Top 10 Least Populated Countries In The World 2023

Least Populated Countries in the World

Often the idea comes that which is the least populated country in the world? The least populated countries of the world have less population than the smallest cities of India and China. These countries have very limited space and developed equipment. Therefore the world’s least populous countries have severely restricted the ability to generate wealth and prosperity due to lack of land and resources. Check out the list of top 10 Least Populated Countries in the world in 2023 here.

10. Marshall Islands – 59,190

The tenth least populated country in the world in 2023 is the island nation of the Marshall Islands, located in the Micronesia region of the Pacific Ocean. It is an independent island country, slightly west of the International Date Line. The country’s population of 59,190 people is spread over five islands and 29 coral atolls, which include 1,156 isolated islands and islets. The capital and largest city is Majuro.

Additionally, the islands share maritime borders with Wake Island to the north, Kiribati to the southeast, Nauru to the south, and the Federated States of Micronesia to the west. About 52.3% of Marshall Islanders live in Majuro. In 2016, 73.3% of the population was defined as “urban”. The United Nations also indicates a population density of 760 inhabitants per square mile.

• Capital: Majuro
• Population: 59,190

09. Saint Kitts & Nevis – 53,199

Saint Kitts and Nevis is a country located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, consisting of two islands, St. Kitts and Nevis. It is the ninth least populated country in the world 2023. It has a population of just 53,199, although this does not include the hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit the country each year, many of whom are attracted by the country’s beaches. In 2019, for example, about 1.2 million tourists visited St. Kitts and Nevis. Thus, tourism is a major driver of the country’s economy. The country is a Commonwealth realm, with the Queen and Elizabeth II as head of state. It is the only sovereign union in the Caribbean.

Additionally, the population of Saint Kitts and Nevis is approximately 53,199 (estimated July 2022) and has remained relatively stable for many years. At the end of the nineteenth century there were 42,600 inhabitants, gradually increasing to a little over 50,000 by the middle of the twentieth century. About three-quarters of the population lives on St. Kitts, of whom 15,500 live in the capital, Basseterre.

• Capital: Basseterre
• Population: 53,199

08. Monaco – 39,242

Monaco is a small sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera, a few kilometers west of the Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, on the one hand and Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by France to the north, east and west. The principality is home to 39,242 inhabitants, and is eighth among the top 10 least populated countries in the world 2023.

Additionally, Monaco is widely recognized for being one of the most expensive and wealthiest places in the world. Its official language is French. In addition, Monegasque, Italian and English are spoken and understood by many residents. Citizens of Monaco, whether they are country-born or naturalized, are called Monegasques. Monaco has the world’s highest life expectancy at around 90 years.

• Capital: Monaco (city state)
• Population: 39,242

07. Liechtenstein – 38,128

Liechtenstein is a small German-speaking country located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. It is a constitutional monarchy headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein. 38,128 people live in the country. Liechtenstein has a total land area of ​​about 62 square miles (160 sq km). It is the seventh of the top 10 least populated countries in the world in 2023 by population.

In addition, Liechtenstein is the fourth smallest country in Europe by population, with fewer residents than Vatican City, San Marino and Monaco. Its population is predominantly Alemannic-speaking, although a third are of foreign origin, mainly German-speaking people from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with other Swiss, Italians and Turks. Foreign-born people make up two-thirds of the country’s workforce. Liechtenstein is the least visited country in Europe.

• Capital: Vaduz
• Population: 38,128

06. San Marino – 33,931

San Marino is the 6th least populated country in the world in 2023, with a total population of 33,931 people. It is a small country (and a European microstate) in southern Europe surrounded by Italy. Located in the northeastern side of the Apennine Mountains, San Marino covers a land area of ​​over 61 square kilometers.

In addition, the country is named after Saint Marinus, a stonemason from the then Roman island of Rab in present-day Croatia. The country’s economy is mainly based on finance, industry, services and tourism. Also, it is one of the wealthiest countries in the world in per capita GDP, a figure comparable to that of most developed European regions.

• Capital: San Marino
• Population: 33,931

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05. Palau – 18,094

Palau is a small island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is the fifth of the 10 least populated countries in the world 2023. Its total population is 18,094. Palau shares maritime borders with international waters to the north, Micronesia to the east, Indonesia to the south, and the Philippines to the northwest. Its total area is 466 square kilometers.

The most populous island is Koror, which is home to the country’s most populous city of the same name. The capital Ngerulmud is located on the nearby island of Babeldaob, in the state of Melekeok. Although the population of Palau is not as large as that of Tuvalu and Nauru, it has a much larger landmass.

• Capital: Ngerulmud
• Population: 18,094

04. Tuvalu – 11,792

The fourth least populated country in the world in 2023 is a remote island nation in the South Pacific known as Tuvalu. Its islands are located between Hawaii and Australia. Tuvalu is made up of three reef islands and six atolls. They are spread between 5° and 10° south latitudes and 176° and 180° longitudes. They are located west of the International Date Line. The total population of Tuvalu is 11,792, and the total area of ​​the Tuvalu Islands is 26 square kilometers.

Additionally, Tuvalu has the lowest nominal GDP of $57 million. The IMF report forecasts Tuvalu’s GDP to grow by 2.5% in 2021 and 3.5% by 2022. Inflation is projected to rise to 2.2% by 2021 and 2.4% by 2022.

• Capital: Funafuti
• Population: 11,792

03. Nauru – 10,824

Nauru is a small island country and microstate in Oceania in the central Pacific. Its total population is 10,824. It is third among the top 10 least populated countries in the world in 2023. Its nearest neighbor is Banaba Island in Kiribati, 300 km to the east. With an area of ​​only 8.1 square miles, Nauru is the third smallest country in the world after Vatican City and Monaco, making it the smallest republic as well as the smallest island nation.

Furthermore, Nauru has the dubious distinction of being the fattest country in the world. Also, eighty-eight percent of Nauru’s small population is ethnically Nauruan, 26 percent are other Pacific Islanders, 8 percent are European, and 8 percent are Han Chinese.

• Capital: Yaren
• Population: 10,824

02. Niue – 1,626

Niue is a small island country in the South Pacific Ocean, 2,400 km northeast of New Zealand. It has a land area of ​​about 261 square kilometers and a population of just 1,626. Niue is located in a triangle between Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands. The island is commonly referred to as “The Rock”, which comes from the traditional name “Rock of Polynesia”. Niue is the second least populated country in the world in 2023.

In addition, Niue is one of the largest coral islands in the world. The terrain of the island has two noticeable levels. Firstly, higher level is made up of limestone rock running along the coast, with a plateau in the center of the island about 60 meters above sea level. Second, the lower level is a coastal terrace about 0.5 km wide and about 80–90 feet high, which meets the sea in the slopes and small rocks below.

• Capital: Alofi
• Population: 1,626

01. Holy See (Vatican City) – 801

The Holy See, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, is the least populated country in the world 2023. Only 801 people live in the country. Most of whom are priests and nuns from different parts of the world. Also, the Holy See is the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, known as the Pope, which includes the Apostolic Episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome along with the jurisdiction of the Universal Church of the Catholic Church throughout the world. 

Additionally, the Holy See is surrounded by the city of Rome, the capital of Italy.  However, despite its small size, the Holy See is a fairly prosperous country. Tourism also brings a lot of revenue to the small country. The capital of the country is Vatican City and Vatican Bank has assets of about $8 billion.

• Capital: Vatican City
• Population: 801