Microstate
Quantitative definitions of microstates and their limitations -- By population
Table:
Sovereign states with fewer than 500,000 people by latest national statistics or CIA Factbook estimate 2014.[9]

Rank
Country/territory/entity
Population
Density (pop./km²)
Capital
Region

1
Vatican City
842
1913.6
Vatican City
Europe

2
Nauru
9,488
451.8
None
Oceania

3
Tuvalu
10,782
414.7
Funafuti
Oceania

4
Palau
21,186
46.2
Ngerulmud
Oceania

5
San Marino
32,742
536.8
San Marino
Europe

6
Monaco
37,308
18469.3
Monaco-Ville
Europe

7
Liechtenstein
37,313
233.2
Vaduz
Europe

8
Saint Kitts and Nevis
51,538
197.5
Basseterre
Caribbean

9
Marshall Islands
70,983
392.2
Majuro
Oceania

10
Dominica
73,449
97.8
Roseau
Caribbean

11
Andorra
85,458
182.6
Andorra la Vella
Europe

12
Antigua and Barbuda
91,295
206.1
St. John's
Caribbean

13
Seychelles
91,650
201.4
Victoria
Africa - Indian Ocean

14
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
102,918
264.6
Kingstown
Caribbean

15
Kiribati
104,488
128.8
Tarawa
Oceania

16
Micronesia, Federated States of
105,681
150.5
Palikir
Oceania

17
Tonga
106,440
142.5
Nukuʻalofa
Oceania

18
Grenada
110,152
320.2
St. George's
Caribbean

19
Saint Lucia
163,362
265.2
Castries
Caribbean

20
São Tomé and Príncipe
190,428
197.5
São Tomé
Africa - Atlantic Ocean

Considering the provided table plus the article excerpts provided.

Give the answer to the question: What is the region whose capital was established with the Lateran Treaty ( 1929 ) ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

