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What Is the Smallest Country in the World?

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Vatican City is the smallest country in the world, covering about 0.44 km² (around 110 acres) entirely surrounded by the city of Rome, Italy. It is also the country with the smallest population, around 800 people.
Area~0.44 km²
Population~800
Independent since1929 (Lateran Treaty)
Head of stateThe Pope

How Vatican City became a country

The Popes ruled large Papal States in central Italy for centuries until Italian unification took them away in 1870. The dispute was settled by the Lateran Treaty of 1929 between the Holy See and Italy, which created the independent State of Vatican City. The Pope is its head of state, and it has its own post office, stamps, radio and the famous Swiss Guard.

The world's smallest countries

  1. Vatican City (~0.44 km²)
  2. Monaco (~2 km²), on the French Riviera
  3. Nauru (~21 km²), a Pacific island
  4. Tuvalu (~26 km²), a Pacific atoll nation
  5. San Marino (~61 km²), surrounded by Italy
  6. Liechtenstein (~160 km²), between Switzerland and Austria

Two of the six are completely surrounded by Italy, which makes Italy the only country with two independent countries inside its borders.

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Questions and answers

  1. 1 What is the smallest country in the world?

    • A Vatican City
    • B San Marino
    • C Monaco
    Show answer

    ✓ Answer: A. Vatican City

    Did you know? It covers about 0.44 km².

  2. 2 Which treaty made Vatican City independent in 1929?

    • A Treaty of Versailles
    • B Lateran Treaty
    • C Treaty of Rome
    Show answer

    ✓ Answer: B. Lateran Treaty

    Did you know? It was signed between the Holy See and Italy.

  3. 3 Which country is the second smallest?

    • A Monaco
    • B Malta
    • C Nauru
    Show answer

    ✓ Answer: A. Monaco

    Did you know? Monaco is about 2 km².

  4. 4 Which two small countries are completely surrounded by Italy?

    • A Monaco and Andorra
    • B Vatican City and San Marino
    • C Malta and Liechtenstein
    Show answer

    ✓ Answer: B. Vatican City and San Marino

    Did you know? Italy is the only country to surround two others.

  5. 5 Which famous guard protects the Pope?

    • A The Queen's Guard
    • B The Swiss Guard
    • C The Papal Legion
    Show answer

    ✓ Answer: B. The Swiss Guard

    Did you know? The Swiss Guard has served the Pope since 1506.

Related Questions

What is the second smallest country?

Monaco, at about 2 km².

What is the smallest country in Africa?

Seychelles, an island nation in the Indian Ocean. On the mainland, The Gambia is the smallest.

What is the largest country in the world?

Russia, at about 17 million km².

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