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Tuvalu Tips & articles

Mar 21, 2012 11:15:18 AM

Tiny countries that pack a big punch

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Size isn’t everything. Here are ten of the smallest countries in the world. Some of them are rarely visited, except by travellers collecting visa stamps. Most are islands, often far flung. Their wealth varies, from nearly the highest per capita GDP to nearly the lowest, but all still manage to delight or enlighten the most world-weary of travellers.

Monaco, 1.95 sq km


Image by Salvatore.Freni

If you want posh then you’ve come to the right principality. Monaco was established in 1297 when François Grimaldi seized the fortress that still dominates the area from a rival Italian faction. The 195- hectare independent state, which lies on an exceptionally picturesque, narrow coastal strip, has long been a tax refuge for the spectacularly rich and famous. Actress Grace Kelly, who married Monaco’s Prince Rainier, is buried in the cathedral in the heart of the wonderfully preserved Monaco-Ville old town. Exploration on foot is facilitated by public lifts and escalators to help overcome steep hills. Dress smart if you don’t want to stand out.

Grenada, 344 sq km


Image by Ruth L

This oval landmass, known as the Spice Isle because it produces vast quantities of mace and nutmeg, contains some of the Caribbean’s most spectacular natural vistas. From a narrow coastal plain, volcanic cliffs rise majestically through luscious rainforest to form Grenada’s mountainous backbone, now under the protection of the Grand Etang National Park. Grand Etang itself is a water-filled crater that, legend has it, is bottomless; few have the nerve to swim in the eerily tranquil waters. Spectacular interior hiking trails lead to wonders such as Concord Falls, while beachcombers should head for the Levera National Park.

Malta, 316 sq km


Image by bazylek100

You’ll never say there’s nothing to do in Malta. For its size, the tiny rock and limestone island puts on an inordinate number of festivals throughout the year, but particularly in summer. There’s the Mediterranean Food Festival, the Malta Fireworks Festival, as well as a Jazz Festival and, most fabulous of all, a two-day event put on especially so that attendees can help select the country’s entry into the Eurovision Song Contest. When you’ve had enough human interaction, head to a nearby uninhabited island to unwind, or wander into the interior to check out the megalithic ruins of the island’s conquered indigenous inhabitants.

San Marino, 61 sq km


Image by fdecomite

Because of San Marino’s high altitude, the view when walking around this enclave of central Italy is a bit like looking out of an aeroplane window onto endless clouds and the spectacular snow-capped Apennines. Founded in AD 301 by a stonemason named Marino, the rugged city-state claims to be the world’s oldest republic. Steeped in medieval history, a visit here is not complete without trekking up to the three imposing tower-fortresses perched along the cliff tops, the oldest of which, the Rocca Guaita, dates back to the 10th century. Also check out the infamous torture museum, which uses diagrams to explain how the gruesome instruments were used.

Liechtenstein, 160 sq km


Image by Hellebardius

Despite being the butt of jokes told across its borders in Switzerland and Austria, Liechtenstein has much to offer the open-minded traveller. Within its 160 sq km are awesome ski-fields, centred on the enchanting hamlet of Malbun, that have produced 11 Olympic alpine-skiing medals for the tiny country. Cyclists of all levels can burn along more than 90km of trails in the Rhine Valley and around the Eschnerberg mountain..

Marshall Islands, 181 sq km


Image by mrlins

Mums and feminists get an especially warm welcome when they visit this remote chain of around 60 coral atolls and islands in the Pacific. The republican population of just over 52,000 has retained the matrilineal traditions of original Marshallese culture, and at a young age children are taught politeness and respect for women and elders. The region is celebrated for its juicy coconuts, and as a world-class haven for divers, the crystal waters concealing WWII wrecks and endless reefs. Wotje Atoll is generally regarded as the most beautiful atoll in the world, with a lagoon filled with giant clams harvested by the islanders.

