Ok3News: 17 Negara Terkecil di Dunia

Mungkin tidak banyak yang tahu kalau di dunia ini ternyata ada 17 negara terkecil di dunia yang luasnya tidak lebih dari 200 square miles atau sekitar 300-an km2. Dari Negara-negara itu yang terkecil adalah Vatican yang hanya 0,2 square miles, dan terluas adalah Republik Palau atau popular dengan sebutan Negara Belau, 191 square miles (tidak sampai 500 km2).

Jadi kalau dikira-kira rata-rata luas 17 negara itu hanya setengah Kota Jakarta (650 km2). Bahkan beberapa Negara luasnya mungkin bi bawah 1/3 Jakarta. ‘Mungil’ banget ya!! Bandingkan dengan Singapura, yang juga dikenal sbg Negara kecil. Singapura yang rajin reklamasi untuk memperluas negaranya, memiliki luas sekitar 637 km2, sedikit di bawah Jakarta.

Untuk lebih jelas, ikuti penjelasan ini. Bandingkan dengan luas Indonesia yg konon mencapai 1919440 km2. Wowww Indonesia jadi seperti ‘negara raksassa’ disbanding negara2 mungil itu.

Nah untuk lebih lengkap berikut daftar Negara terkecil di dunia plus map dan foto profil Negara.

(lumayan buat nambah pengetahuan..banyak lho dari negara2 ini namanya jarang kedengaran di kuping. Kayaknya hanya yang doyan traveling aja yg mungkin ngeh karena memang kebanyakan memfokuskan diri pada pariwisata. Maklum kebanyakan berada di tengah laut.he..he..)

1.Vatican City - 0.2 square miles - The world's smallest state, the Vatican has a population of 770, none of whom are permanent residents. The tiny country which surrounds St. Peter's Basilica is the spiritual center for the world's Roman Catholics (over 1 billion strong). Also known as the Holy See, Vatican City is surrounded by Rome, Italy.

2.Monaco - 0.7 square miles - The tiny state of Monaco lies along the French Riviera on the French Mediterranean coast near Nice. An impressive 32,000 people live in this state known for its Monte Carlo casinos and Princess Grace. It has been independent off-and-on since the 13th century.

3.Nauru - 8.5 square miles - The 13,000 residents of the Pacific island Nauru rely on diminishing phosphate deposits. The state became independent in 1968 and was formerly known as Pleasant Island.

4.Tuvalu - 9 square miles - Tuvalu is composed of 9 coral atolls along a 360 mile chain in Polynesia. They gained independence in 1978. The former Ellice Islands are home to 12,000.

5.San Marino - 24 square miles - Located on Mt. Titano in north central Italy, San Marino has 29,000 residents. The country claims to be the oldest state in Europe, having been founded in the fourth century.

6.Liechtenstein - 62 square miles - This microstate of 34,000 is located on the Rhine River between Switzerland and Austria in the Alps.

7.Marshall Islands - 70 square miles - The atolls (including the world's largest, Kwajalein), reefs, and 34 islands (population 58,000) gained independence in 1986; they were formerly part of the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands (and administered by the United States).

8.Saint Kitts and Nevis - 104 square miles - This Caribbean country of 39,000 gained independence in 1983. Nevis is the smaller island of the two and is guaranteed the right to secede.

9.Seychelles - 107 square miles - The 81,000 residents of this Indian Ocean island group have been independent of the United Kingdom since 1976.

10.Maldives - 115 square miles - Only 200 of the 2000 Indian Ocean islands which make up this country are occupied by 340,000 residents. The islands gained independence from the U.K. in 1965.

11.Malta - 122 square miles - This island is just south of the Italian island of Sicily. It became independent from the United Kingdom in 1964 and the British military were completely gone by 1979. The population is 400,000.

12.Grenada - 133 square miles - This Caribbean country (population 90,000) became independent of the U.K. in 1974. It's located quite close to Venezuela.

13.Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - 150 square miles - 117,000 people live on these Windward Caribbean islands which gained independence from Britain in 1979.

14.Barbados - 166 square miles - About 280,000 people live on this Caribbean island, the farthest east of the Lesser Antilles. Barbados obtained independence from the U.K. in 1966.

15.Antigua and Barbuda - 171 square miles - This Caribbean nation of 69,000 has been independent from the United Kingdom since 1981. The three islands which compose this country rely on tourism (as do many of the Caribbean countries and territories).

16.Andorra - 180 square miles - The independent Principality of Andorra is co-governed by the President of France and the Spain's Bishop of Urgel. With just over 70,000 people, this mountainous tourist destination tucked in the Pyrenees between France and Spain has been independent since 1278.

17.Palau - 191 square miles - Palau (also known as Belau) was a Trust Territory of Pacific Islands. It was formerly known as the Carolines and is composed of more than 200 islands in the Pacific; the population is about 20,000. It became independent in 1994.