There are more than 200 countries in the world. But there are States and territories on this planet we never knew existed. They occupy a small area and some of them are inhabited by just a couple of families.
Here are the eight smallest countries you never knew existed:
The Principality of Hutt River
The Principality of Hutt River is a micronation seceded from Australia claiming a status of an independent sovereign State in 1970. Its area is 29 square miles with a population of 30 permanent residents and 13,000 to 18,000 overseas citizens. It is currently governed by Prince Graeme.
Tuvalu
Tuvalu is one of the smallest and poorest countries in the world. The economic situation of the tiny state could be even more disastrous if Tuvalu hadn’t been given the Internet domain .tv, which annually brings millions of dollars to the country’s budget.
Nauru
Nauru is an island country in the Pacific Ocean better known as the “Pleasant Island.” It claims an area of 8.2 square miles and has a thriving population of 11,000 people. It is one of the smallest, independent republics with Baron Waqa as its President.
Environmental problems make the republic very unpopular among tourists. Another “record” of Nauru is the number of obese people: the obesity rate in the country is more than 70%.
The Principality of Seborga
This micro-nation on the territory of Italy is ruled by His Tremendousness Marcello I. The Principality of Seborga is actually a village of the same name near the French border. The unrecognized state has an army that consists of 3 people: the Minister of Defense and two border guards.
The Republic of Molossia
The Republic of Molossia is a self-proclaimed micronation founded by Kevin Baugh in 1999. It is in the state of Nevada with an area of 0.0020 square miles and a current population of 34 (including dogs).
Molossia has its own national anthem, national emblem and national flag. They even have the death penalty for particularly serious crimes. It issues its own passports and even has a space program. In May 2017, the Republic turned 40.
Palau contains about 340 islands in the western Pacific Ocean. This island country has an area of 177 square miles and a population of 21,503 people. Its territorial waters are known to be inhabited by around 130 species of sharks, and it is one of the most beautiful places to visit.
Niue
Niue is a tiny island state in Oceania. Despite the truly amazing views, tourism is not popular there. Therefore, the country depends greatly on foreign aid, especially from New Zealand. The capital city is just a small village with a population fewer than 600 people. But the island has its own airport and a real supermarket, the one and only in the whole state.
Saint Kitts and Nevis
The state consists of two islands: Saint Kitts and Nevis. One of the main sources of income is the economic citizenship program that allows anyone who has at least $250,000 to invest in the local sugar industry and thus obtain the status of a citizen of St. Kitts. Another way of obtaining citizenship is to purchase a property worth no less than $400,000 on either of the two islands.
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