30 Least Populated Countries In The World

30 Least Populated Countries In The World

Geographical isolation, small land areas, and harsh weather all contribute to many of these minute population sizes.

Geographical isolation, small land areas, and harsh weather all contribute to many of these minute population sizes.

Populations Around the World

Throughout history, humans have generally inhabited large regions with mild climates, freshwater supplies, and arable land. Over time, the number of humans living in these places has grown continuously due to these ideal conditions. Today, these regions have become the world’s most populated countries.

Many other countries, however, do not fit this description and have some of the smallest populations in the world. In fact, the least populated countries are often small, isolated island nations or regions with harsh weather conditions. This article takes a closer look at the top 3 least populated countries in the world.

Least Populated Countries in the World

Vatican City

Vatican City tops the list of the least populated countries in the world. This .44-square kilometer, walled enclave is located within the city limits of Rome, Italy and has a population size of approximately 800. Of these individuals, 557 are citizens, 246 are residents, and 1 is the Pope of the Catholic Church. Around 74% of the citizens are members of the clergy and an additional 18% belong to the Pontifical Swiss Guard. Despite its small area and population size, Vatican City receives 5 million tourists annually, which represents more than 663% of the population.

Tuvalu

Tuvalu is the second least populated country in the world. It has a population size of 10,640 and covers an area of only 10 square miles. It is located north of Fiji and is made up of 6 atolls and 3 reef islands. During World War II, its coral base was used to create an airfield that today is known as the Funafuti International Airport. This left a significant number of borrow pits around the island that filled with saltwater during high tide, leaving the population with an insufficient supply of freshwater. In 2015, the New Zealand government funded a project to fill these holes with sand, resulting in an 8% increase in usable land area. The environment of Tuvalu is threatened by global climate change; approximately 80% of the coral in the surrounding waters has suffered from bleaching. Additionally, the fishing industry has depleted the nearby fish population. Some scientists believe that Tuvalu will be the first country to disappear due to rising sea levels, as its highest point is only 15.1 feet above sea level.

Nauru

Nauru is an island nation located in the central Pacific Ocean. As of 2011, it has a population of 10,084, which represents only .00013% of the world population. This country covers an area of 8.1 square miles, making it the smallest country in the South Pacific. Nauru was once rich in phosphate; however, strip mining has left the reserves depleted. During the 1960s and 1970s, residents here earned the highest per capita income in the world. Today, 90% of the population is unemployed due to an employment reduction by the phosphate industry. It has been reported that extracting the island’s remaining phosphate would not be a profitable endeavor. As a result of this, around 1,500 residents left the island in 2006 to return to Tuvalu and Kiribati as part of a repatriation program of immigrant workers. The Australian government has provided the island with financial aid from 2001 to 2008 and from 2012 forward. Many people consider this country to be a dependent of Australia because of its reliance on aid.

Countries by their Population

Rank Country Population 

1 Vatican City 801

2 Tuvalu 9943

3 Nauru 10263

4 Palau 21501

5 San Marino 31950

6 Liechtenstein 37776

7 Monaco 37863

8 Marshall Islands 53069

9 Andorra 69165

10 Dominica 73016

11 Antigua and Barbuda 92738

12 Seychelles 97026

13 Federated States of Micronesia 104966

14 Tonga 106915

15 Grenada 107327

16 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 109644

17 Kiribati 114405

18 Saint Lucia 186383

19 Sao Tome and Principe 194390

20 Samoa 194523

21 Vanuatu 270470

22 Barbados 285006

23 Iceland 331778

24 Belize 366942

25 Maldives 369812

26 Bahamas 392718

27 Malta 419615

28 Brunei 428874

29 Cape Verde 526993

30 Suriname 547610

This page was last updated on October 10, 2018.