Vatican City ( /ˈvætɪkən/ ( listen ) ) , officially Vatican City State ( Italian : Stato della Città del Vaticano ; [ d ] Latin : Status Civitatis Vaticanae ) , [ e ] [ f ] is an independent city-state enclaved within Rome , Italy . Established with the Lateran Treaty ( 1929 ) , it is distinct from , yet under full ownership , exclusive dominion , and sovereign authority and jurisdiction of the Holy See ( Latin : Sancta Sedes ) . [ g ] With an area of 44 hectares ( 110 acres ) , and a population of about 1,000 , it is the smallest sovereign state in the world by both area and population . The Vatican City is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical state ( a type of theocracy ) ruled by the pope who is the bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church . The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergy of various national origins . Since the return of the popes from Avignon in 1377 , they have generally resided at the Apostolic Palace within what is now Vatican City , although at times residing instead in the Quirinal Palace in Rome or elsewhere . The Holy See dates back to early Christianity , and is the primate episcopal see of the Catholic Church , with 1.3 billion Catholic Christians around the world distributed in the Latin Church and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches . The independent Vatican City-state , on the other hand , came into existence on 11 February 1929 by the Lateran Treaty between the Holy See and Italy , which spoke of it as a new creation , not as a vestige of the much larger Papal States ( 756-1870 ) , which had previously encompassed much of central Italy . Within the Vatican City are religious and cultural sites such as St. Peter 's Basilica , the Sistine Chapel , and the Vatican Museums . They feature some of the world 's most famous paintings and sculptures . The unique economy of Vatican City is supported financially by the sale of postage stamps and souvenirs , fees for admission to museums , and sales of publications .
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere . It comprises the westernmost part of Eurasia and is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north , the Atlantic Ocean to the west , the Mediterranean Sea to the south , and Asia to the east . The eastern border comprises a long and mixed line of mountain ranges and waterways that would normally define a subcontinent . However , Europe is generally accorded the status of a full continent because of its great physical size and the weight of history and tradition . It is the 6th largest continent in the world . Europe is commonly considered to be separated from Asia by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains , the Ural River , the Caspian and Black Seas and the waterways of the Turkish Straits . Europe covers about 10,180,000 square kilometres ( 3,930,000 sq mi ) , or 2% of the Earth 's surface ( 6.8% of land area ) . Politically , Europe is divided into about fifty sovereign states of which Russia is the largest and most populous , spanning 39% of the continent and comprising 15% of its population . Europe had a total population of about 741 million ( about 11% of the world population ) as of 2018 [ update ] . The European climate is largely affected by warm Atlantic currents that temper winters and summers on much of the continent , even at latitudes along which the climate in Asia and North America is severe . Further from the sea , seasonal differences are more noticeable than close to the coast . Europe , in particular ancient Greece and ancient Rome , was the birthplace of Western civilisation .
Nauru ( /nɑːˈuːruː/ nah-OO-roo or /ˈnaʊruː/ NOW-roo ; Nauruan : Naoero ) , officially the Republic of Nauru ( Nauruan : Repubrikin Naoero ) and formerly known as Pleasant Island , is an island country in Micronesia , a subregion of Oceania , in the Central Pacific . Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati , 300 km ( 190 mi ) to the east . It further lies northwest of Tuvalu , 1,300 km ( 810 mi ) northeast of the Solomon Islands , east-northeast of Papua New Guinea , southeast of the Federated States of Micronesia and south of the Marshall Islands . With only a 21 km2 ( 8.1 sq mi ) area , Nauru is the third-smallest country in the world behind Vatican City , and Monaco , making it the smallest state in the South Pacific Ocean , the smallest state outside Europe , the smallest island state , and the smallest republic . Additionally , its population of 10,670 is the world 's third smallest , after Vatican City and Tuvalu . Settled by people from Micronesia and Polynesia c. 1000 BCE , Nauru was annexed and claimed as a colony by the German Empire in the late 19th century . After World War I , Nauru became a League of Nations mandate administered by Australia , New Zealand and the United Kingdom . During World War II , Nauru was occupied by Japanese troops , and was bypassed by the Allied advance across the Pacific . After the war ended , the country entered into United Nations trusteeship . Nauru gained its independence in 1968 , and became a member of the Pacific Community ( SPC ) in 1969 . Nauru is a phosphate-rock island with rich deposits near the surface , which allowed easy strip mining operations . Its remaining phosphate resources are not economically viable for extraction .
