In this piece, we will take a look at the five smallest countries in the world that matter the most. For more countries, head on over to 25 Smallest Countries in the World That Matter the Most.
5. Kingdom of Belgium
Latest GDP Estimate: $624 billion
The Kingdom of Belgium is a Northwestern European country. It is the smallest country on our list after Israel with an area of 30.5 thousand square kilometers. However, it has a relatively higher population, with more than eleven million people residing in it. This makes it one of the more populous countries on our list, and Belgium has a $624 billion economy. The country exports a variety of products such as medicaments, cars, and diamonds.
4. Republic of Poland
Latest GDP Estimate: $748 billion
The Republic of Poland is a Central European country. It sits at the higher end of our list in terms of area, since it covers close to 313 thousand square kilometers. Poland also has the second highest population on our list, at 37 million people. The country has a $748 billion economy, which is one of the largest in the European Union. Poland has a strong history of contributions to science and technology and is a transportation hub in Europe due to its location.
3. Swiss Confederation
Latest GDP Estimate: $869 billion
The Swiss Confederation, commonly known as Switzerland, is one of the most prosperous countries in Europe. It is also one of the smaller ones on our list, with an area of 41 thousand square kilometers. Despite this, Switzerland has a $869 billion economy, even though it has a small population of just 8.8 million people. Swiss banks are famous all over the world for their secrecy, and the country also has some of the most advanced healthcare companies in the world such as the gene editing firm CRISPR.
2. The Netherlands
Latest GDP Estimate: $1.08 trillion
The Netherlands, also called Holland, is a Northwestern European country. While it covers nearly the same area as Switzerland, the Netherlands has more than twice the population and a relatively larger economy of $1.08 trillion. It is also one of the more technologically advanced countries in the world, and exports products such as cars, medicaments, and broadcasting equipment. The Dutch firm ASML is also the only company in the world capable of manufacturing machines that fabricate leading edge semiconductors.
1. Kingdom of Spain
Latest GDP Estimate: $1.4 trillion
The Kingdom of Spain is the largest country on our list in terms of area since it covers almost 506 thousand square kilometers. However, its population of 48 million people is still comparatively less than other more economically prosperous countries such as the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, and Germany – all of which have a smaller area but significantly higher populations and larger economies as well.
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