignty: United Kingdom
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Carle Place, New York
The first European to sight Montserrat was Christopher Columbus, who named the island after a monastery in Spain. A volcano erupted on the island in 1990s, damaging the southern part.
5. Saint Helena
> 2016 population: 4,035
> Land area: 119 square miles
> Geographic location: Western Africa
> Sovereignty: United Kingdom
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Rossville, Georgia
The British exiled Napoleon Bonaparte to Saint Helena, a remote island in the South Atlantic Ocean, after his defeat at Waterloo in 1815. Women outlive men by more than seven years, 79.7 to 72.0, on Saint Helena, above the worldwide average.
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4. Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
> 2016 population: 2,900
> Land area: 4,700 square miles
> Geographic location: South America
> Sovereignty: United Kingdom
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Carlisle-Rockledge, Alabama
Argentina and Great Britain fought a brief war over Falkland Islands in 1982. There are 136.7 mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, compared with 98.4 in the United States.
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3. Niue
> 2016 population: 1,600
> Land area: 100 square miles
> Geographic location: Polynesia
> Sovereignty: New Zealand
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Fosston, Minnesota
In 1774, English navigator Captain James Cook sighted Niue but was refused landing by the local people. Niue is freely associated with New Zealand but is administratively separate.
2. Tokelau
> 2016 population: 1,300
> Land area: 4.6 square miles
> Geographic location: Polynesia
> Sovereignty: New Zealand
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Calwa, California
The capital of the island nation of Tokelau rotates yearly among the atolls of Atafu, Fakaofo and Nukunonu. Each atoll has fewer than 500 inhabitants.
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1. Holy See (Vatican City State)
> 2016 population: 801 people
> Land area: 0.17 square miles
> Geographic location: Southern Europe
> Sovereignty: Sovereign
> Comparably populated U.S. city: Caspar, California
Holy See, the seat of Catholic Church, was once the center of a vast European empire and is the now world’s smallest sovereign nation. Located within the city of Rome, Vatican City State was created following a treaty signed by the Holy See and Italy in 1929.
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