Oceania ( UK : /ˌoʊsiˈɑːniə , ˌoʊʃi- , -ˈeɪn-/ , US : /ˌoʊʃiˈæniə/ ( listen ) , /-ˈɑːn-/ ) is a geographic region that includes Australasia , Melanesia , Micronesia and Polynesia . Spanning the eastern and western hemispheres , Oceania has a land area of 8,525,989 square kilometres ( 3,291,903 sq mi ) and a population of 42 million . Situated in the southeast of the Asia-Pacific region , Oceania , when compared to continental regions , is the smallest in land area and the second smallest in population after Antarctica . Oceania has a diverse mix of economies from the highly developed and globally competitive financial markets of Australia and New Zealand , which rank high in quality of life and human development index , to the much less developed economies that belong to countries such as Kiribati and Tuvalu , while also including medium-sized economies of Pacific islands such as Palau , Fiji and Tonga . The largest and most populous country in Oceania is Australia , with Sydney being the largest city of both Oceania and Australia . The first settlers of Australia , New Guinea , and the large islands just to the east arrived more than 60,000 years ago . [ citation needed ] Oceania was first explored by Europeans from the 16th century onward . Portuguese navigators , between 1512 and 1526 , reached the Tanimbar Islands , some of the Caroline Islands and west Papua New Guinea . On his first voyage in the 18th century , James Cook , who later arrived at the highly developed Hawaiian Islands , went to Tahiti and followed the east coast of Australia for the first time . The Pacific front saw major action during the Second World War , mainly between Allied powers the United States and Australia , and Axis power Japan . The arrival of European settlers in subsequent centuries resulted in a significant alteration in the social and political landscape of Oceania . In more contemporary times there has been increasing discussion on national flags and a desire by some Oceanians to display their distinguishable and individualistic identity .
Tuvalu ( /tuːˈvɑːluː/ too-VAH-loo ) ( formerly known as the Ellice Islands ) , is a country in Polynesia , located in the Pacific Ocean , situated in Oceania and about midway between Hawaii and Australia . The island country lies east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands ( which belong to the Solomon Islands ) , southeast of Nauru , south of Kiribati , west of Tokelau , northwest of Samoa and Wallis and Futuna , and north of Fiji . It is composed of three reef islands and six true atolls spread out between the latitude of 5° to 10° south and longitude of 176° to 180° , west of the International Date Line . Tuvalu has a population of 11,192 ( 2017 census ) . The total land area of the islands of Tuvalu is 26 square kilometres ( 10 sq mi ) . The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesians . The origins of the people of Tuvalu are addressed in the theories regarding migration into the Pacific that began about three thousand years ago . During pre-European-contact times there was frequent canoe voyaging between the islands as Polynesian navigation skills are recognised to have allowed deliberate journeys on double-hull sailing canoes or outrigger canoes . The pattern of settlement that is believed to have occurred is that the Polynesians spread out from Samoa and Tonga into the Tuvaluan atolls , with Tuvalu providing a stepping stone to further migration into the Polynesian outliers in Melanesia and Micronesia . In 1568 , Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña was the first European to sail through the archipelago , sighting the island of Nui during his expedition in search of Terra Australis . The island of Funafuti was named Ellice 's Island in 1819 ; the name Ellice was applied to all of the nine islands after the work of English hydrographer Alexander George Findlay . The Ellice Islands came into Great Britain 's sphere of influence in the late 19th century , as the result of a treaty between Great Britain and Germany relating to the demarcation of the spheres of influence in the Pacific Ocean .
Funafuti is an atoll and the capital of the island nation of Tuvalu . It has a population of 6,025 people , making it the country 's most populated atoll , with 56.6 percent of Tuvalu 's population . It is a narrow sweep of land between 20 and 400 metres ( 66 and 1,312 feet ) wide , encircling a large lagoon ( Te Namo ) 18 km ( 11 miles ) long and 14 km ( 9 miles ) wide . The average depth in the Funafuti lagoon is about 20 fathoms ( 36.5 metres or 120 feet ) . With a surface of 275 square kilometres ( 106.2 sq mi ) , it is by far the largest lagoon in Tuvalu . The land area of the 33 islets aggregates to 2.4 square kilometres ( 0.9 sq mi ) , less than one percent of the total area of the atoll . Cargo ships can enter Funafuti 's lagoon and dock at the port facilities on Fongafale . The capital of Tuvalu is sometimes given as Fongafale or Vaiaku , however , the entire atoll of Funafuti is officially the capital [ citation needed ] since it comprises a single local government .
