If You Thought Singapore Was Tiny, There Are 43 Places Even Smaller
Fact: With a land mass of about 730km2, Singapore is one of the smallest countries in the world.
But did you know that according to a list of "Countries of the World by Area" compiled by nationsonline.org (Singapore is at #191), there are 43 places in the world more fun-sized than our Little Red Dot? These include sovereign states and overseas territories - and the most mini one is even smaller than... Bishan Park
Here are some fun facts about 10 of them. (Plus, it's a way for us to live vicariously through Instagram.)
Seychelles
Land mass: 459km²
Population: 99,331
Fun facts: The smallest African country is made up of 115 islands and is home to the biggest nut in the world - the Coco de Mer can weigh up to 20kg. The biggest tortoise in the world also lives in Seychelles - his name is Esmeralda, he’s 170 years old (the second oldest tortoise in the world) and he weighs 300kg.
Barbados
Land mass: 439km²
Population: 287,025
Fun facts: One of the most popular islands on the Caribbean is also the birthplace of Rihanna, who moved from Barbados to the US at 16 years old. Barbados also claims to be the birthplace of rum – the Mount Gay Distilleries company has been churning out rum since 1703.
Malta
Land mass: 316km²
Population: 516,100
Fun facts: The smallest member of the European Union (only half of Singapore’s land mass) has several UNESCO World Heritage sites including the 5,000-year-old Hagar Qim temple and its capital city of Valletta. No wonder Malta has been the backdrop for movies and TV shows like "Gladiator", "Pirates of the Caribbean", and "Game of Thrones".
Maldives
Land mass: 300km²
Population: 557,426
Fun facts: What we wouldn’t give for a quick getaway to the Maldives right now. The smallest country in Asia is also the flattest country on earth with an average altitude of 1.5m from sea level. This is one of the domains of the world's biggest fish, the Whale Shark, which can be found in the waters of this tropical paradise all year round.
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Land mass: 261km²
Population: 52,441
Fun facts: The smallest country in the Americas is made up of two volcanic islands, “Saint Kitts” and “Nevis”. Nevis was the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States, and eponymous star of the popular musical on Disney+.
Liechtenstein
Land mass: 160km²
Population: 38,896
Fun facts: The smallest country in the world that borders more than one other country (Switzerland and Austria) is smaller than Singapore’s West Region (201.3km²). Singapore might be home to Crazy Rich Asians, but Liechtenstein is the richest country in the world in terms of GDP per capita income. Oddly though, there is no airport in this country.
San Marino
Land mass: 61.2km²
Population: 33,600
Fun facts: The fifth smallest country in the world is smaller than our East Region (93.1km²; in fact, the combined land mass of Bedok, Pasir Ris, Paya Lebar, and Tampines is 69.29km²). It was one of the first countries to establish a postal service in 1607, and there is no airport or train service in this landlocked country.
Tuvalu
Land mass: 26km²
Population: 11,900
Fun facts: Tuvalu is so small, it’s only twice as big as Hougang (13.09km²). The biggest source of income for the smallest Commonwealth realm is its .tv domain name, which it sells to major TV and entertainment companies. Thanks to .tv, Tuvalu was able to install electricity on outer islands, create scholarships and join the United Nations.
Monaco
Land mass: 2.02km²
Population: 38,300
Fun facts: The second smallest nation in the world is exactly the same size as Clementi's residential land area (2.02km²), but that has not stopped it from being the host of one of the three most prestigious automobile races in the world - the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix (the other two are the Indianapolis 500 in the US and the 24 Hours Le Mans in France).
Vatican City
Land mass: 0.49km²
Population: 825
Fun facts: Vatican City is smaller than Bishan Park (0.62km²). The smallest independent country in the world is located within Rome, and is also the only one designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.
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