There are many amazing places and countries in the world. There are simply huge powers of the USA, Canada, China, Kazakhstan, and there are also very small ones that cannot be seen on the world atlas. In this essay, we have made a selection of the TOP 10 smallest countries in the world. This is quite interesting. 
Maldives
A popular country among tourists opens our list. The Republic of Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean, 700 kilometers from Sri Lanka. This is a whole chain of atolls where tourists love to come. The area of the state is only 298 square kilometers.
The population is almost four hundred thousand people. Three quarters of them live in the capital Male. This is the only city on the islands; by the way, it is considered the most populous capital of the world, in relation to its area. 
It’s interesting to say two more factors about the Maldives:
The highest point in the country is 2 meters. And this is not a mistake, these are the islands, and there are no waves here.
The Maldives is a country of the Muslim world. Before going there, it is better to become familiar with the laws and rules of conduct. 
Seychelles
Next, another exotic country awaits us, and just like the Maldives, it is an island state. East of Africa, still in the Indian Ocean, there are the Seychelles Islands. There are 115 islands in total, less than a third of them are inhabited. The total area of the state is 455 square kilometers. The main island is Mahe, which is about a third of the entire territory of Seychelles, and the main city, Victoria, is also located here. 
Europeans discovered these islands in 1505, as was the case with many discoveries then; Portuguese sailors became the pioneers. The islands received their name in honor of the French Minister of Finance, Count Moreau de Sechelles, who was a minister under Louis XV, as well as his close friend.
Not so many people inhabit the islands, about one hundred thousand people. The composition of the population is very diverse, there are mulattoes, Europeans, Arabs and Chinese. The majority of the population adheres to Christianity. The main income of the Seychelles is tourism. Seychelles is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. 
Liechtenstein
A small state is sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria in the mountains. Its area is only 160 square kilometers. Despite its small size, Liechtenstein is one of the richest countries in the world.
Many people associate Liechtenstein with Switzerland, and yes, they are similar, but the countries are still different. The small country has been a principality since 1719. Officially, the form of government is called Dual Monarchy. 
The highest point of the country is Mount Grauspitz (2599 meters); one of the main European rivers, the Rhine, flows through the country. The population of the European country is only 40 thousand people. Schaan is the largest city with a population of 5,800 people, compared to the capital Vaduz with a population of 5,500 people. Liechtenstein is a country where more companies are registered than residents. In 2014, in terms of GDP per capita, Liechtenstein came out on top. 
Nauru
Time to be in Oceania, where there are plenty of small states. Nauru is included in our rating. The state on the island of the same name occupies only 21 square kilometers. It is inhabited by just over ten thousand people.
It is interesting that Nauru does not have a capital, yes, it is customary to indicate the main city of Yaren, after all, there is a parliament and an airport there, but it does not have the official status of a capital. Nauru cannot be called a resort; tourism is not very developed, although it exists. There are no rivers here, there is only a small lake that is fed by rain.
Industrial phosphorus mining was once carried out on the island of Nauru. This has left its mark, and now the authorities are trying to restore the green cover of the island. Industrial mining also influenced the Nauruan ethnic group. There are quite a few Europeans and Chinese here. However, at the height of the phosphate industry in 1970, 70% of Nauru's population were foreigners. Interestingly, the Pacific island has excellent diplomatic ties with China. The Chinese have repeatedly provided financial support to Nauru in difficult times for the country.
Vatican
The Vatican is a closed state located in Rome. Yes, the country is in the whole city, and this happens. The Vatican is considered the smallest recognized state in the world. Its territory is less than one square kilometer. The official population is only 605 people. The Vatican gained its independence from Italy in 1929. 
When Rome was ancient, the modern territory of the Vatican was not built up, because it was considered a holy place. Emperor Claudius used this territory for circus games. In the middle of the 8th century, Christianity had already gained popularity in the Apennines, and then the Papal State was formed. In 1929, the Vatican was able to come to an agreement with Mussolini and received independent state status.
The main source of income for this dwarf country is donations from Christians from all over the world. Tourism gives a lot. There are many pilgrims who want to visit the Vatican, and the Italians themselves (the Vatican is located in Rome, Rome is the capital of Italy) are religious people and come here en masse for various holidays. 
Monaco
In the same Europe, there is another dwarf state - the Principality of Monaco. In recent years, the Monegasques have expanded their territories, mainly by draining the sea. Now their territory is two square kilometers.
Monaco is a modern state, a popular city among tourists. This is the place where significant events take place, for example, the Formula 1 Grand Prix, rallies, games of the Monaco football club, film premieres and much more. Monaco is a secular resort, if you like. 
Residents of the country are not burdened with taxes; they have every right to buy real estate in the old city area. The most common religion is Catholicism, and many Jews also live here. The economy of the principality is tourism and gambling. The country has a low tax threshold, which is very tempting for investment.
The weather in Monaco is always good. The winters here are not too cold, and the summers are not the hottest. The air temperature in August rarely exceeds +27’C. 
Saint Kitts and Nevis
We set off for the Caribbean, and another small country awaits us there - St. Kitts and Nevis. Full name: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis. The area of the state is 261 square kilometers, about fifty thousand people live there.
The economy of the country, like many others in the Caribbean, is based on tourism. All islands in the Caribbean have close to ideal potential for tourism development, which St. Kitts and Nevis takes advantage of. Cane is also actively grown here, and it is well exported, as well as bananas, coffee, cotton and coconut oil.
It is interesting that such a small territory has its own railway, which affects the most important points of the state.
Tourists should be on guard in the capital Basseterre, as it has a high crime rate, perhaps one of the highest in Latin America. 
Marshall Islands
The country is 160 square kilometers in size. Marshall has economic problems; there are many more imports than exports. These islands are located in the Pacific Ocean. Tourism is not helping this country, because the tourism sector is only at the beginning of its journey and it is not so easy to lure tourists, because nearby in Micronesia there are plenty of already proven destinations. Plus we'll add a long flight here and not the cheapest tours.
The Marshall Islands also have a dark spot, namely Barneo Island, perhaps you have ever heard of this. Barneo became the site of American nuclear weapons testing after World War II. And even though outwardly Barneo looks quite worthy of mention in cool ratings of heavenly places, in reality it’s the other way around. The ecology of Barneo is terrible, more than 60 nuclear tests are making their presence felt. The Americans carried out experiments for almost ten years, when they left here, they began to pay certain amounts to the Marshall Islands for environmental restoration. By the way, they are still paying them now. 
San Marino
In addition to the Vatican, there is another state on the territory of Italy. This is San Marino. The country's territory is only 61 square kilometers. Legend has it that at the beginning of the 4th century, a Dalmatian named Marino fled from the Roman emperor and founded his own parish, which later took his name.
The territory of San Marino is mountains, they account for 80% of all land. Of these, only 17% are suitable for agriculture. The population of the dwarf country is 34 thousand people. It has its own football clubs and even a championship. More than 13 thousand citizens of the country live abroad, mostly in Italy. 
Tuvalu
Tuvalu is a country in the Pacific Ocean, whose territory is only 26 square kilometers. These are islands that are scattered from each other within a range of 350 kilometers. Once upon a time, statehood was formed here by the Spaniards; later Tuvalu became a colony of Great Britain, which is still visible in their flag.
There are not many residents of Tuvalu, about eleven thousand people. At the same time, less than half live in cities; the majority prefer rural life by the ocean. The main wealth of the country is fish. Fishing here is an art that is taught from a very early age. Local fishermen know their job very well, which is why the whole country eats fish and manages to earn money from it through export.
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