Palau ( /pəˈlaʊ/ ( listen ) , historically Belau , Palaos , or Pelew ) , officially the Republic of Palau ( Palauan : Beluu er a Belau ) , is an island country located in the western Pacific Ocean . The country contains approximately 340 islands , and together with parts of the Federated States of Micronesia , forms the western chain of the Caroline Islands . Its area is 466 square kilometers ( 180 sq mi ) . The most populous island is Koror . The capital Ngerulmud is located on the nearby island of Babeldaob , in Melekeok State . Palau shares maritime boundaries with the Philippines , Indonesia , and Micronesia . The country was originally settled approximately 3,000 years ago by migrants from Insular Southeast Asia . The islands were first explored by Europeans in the 16th century , and were made part of the Spanish East Indies in 1574 . Following Spain 's defeat in the Spanish-American War in 1898 , the islands were sold to Imperial Germany in 1899 under the terms of the German-Spanish Treaty , where they were administered as part of German New Guinea . After World War I , the islands were made a part of the Japanese-ruled South Seas Mandate by the League of Nations . During World War II , skirmishes , including the major Battle of Peleliu , were fought between American and Japanese troops as part of the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign . Along with other Pacific Islands , Palau was made a part of the United States-governed Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in 1947 .
Ngerulmud is the seat of government of the Republic of Palau , an island nation in the Pacific Ocean . It replaced Koror City , Palau 's largest city , as capital in 2006 . The settlement is located in the state of Melekeok on Babeldaob , the country 's largest island , located 20 kilometres ( 12 miles ) northeast of Koror City and 2 km ( 1 mile ) northwest of Melekeok City . It is the smallest capital city in the world .
San Marino ( /ˌsæn məˈriːnoʊ/ ( listen ) , Italian : [ sam maˈriːno ] ) , officially the Republic of San Marino ( Italian : Repubblica di San Marino ) , also known as the Most Serene Republic of San Marino ( Italian : Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino ) , is an enclave microstate in Southern Europe , on the northeastern side of the Apennine Mountains , completely surrounded by Italy . It is just over 61 km2 ( 24 sq mi ) , with a population of 33,562 . Its capital is the City of San Marino and its largest settlement is Dogana in the municipality of Serravalle . San Marino has the smallest population of any member of the Council of Europe . The official language is Italian , and San Marino maintains strong financial and ethno-cultural connections to its much larger neighbour . It is located close to the riviera of Rimini , one of Italy 's main coastal resort areas . The country derives its name from Saint Marinus , a stonemason from the Roman colony on the island of Rab , in modern-day Croatia . In AD 257 , [ clarification needed ] Marinus , according to legend , participated in the reconstruction of Rimini 's city walls after their destruction by Liburnian pirates . Marinus then went on to found an independent monastic community on Monte Titano in AD 301 ; thus , San Marino lays claim to be the oldest extant sovereign state as well as the oldest constitutional republic . The nation is governed by the Constitution of San Marino ( Leges Statutae Republicae Sancti Marini ) , a series of six books written in Latin in the late 16th century , that dictate the country 's political system , among other matters . San Marino is considered to have the earliest written governing documents still in effect . The country 's economy mainly relies on finance , industry , [ which ? ]
The City of San Marino ( Italian : Città di San Marino ) ( also known simply as San Marino or locally as Città ) is the capital city of the Republic of San Marino , Southern Europe . The city has a population of 4,044 . It is on the western slopes of San Marino 's highest point , Monte Titano .
Monaco ( /ˈmɒnəkoʊ/ ( listen ) ; French pronunciation : ​ [ mɔnako ] ) , officially the Principality of Monaco ( French : Principauté de Monaco ) , [ a ] is a sovereign city-state , country , and microstate on the French Riviera in Western Europe . France borders the country on three sides while the other side borders the Mediterranean Sea . Monaco is about 15 km ( 9.3 mi ) from the state border with Italy . Monaco has an area of 2.02 km2 ( 0.78 sq mi ) , making it the second-smallest country in the world after the Vatican . Its population as of 2018 is 38,682 . With 19,009 inhabitants per square kilometre ( 49,230/sq mi ) , it is the most densely-populated sovereign state in the world . Monaco has a land border of 5.47 km ( 3.40 mi ) , the world 's shortest coastline of approximately 3.83 km ( 2.38 mi ) ( regardless of the coastline paradox ) , and a width that varies between 1,700 and 349 m ( 5,577 and 1,145 ft ) . The highest point in the country is a narrow pathway named Chemin des Révoires on the slopes of Mont Agel , in the Les Révoires Ward , which is 161 metres ( 528 feet ) above sea level . Monaco 's most populous Quartier is Monte Carlo and the most populous Ward is Larvotto/Bas Moulins . Through land reclamation , Monaco 's land mass has expanded by 20 percent . In 2005 , it had an area of only 1.974 km2 ( 0.762 sq mi ) . Monaco is known to be the most expensive and the wealthiest place in the world due to its tax laws .
