When pondering the vast expanse of our planet, it’s easy to overlook the tiny nations that dot the global map. Many might be surprised to learn that some countries are smaller than familiar landmarks, like New York City’s Central Park. So, what exactly is the smallest country in the world? The answer depends on whether you’re measuring by landmass or population, leading us to two fascinating microstates: Vatican City and the Pitcairn Islands.
Vatican City, officially Vatican City State, claims the title of the world’s smallest country by landmass. This independent city-state, nestled within Rome, Italy, measures a mere 0.2 square miles. To put that into perspective, it’s approximately one-eighth the size of Central Park and almost 120 times smaller than the island of Manhattan. Despite its diminutive size, Vatican City holds immense global significance as the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church and the official residence of the Pope.
Completely landlocked by Italy, Vatican City’s borders stretch for just two miles along the western bank of the Tiber River. While the papacy’s seat has been in Vatican City since 1377, its formal independence is relatively recent. The Lateran Treaty of 1929, signed by Benito Mussolini and Pope Pius XI, officially established Vatican City as an independent state. This agreement resolved decades of tension between the papacy and Italian political leaders regarding regional authority. In exchange for recognizing the Kingdom of Italy, the Pope gained sovereignty over Vatican City, ensuring the Catholic Church’s autonomy. Interestingly, clergy members constitute nearly 75% of Vatican City’s citizenry, highlighting its unique demographic composition.
However, if we shift our focus from landmass to population, Vatican City yields the title of “smallest country” to the Pitcairn Islands. While Vatican City’s population hovers around 800-850 residents, the Pitcairn Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the vast Pacific Ocean, is home to an even smaller community. In recent years, the population of Pitcairn has fluctuated between just 40 and 60 inhabitants, making it arguably the least populated entity considered a country or territory with a degree of autonomy.
Located halfway between Peru and New Zealand, the Pitcairn Islands archipelago consists of four islands, with Pitcairn Island being the sole inhabited one. The island’s small population is further distinguished by its fascinating heritage. The Pitcairn Islanders are descendants of Tahitian women and the infamous mutineers of the HMS Bounty. Following the mutiny, led by Fletcher Christian, the mutineers initially fled to Tahiti. However, facing conflicts and fearing British recapture, they sought refuge on the remote, uninhabited Pitcairn Island, accompanied by a small group of Tahitians.
The British rediscovered the Pitcairn Islands in 1791 during their search for the Bounty mutineers and formally declared them a colony in 1838. While the population briefly surged to 223 before World War II, it has since dwindled to approximately 50 residents. Both Vatican City and the Pitcairn Islands exemplify just how diverse and unique countries can be. When considering that the 50 smallest countries by landmass are each smaller than one-quarter the size of Rhode Island, and the 50 least populous are about one-sixth the size of Washington, D.C. by population count, it truly underscores the incredible variety within our world, proving that size is not always indicative of significance or rich history.