Saint Kitts & Nevis, 261 sq km


Image by NASA Goddard Photo and Video

Comparisons are often made between the dual Caribbean island nation of St Kitts & Nevis and the lush, tropical paradises of the South Pacific. St Kitts, the larger of the two islands, is dominated by a central mountain range, with a dense covering of rainforest, above which rises the cloud-fringed peak of Mt Liamuiga, a dormant volcano. Natural preservation is a key government aim, with laws forbidding any construction above the height of the tallest palms. The beaches are pristine, as are the surrounding waters savoured by aquanauts from around the world. The country’s colonial past has also been preserved and makes for a revelatory visit.

Maldives, 298 sq km


Image by YXO

As with most remote islands, some of the best adventures in the Maldives are to be had in the ocean. Particularly renowned are sunset cruises offered on most of the 200 inhabited islands (out of a total of 2000). Expect to find yourself clicking with joy as scores of dolphins put on an effortless natural display that you won’t find at any marine park. Another popular excursion is night fishing, where even the lamest landlubber can expect to reel in a snapper. During the day it’s a toss up between sunbathing or donning a snorkel and chasing angelic reef fish through corridors of coral.

Tuvalu, 26 sq km


Image by mrlins

The nine low-lying atolls and islands of Tuvalu comprise one of the most isolated independent nations on earth, huddled together in an idyllic and unspoiled corner of the Pacific. Due to the high costs associated with getting there, Tuvalu is still rarely visited. The country’s total land area of just 26 sq km is formed by a curving chain stretching 676 km in length; it’s the gateway to tranquil reef diving, uninhabited beaches and paradisiacal weather (except during hurricane season). In this idyllic setting, dancing and singing is still the number one entertainment, with lively fale kaupule shows put on each night.

Nauru, 21 sq km


Image by sadie and maude’s place

The main purpose of a trip to the world’s smallest republic is education. Named Pleasant Island by its first European visitors in recognition of its lush vegetation and friendly locals, Nauru has since become a striking example of resource mismanagement. In just 50 years, a consortium of British and Australian mining companies has destroyed 80% of the island’s 21-sq-km land mass, an area known as ‘topside.’ Standing in the middle of this wasteland, mined for its valuable phosphates, is a shocking lesson of how greed can decimate ecosystems. It is not something you are likely to forget in a hurry.

This article was updated in March 2012.

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Comments

  1. 21 March 2011 8:46AM khoifa Report this comment

    hoo lovely countires...but im afraid u are forgeting Sri Lanka...small country but very beautyful :D

  2. 21 March 2011 9:10AM ogunquit Report this comment

    I know its not tiny, but Uruguay is a great get-away for a small country... http://ogunquitbeachinn.blogspot.com/2010/01/uruguay.html

  3. 5 May 2011 12:16AM metalseth Report this comment

    I have been in san marino and lichenstein what a luck :)) but forgot Andorra and Vatican..

  4. 2 September 2011 5:15AM emale73 Report this comment

    Saint Kitts is the best! I've been to dozens of countries and Kittians are the nicest people I have come across. The island is quiet and not touristy. Great place to get away to.

    Alot of the countries in this article are on my to do list. Especially, Malta and Grenada.

  5. 13 September 2011 11:45AM madhavrekha Report this comment

    And the smallest of all countries -- the Vatican!

  6. 13 September 2011 11:49AM dadsown123 Report this comment

    add also gibraltar,and you simply walk over the airfields into spain if you want

  7. 13 September 2011 12:00PM rahji Report this comment

    Punch for punch - Vatican city an obvious omission.

  8. 13 September 2011 12:08PM purcelljanicem Report this comment

    There's more to Nauru than just the devastated centre of the island. friendly people with a unique language and English, Buada lagoon, scuba diving, fishing, gorgeous sunsets and some WWII ruins including bunkers, guns, aeroplanes and heaps of history. A bird's eye perspective so unique!

  9. 13 September 2011 12:10PM purcelljanicem Report this comment

    Kiribati is unique as is Pohnpei - in the pacific. They need to be added to the list - relaxed and friendly!

  10. 13 September 2011 12:10PM trevsze Report this comment

    I'm surprised Singapore didn't make it onto the list.

  11. 13 September 2011 12:11PM purcelljanicem Report this comment

    Pohnpei - one of the 4 states of the Federated States of Micronesia.

