Ever heard of Liechtenstein, or perhaps Monaco? Although these countries are some of the smallest in the world, these tiny nations are so much more.

By Malachi Newman and Melisande Graf – 6th grade.

#4 – Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein, measuring only 160 square kilometers, has a population of over 38,749 people. Liechtenstein is nearly 8 times smaller than the city of Los Angeles. It is one of the smallest countries in the world and it is the second least visited country due to its size. Located between Austria and Switzerland, it is Europe’s 4rth smallest country. Its capital is Vaduz. In Liechtenstein, the spoken language are German and French. English and Romansh can be sometimes heard by mostly tourists. Liechtenstein has its history, regardless of the fact that this is an incredibly small country. The nation was first founded in 1719 and was part of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1842, the first factory for making ceramics was opened. In 1872,  a railway line between Switzerland and the Austro-Hungarian Empire was built through Liechtenstein. Later, in 1886, two bridges over the Rhine to Switzerland were built. As you can see, Liechtenstein has accomplished many things despite the fact that it is a smaller country. Liechtenstein was once known as a billionaire tax haven (a country that offers a favorable tax rate). Liechtenstein is a very mountainous place, so most tourists that visit Liechtenstein go there to ski. Liechtenstein’s main food specialty would be the “Käsknöpfle”, pasta dumplings, topped with melted cheese and caramelized onions.

#3 – San Marino

Located in central Italy, measuring only 23 and a half square miles, we have one of Europe’s smallest countries.. San Marino is a landlocked country, which means it is only surrounded by land. San Marino has a humid, subtropical climate, so it is a pleasant place to visit. San Marino was originally San Marinus, a stone masseuse from our present day Croatia. He later founded an independent community on Monte Titano. San Marino’s specialty is cheese, wine and livestock. But their main food recipes are “Ragu” (A meaty sauce often used to top pastas), there is “Passatelli” (Pasta made from breadcrumbs, nutmeg, eggs, and parmesan cheese served in chicken broth), and there are other italian recipes (Some not made specific there).

#2 -Monaco

Coming in at 510 acres, Monaco, a nation bordering the southeastern tip of France comes in as the world’s second smallest country. It is a coastal country, which makes it a great tourist destination, as you can relax and gaze at the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. This also makes it a giant hub of millionaires. In fact, over 30% of this country’s population are millionaires. Monaco is a principality (a country in which the one in power is the prince). The current prince is Albert II. Monaco is also very well known for its luxurious hotels and resorts. Monaco, like Liechtenstein, is considered a tax haven. The food is also a big part of Monacan history with dishes from “beignets de fleurs de courgettes” (fritters stuffed with zucchini flowers) to “anchoiade” (paste made with olive oil and anchovies) and “barbagiuan” (a pastry that can be filled with a selection of different ingredients ranging from pumpkin to zucchini). 

#1 – Vatican City

Vatican City is so small, it wins many records in the world of geographical sizes. The Vatican is not only the smallest of European countries, but the smallest of the world. It’s only 109 acres in size. This puny nation fits snugly surrounded by Italy. And if you thought that was crazy, it also fits inside the city of Rome! The Vatican is a catholic nation that is governed by the Holy See (the head of the catholic church), which the Pope runs. As the nation is considered the center of catholicism, its existence as a country is crucial. Especially vital as there are over a billion baptized catholics in the world, today. Despite its size, the Vatican has an army made up of Swiss soldiers (to protect the pope). And due to the amount of important catholic monuments and buildings there, Vatican City is a UNESCO World Heritage Country. Surprisingly, the Vatican is a pretty recent addition to the list of countries. It was recently declared an official country in February of 1929, but the creation of the Vatican is ancient.

As we have seen, these small countries should have a much more developed reputation than that of their smallness. All nations have stories and culture, and to celebrate that we might as well let every country shine, no matter how small.