Blessing TenumahThere are so many landlocked countries in the world today and not many are being given the recognition they deserve maybe because of their size and so many other factors. A landlocked country does not have a territory connected to its ocean. These countries are called independent countries as they do not have direct access to the Ocean, there are 44 landlocked countries in the world and the smallest being Vatican City. Certain territories are landlocked but they are not recognized as sovereign states and this includes; South Ossetia, Georgia; Transdniestria, Moldova; and Nagorno-Karabakh, surrounded by Azerbaijan.
Top 10 Smallest Landlocked Countries in the World (2023)
1. Vatican City
Vatican City has been regarded as the smallest country in the world in population and it is regarded as the smallest landlocked country in the world. This country became independent from Italy in 1929 and since then , it has been a district territory under full ownership and exclusive dominion from the Holy See. This country attracts so many tourists attractions and it makes money through tourism and donations. This country does not tax its citizens and this is the reason best known to them, they are also known to have the smallest army in the world which is also known as the Swiss Guard.
2. San Marino
San Marino is a landlocked country that is located in Italy. It derives its name from Saint Marinus who is a stonemason. The country’s main economy is on finance, retail, tourism, finance and industries. Uniquely, San Marino’s constitution dictates that its democratically elected legislature, the Grand and General Council, must elect two heads of state every six months. Known as captain’s regent, the two heads of state serve concurrently and hold equal powers until their term expires after six months. The capital city of San Marino is also the same name as the country and it is known as one of the smallest capital cities in the world by population.
3. Liechtenstien
This country is located in between Switzerland and Austria which is in Western Europe and making it one the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world and it is surrounded wholly by other landlocked countries. This country is famous for its many private banks and the capital city which consist of only 5,000 people.
4. Andorra
You must have heard a lot about Andorra and wondered which country is this. Well this is a beautiful country and it is among the smallest landlocked countries in the world. Andorra is in the mountain range between Spain and France and it is regarded as one of the smallest country in Europe. There are so many unique things about Andorra like 9% of Andorra has UNESCO world heritage status, the country of Andorra can fit into the city of London more than three times. These are some incredible facts about this country.
5. Luxembourg
This is a country that is not very popular but has a very high GDP and there are so many amazing facts about it. Luxembourg shares international border with Belgium, Germany and France which makes it not to have direct access to the sea. The country has three official languages and it has a cuisine of French and German and one of the most fascinating thing about this country is that it produces award winning wines.
6. Eswatini (Swaziland)
Previously called the kingdom of Swaziland is the Eswatini. This country runs a political system that critics say has hampered its growth economically though life in this country is peaceful but sometimes there is an increased level of crime all around. The kingdom of Eswatini was famous for having the world youngest mornach who ascended the throne before he was 18 years of age and he is still on the throne till date. The country makes money from so many things though it has increased unemployment rate and high poverty rate that has affected it for some time now.
7. Rwanda
Rwanda is a country that is landlocked with four other countries which includes; Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo. It is known for its Gorillas, though there were some bad recognition about this country on genocide in 1994 which made it very popular worldwide. They make money from tourist’s attractions and having some natural resources as well.
8. Burundi
Burundi is known as the “Heart of Africa” and this is due to its shape and location in the continent. They are also regarded as one of the most hospitable countries in Africa as they receive strangers into their homes and care for them without even having a clue who they are. Its main source of income is agriculture and they pride themselves on having so many unique species of wildlife such as hippopotamus, monkeys, colourful birds, and most importantly, Nile crocodiles.
9. Macedonia
This country is located in Eastern Europe and it is bothered by Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, and Serbia. It is known to have abundance of lakes, national parks with Ottman and European architecture. They make money by exporting to the United States like tobacco, apparel, iron, and steel. North Macedonia has bilateral free trade agreements with Ukraine, Turkey and other countries.
10. Armenia
This is a country that is located in West Asia, it is a democratic nation state with ancient cultural heritage. There are so many things about Armenia that one could read and enjoy, so many facts and they hold so many historical heritage and cultures. It is filled up with rugged mountains and extinct volcanoes. The country is beautiful with lots of large buildings and so many things that you would want to see.
Finally
Some of the countries that have been mentioned in this article are very small that not everyone seems to know that they exist. There are many landlocked countries in the world and we have given you information about the smallest in the world. We hope this article has been helpful and it answered all your questions.