  12. 13 September 2011 6:19PM bonney19 Report this comment

    What about Tokelau .. beautiful and only 12 km2

  13. 13 September 2011 9:25PM dzohar Report this comment

    Don't forget little Israel- a small but very exciting place!

  14. 13 September 2011 9:36PM 5dromomaniacs Report this comment

    Some of you must be joking - Vatican City packs a punch? No way.

  15. 13 September 2011 9:39PM elisabel Report this comment

    What about Bonaire, which I think can now reasonably be described as a "country" in its own right, and which has some of the best diving and snorkelling in the world?

  16. 13 September 2011 9:43PM goingbackwards Report this comment

    Why are all the pictures from Flickr and not Lonely Planet Images?

  17. 13 September 2011 10:11PM nomilux Report this comment

    How about Luxembourg?? It's a cosmopolitan gem at the heart of Europe bursting with history and culture! ... Seems like it's too small to be mentioned along the 'big' countries and too big to be part of the 'small' ones...

  18. 14 September 2011 1:10AM dambee Report this comment

    Has any one experienced Ghana in Africa,It has nice tourist attracted places.Accra it's capital is the gate way to Africa.

  19. 14 September 2011 4:56AM celticrover Report this comment

    Ghana is 238,535 sq km. It's quite big actually! Sri Lanka is not tiny either at 65,610 sq km. Gibraltar doesn't qualify too as it's not an independent country.

  20. 14 September 2011 5:00AM jody_buffy Report this comment

    I found Guatemala to pack a punch. It has one of the loveliest lakeside views in the world, traditional Maya villages, numerous volcanic cones, nicely restored Spanish colonial artifices, colorful religious processions, etc...

  21. 14 September 2011 5:18AM giopassarelli Report this comment

    I've been to Malta and it's one amazing country, packed with history and interesting things to do. Maltese people are always willing to make you feel at home and would love to go back someday. SOme of the other countries on this list are on my personal list.

    One that is not featured here that I would like to visit is Andorra, friends that have gone there have absolutely loved it. Also the tiny island nation of Sao Tomé e Príncipe, off the coast of Gabon in Africa is on my list, with its idyllic beaches without the touristy ingredient and wonderful people that I've heard about.

  22. 14 September 2011 5:57AM ruminyahui Report this comment

    I suppose Iceland is too big to be on this list, but it is a fascinating place to visit! Don't go for the architecture or the food (the country's culinary specialty is "putrefied shark!"), but go to see the Fire and Ice (volcanoes and glaciers), drive a snowmobile across a glacier with a volcano under it! Or go to see the wild birds! Or to visit any local swimming pool that is heated with thermal water! It's a fantastic place to see! Everyone speaks English! The local buses take credit cards! It's hard not to go back!

  23. 14 September 2011 6:04AM hznfrst Report this comment

    Love the countries, absolutely hate the way your gallery is set up - it's full of ads, incomplete descriptions which cover part of the pictures and really annoying background fading. It's a mess, in other words!

  24. 14 September 2011 6:20AM canayjun Report this comment

    for tiny islands, you can't beat the caribbean... my favorites are Bequai (St Vincent and the Grenadines) and Carriacou (grenada). In Canada, the Queen Charlottes, SaltSpring, and any of the smaller Gulf Islands. Segou, in Mali, is technically an island. Also the Marquesas... Nuka Hiva or any of the others. You might guess that i am a tiny island 'Islo- holic', addicted to Islands.

  25. 14 September 2011 8:29AM maggiaitken Report this comment

    The vatican is clearly omitted because everyone knows about it ... it's merely a small list of suggestions that's not meant to be exhaustive. If the ones listed make you want to go to others that are not, then all the more good !!! Don't you get it?

  26. 14 September 2011 8:30AM gargansarian Report this comment

    Gibraltar: sorry, celticrover, but the list is of 'smallest', not 'smallest independent', so Gibraltar qualifies. Sovereign Order of the Knights of Malta: Smaller than the Vatican, but I know of no country other than Italy that recognises it. Kiribati: (pronounced Kiribas) at 726 sq km would be the biggest on the list, but that is spread over 36 islands that are spread over 5 MILLION sq km of ocean. Both little and big at the same time. Grenada: If you'r talking about the Caribbean island, the first two syllables are pronounced as in 'grenade'. Has it recovered yet from the U.S. invasion in the Reagan era?

