Want to know which is the least populated country in the world in 2024? The smallest countries in the world have a population less than even the smallest cities in India and China. These countries have very limited territory and developed equipment. Therefore, the least populated countries in the world are severely limited in their ability to create wealth and prosperity due to their lack of land and resources. Check out the list of top 10 least populated countries in the world in 2024 here.
10. Saint Kitts & Nevis – 47,195
- Capital: Basseterre
- Population: 47,195
Saint Kitts and Nevis is a country located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, consisting of two islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis. As of 2024, it is the tenth least populated country in the world.
It has a population of just 47,195, 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. For example, in 2019, approximately 1.2 million tourists visited Saint 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 heads of state. It is the only sovereign union in the Caribbean. Additionally, the population of Saint Kitts and Nevis is approximately 47,195 and has declined over the years.
There were 42,600 inhabitants at the end of the nineteenth century, gradually increasing to a little over 50,000 by the middle of the twentieth century. About three-quarters of the population live in Saint Kitts, with 15,500 of them living in the capital, Basseterre.
09. Marshall Islands – 42,418
- Capital: Majuro
- Population: 42,418
The ninth least populous country in the world in 2024 is the island nation of the Marshall Islands, located in the Micronesia region of the Pacific Ocean. It is an independent island country, located slightly west of the International Date Line.
The country’s population of 42,418 people is spread across five islands and 29 coral atolls, which consist of 1,156 separate 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. Approximately 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.
08. Liechtenstein – 40,023
- Capital: Vaduz
- Population: 40,023
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.
40,023 people live in the country. Liechtenstein’s total land area is approximately 62 square miles. It is the eighth of the top 10 least populated countries in the world by population in 2024.
Liechtenstein is the fourth smallest country in Europe by population, with fewer inhabitants than Vatican City, San Marino, and Monaco. Its population is predominantly Alemannic-speaking, although one-third is foreign-born, primarily German-speaking people from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, others being Swiss, Italians, and Turks.
Foreign-born people make up two-thirds of the country’s workforce. Liechtenstein is Europe’s least visited country.
07. Monaco – 38,367
- Capital: Monaco (city state)
- Population: 38,367
Monaco is a small sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera, a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Liguria in Western Europe, with the Mediterranean Sea on one side. It is surrounded by France to the north, east, and west.
The principality is home to 38,367 inhabitants, and it ranks seventh in the top 10 least populated countries in the world in 2024. In addition, 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 born or naturalised in the country, are called Monegasque. Monaco has one of the world’s highest life expectancies at around 90 years.
06. San Marino – 33,916
- Capital: San Marino
- Population: 33,916
San Marino is the sixth least populated country in the world in 2024, with a total population of 33,916. It is a small country surrounded by Italy in Southern Europe. Located in the northeastern part of the Apennine Mountains, San Marino covers a land area of more than 61 square kilometres.
Also, 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 terms of GDP per capita, which is comparable to most developed European regions.
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05. Palau – 16,733
- Capital: Ngerulmud
- Population: 16,733
Palau is a small island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is the fifth of the 10 least populated countries in the world in 2024. It has a total population of 16,733.
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 kilometres.
The most populous island is Koror, 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 Palau’s population is not as large as Tuvalu and Nauru, its landmass is much larger.
04. Nauru – 11,680
- Capital: Yaren
- Population: 11,680
Nauru is a small island country and microstate in Oceania in the central Pacific Ocean. It has a total population of 11,680. It is ranked fourth in the top 10 least populated countries in the world in 2024. Its closest neighbour 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.
In addition, Nauru has the dubious distinction of being the world’s fattest country. 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.
03. Tuvalu – 10,679
- Capital: Funafuti
- Population: 10,679
The third least populated country in the world 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 latitude and 176° and 180° longitude.
They are located west of the International Date Line. The total population of Tuvalu is 110,679, and the total area of the Tuvalu Islands is 26 square kilometres.
Additionally, Tuvalu has a nominal GDP of $63 million. According to well-established theories about the migration of Polynesians to the Pacific about three thousand years ago, the first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesians.
02. Niue – 1,689
- Capital: Alofi
- Population: 1,689
Niue is a small island country in the South Pacific Ocean, located 2,400 kilometres northeast of New Zealand. Its land area is approximately 261 square kilometres and its population is just 1,689. 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 2024.
Also, Niue is one of the largest coral islands in the world. The island’s terrain has two notable levels. First, the higher level is made up of limestone rock running along the coastline, with a plateau about 60 meters above sea level in the centre of the island.
The second, lower level is a coastal terrace about 0.5 km wide and about 80-90 feet high, which meets the sea in slopes and small rocks below.
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01. Vatican City – 764
- Capital: Vatican City
- Population: 764
The Holy See (Vatican City) is the least populated country in the world in 2024. Only 764 people live in the country. Most of whom are priests and nuns from different parts of the world.
The Holy See is the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, known as the Pope, which includes the jurisdiction of the Universal Church of the Catholic Church around the world as well as the Apostolic Episcopal See of the Diocese of Rome.
Also, 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 the assets of the Vatican Bank are about $8 billion.
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