A microstate [ 1] or ministate is a country that is very small in size, or has very little amounts of people living in it. Usually, both cases are true. However, there are no set definitions of the terms "state" and "very small".[ 2]
The world's smallest countries by area and population
Some examples that are usually called microstates include Andorra , Bahamas , Comoros , Djibouti , Equatorial Guinea , Fiji , Guyana , Iceland , Kiribati , Liechtenstein , Monaco , Nauru , Palau , San Marino , Tuvalu , Vanuatu and Western Sahara . The smallest state in the world is Sealand , in the U.K .
In addition, Greenland has been included here for its possible wishes or chances of independence. Bougainville is also there for the same reason.
The microstates in Europe
This is a criteria table to make sure that other countries are connected to its smallness.
Generally speaking, only a few countries of the world are so small, remote or lack a few resources that someone else uses these for even part of this year. These countries are tiny Islands, tiny landlocked countries, city states and sparsely populated countries.
In function of area
In function of population
Less than 6000 km22
34 countries
Less than 1,000,0002
54 countries[ 3]
Less than 1000 km22
26 countries
Less than 500,0002
35 countries[ 3]
Less than 500 km22
19 countries
Less than 100,0002
22 countries[ 3]
This is a table of all microstates according to the current CIA Factbook. In addition, states with limited recognition are included.
Country
Area (km2 or sq mi) [ 4]
Population [ 5]
Capital
Continent
Subregion
Vatican City
0.5 km2 (0.19 sq mi)
1,000
Vatican City
Europe
Southern Europe
Monaco
2 km2 (0.77 sq mi)
31,597
Monaco City
Europe
Western Europe
Nauru
21 km2 (8.1 sq mi)
9,852
Yaren
Oceania
Micronesia
Tuvalu
26 km2 (10 sq mi)
11,639
Funafuti
Oceania
Polynesia
San Marino
61 km2 (24 sq mi)
34,892
San Marino
Europe
Southern Europe
Liechtenstein
160 km2 (62 sq mi)
39,993
Vaduz
Europe
Western Europe
Marshall Islands
181 km2 (70 sq mi)
80,966
Majuro
Oceania
Micronesia
Cook Islands
236 km2 (91 sq mi)
7,939
Avarua
Oceania
Polynesia
Niue
260 km2 (100 sq mi)
2,000
Alofi
Oceania
Polynesia
Saint Kitts and Nevis
261 km2 (101 sq mi)
54,817
Basseterre
Americas
Caribbean
Maldives
298 km2 (115 sq mi)
389,568
Malé
Asia
Southern Asia
Malta
316 km2 (122 sq mi)
467,138
Valleta
Europe
Southern Europe
Grenada
344 km2 (133 sq mi)
114,299
St George's
Americas
Caribbean
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
389 km2 (150 sq mi)
100,804
Kingstown
Americas
Caribbean
Barbados
430 km2 (170 sq mi)
303,831
Bridgetown
Americas
Caribbean
Antigua and Barbuda
442 km2 (171 sq mi)
101,489
St John's
Americas
Caribbean
Seychelles
455 km2 (176 sq mi)
97,617
Victoria
Africa
Eastern Africa
Palau
459 km2 (177 sq mi)
21,779
Ngerulmud
Oceania
Micronesia
Andorra
468 km2 (181 sq mi)
85,468
Andorra la Vella
Europe
Southern Europe
Saint Lucia
618 km2 (239 sq mi)
167,591
Castries
Americas
Caribbean
Federated States of Micronesia
702 km2 (271 sq mi)
100,319
Palikir
Oceania
Micronesia
Singapore
716 km2 (276 sq mi)
5,975,383
Singapore
Asia
Southeast Asia
Tonga
747 km2 (288 sq mi)
105,221
Nuku'alofa
Oceania
Polynesia
Dominica
751 km2 (290 sq mi)
74,656
Roseau
Americas
Caribbean
Bahrain
761 km2 (294 sq mi)
1,553,886
Manama
Asia
Western Asia
Kiribati
811 km2 (313 sq mi)
115,372
South Tarawa
Oceania
Micronesia
São Tomé and Príncipe
1,001 km2 (386 sq mi)
220,372
São Tomé
Africa
Central Africa
Comoros
1,861 km2 (719 sq mi)
888,378
Moroni
Africa
Eastern Africa
Mauritius
2,040 km2 (790 sq mi)
1,309,448
Port Louis
Africa
Eastern Africa
Luxembourg
2,586 km2 (998 sq mi)
660,924
Luxembourg City
Europe
Western Europe
Samoa
2,831 km2 (1,093 sq mi)
207,501
Apia
Oceania
Polynesia
Artsakh
3,101 km2 (1,197 sq mi)
156,300
Stepanakert
Asia
Western Asia
Northern Cyprus
3,351 km2 (1,294 sq mi)
356,262
North Nicosia
Europe
Southern Europe
South Ossetia
3,900 km2 (1,500 sq mi)
63,118
Tskhinvali
Asia
Western Asia
Cape Verde
4,033 km2 (1,557 sq mi)
603,901
Praia
Africa
Western Africa
Transnistria
4,152 km2 (1,603 sq mi)
531,365
Tiraspol
Europe
Eastern Europe
Trinidad and Tobago
5,128 km2 (1,980 sq mi)
1,409,460
Port of Spain
Americas
Caribbean
Brunei
5,765 km2 (2,226 sq mi)
484,991
Bandar Seri Begawan
Asia
Southeast Asia
Cyprus
5,900 km2 (2,300 sq mi)
962,232
Nicosia
Europe
Southern Europe
Abkhazia
8,660 km2 (3,340 sq mi)
259,323
Sukhumi
Asia
Western Asia
Bougainville [ 6]
9,500 km2 (3,700 sq mi)
310,013
Tendoo
Oceania
Melanesia
Vanuatu
12,189 km2 (4,706 sq mi)
313,046
Port Vila
Oceania
Melanesia
Montenegro
13,812 km2 (5,333 sq mi)
602,445
Podgorica
Europe
Southern Europe
Bahamas
13,880 km2 (5,360 sq mi)
358,508
Nassau
Americas
Caribbean
Fiji
18,274 km2 (7,056 sq mi)
947,760
Suva
Oceania
Melanesia
Belize
22,966 km2 (8,867 sq mi)
419,137
Belmopan
Americas
Central America
Djibouti
23,200 km2 (9,000 sq mi)
976,143
Djibouti City
Africa
Eastern Africa
Solomon Islands
28,896 km2 (11,157 sq mi)
714,766
Honiara
Oceania
Melanesia
Bhutan
38,394 km2 (14,824 sq mi)
876,181
Thimphu
Asia
Southern Asia
Iceland
103,000 km2 (40,000 sq mi)
360,872
Reykjavík
Europe
Northern Europe
Suriname
163,820 km2 (63,250 sq mi)
639,759
Paramaribo
Americas
South America
Guyana
214,969 km2 (83,000 sq mi)
791,739
Georgetown
Americas
South America
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
266,000 km2 (103,000 sq mi)
646,191
Laayoune
Africa
Northern Africa
Greenland [ 7]
2,166,086 km2 (836,330 sq mi)
57,777
Nuuk
Americas
North America