  27. 14 September 2011 10:04AM carlboyer Report this comment

    The Sovereign Military Order of Malta has country status. It consists of three tiny enclaves within the city of Rome. They have two citizens (elected by members of the charitable order), a post office, and coinage (although it is not practical to spend any of it). You are most likely to see their license plates.

  28. 14 September 2011 2:44PM grizzlybob Report this comment

    What about our very own micro nation? The Principality of Hutt River is the only fully recognised independent nation that is completely surrounded by mainland Australia. Ruled by HRH Prince Leonard and his Wife Pricess Shirley since 1970, this 75 square kilometer Principality is situated in central Western Australia.

  29. 14 September 2011 5:23PM stollerys Report this comment

    No offense, but having recently been to Liechtenstein - I would say that it is not much to write home about. Why waste a day or two there - when you can just enjoy the glorious scenery and hospitality of Austria & Switzerland, only minutes away! We are friendly, sensible people and we had great difficulty finding accommodation (the 4th hotel we visited gave us a room!), the people were cold and my husband ended up with a TICK. Ew! Vastly different experience over the border. MONACO on the other hand - totally agree with. Splendid place!

  30. 14 September 2011 6:07PM celticrover Report this comment

    Gargansarian: all of the countries listed in the article are independent and recognised by the UN. Gibraltar is not! It's a British colony.

    As usual people ignore the title of the original article and mention much larger countries like Guatemala and Iceland. Why not mention Russia, Brazil, Australia and Canada while we're at it!

  31. 15 September 2011 3:44PM jamie6772 Report this comment

    COOK ISLANDS. Best kept secret.

  32. 16 September 2011 12:10PM jontalkguam Report this comment

    You left out Palau, far more beautiful and interesting than any other island nation in the Pacific.

  33. 29 September 2011 11:06PM wendalc Report this comment

    Réunion , just amazing

  34. 4 October 2011 3:02AM hristinab Report this comment

    Being to Malta and thoroughly enjoyed it, the people are just so friendly and their local beer, Cisk, so easy to drink! However, I must say I enjoyed their archaeological attractions and churches way more than their beaches.

    The Carribean islands are on my "to do before I die" list.

  35. 14 October 2011 5:13AM ashmantoronto Report this comment

    Why are some people missing the point of 'tiny countries'. Sri Lanka? It's not tiny. Ghana is NOT tiny. Guatemala isn't that tiny either. If I can look at the globe and can see these countries without the use of a magnifying glass, they are NOT tiny.

  36. 26 October 2011 1:53PM leahmaria Report this comment

    gargansarian - the list is of smallest countries - Gibraltar is not a country, it is an 'overseas territory of Britain'.

    grizzlybob - what a joke, the Principality of Hutt River is not a fully recognised independent nation. Australia doesn't do anything about it because it's not worth the time, effort or expense for one little patch of middle-of-nowhere. It is not recognised by anyone except other micronations and the EU does not recognise its passport and won't issue visas to such passports. "Fully recognised", sure.

  37. 30 October 2011 3:37AM mandmike Report this comment

    no one has mentioned Sao Tome - beautiful mountains, beaches, people and a chance to stand on the equator and contemplate the mosaic of the world at your feet. A must go place.

  38. 3 November 2011 7:56AM mostinterestingman Report this comment

    Socialist Country of Santa Monica!!!

  39. 18 November 2011 4:40PM amkanjoo Report this comment

    The Mountain Kingdom or The roof of Africa is not in. I believe Lesotho has to be inside.

  40. 8 April 2012 1:55AM AdventureHayes Report this comment

    Oooh dear. The fact that some of you are listing places like Sri Lanka, Israel and Uruguay tells me you have completely missed the point of this article. Its a celebration of the anomalously tiny micronations not regular countries that just happen to be a bit smaller than average!

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