Monaco City ( French : Monaco-Ville ) is the southcentral ward in the Principality of Monaco . Located on a headland that extends into the Mediterranean Sea , it is nicknamed The Rock ( French : Le Rocher ) . The name Monaco City is misleading : it is not itself a city , but a historical and statistical district .
Liechtenstein ( /ˈlɪktənstaɪn/ ( listen ) LIK-tən-styne ; German : [ ˈlɪçtn̩ʃtaɪn ] ) , officially the Principality of Liechtenstein ( German : Fürstentum Liechtenstein ) , is a German-speaking microstate situated in the Alps and in the southwest of Central Europe . The principality is a semi-constitutional monarchy headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein ; the Prince 's extensive powers are equivalent to those of a President in a semi-presidential system . Liechtenstein is bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and Austria to the east and north . It is Europe 's fourth-smallest country , with an area of just over 160 square kilometres ( 62 square miles ) and a population of 38,557 . Divided into 11 municipalities , its capital is Vaduz , and its largest municipality is Schaan . It is also the smallest country to border two countries . Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan are the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world . Economically , Liechtenstein has one of the highest gross domestic products per person in the world when adjusted for purchasing power parity . It was once known as a billionaire tax haven , but is no longer on any blacklists of uncooperative tax haven countries . An Alpine country , Liechtenstein is mountainous , making it a winter sport destination . The country has a strong financial sector centered in Vaduz . Liechtenstein is a member of the United Nations , the European Free Trade Association , and the Council of Europe , and although not a member of the European Union , it participates in both the Schengen Area and the European Economic Area .
Vaduz ( /fɑːˈduːts/ ; German pronunciation : [ faˈdʊt͡s ] or [ vaˈduːt͡s ] ) is the capital of Liechtenstein and also the seat of the national parliament . The town , which is located along the Rhine River , has 5,450 residents . Although Vaduz is the best-known town in the principality internationally , it is not the largest ; neighbouring Schaan has a larger population .
Saint Kitts and Nevis ( /-ˈkɪts . ˈniːvɪs/ ( listen ) ) , also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis , is an island country in the West Indies . Located in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles , it is the smallest sovereign state in the Western Hemisphere , in both area and population . The country is a Commonwealth realm , with Elizabeth II as queen and head of state . The capital city is Basseterre on the larger island of Saint Kitts . The smaller island of Nevis lies approximately 3 km ( 2 mi ) to the southeast across a shallow channel called The Narrows . The British dependency of Anguilla was historically also a part of this union , which was then known collectively as Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla . However , it chose to secede from the union and remains a British overseas territory . To the north-northwest lie the islands of Sint Eustatius , Saba , Saint Barthélemy , Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten and Anguilla . To the east and northeast are Antigua and Barbuda , and to the southeast is the small uninhabited island of Redonda ( part of Antigua and Barbuda ) and the island of Montserrat . Saint Kitts and Nevis were among the first islands in the Caribbean to be colonized by Europeans . Saint Kitts was home to the first British and French colonies in the Caribbean , and thus has also been titled The Mother Colony of the West Indies .
Basseterre /bæsˈtɛər/ is the capital and largest city of Saint Kitts and Nevis with an estimated population of 14,000 in 2018 . Geographically , the Basseterre port is located at 17°18′N 62°44′W / 17.300°N 62.733°W / 17.300 ; -62.733Coordinates : 17°18′N 62°44′W / 17.300°N 62.733°W / 17.300 ; -62.733 , on the south western coast of Saint Kitts Island , and it is one of the chief commercial depots of the Leeward Islands . The city lies within Saint George Basseterre Parish . Basseterre is one of the oldest towns in the Eastern Caribbean .
The Caribbean ( /ˌkærɪˈbiːən , kəˈrɪbiən/ , locally /ˈkærɪbiæn/ ) ( Spanish : El Caribe ; French : la Caraïbe ; Haitian Creole : Karayib ; Dutch : De Caraïben ; Caribbean Hindustani : कैरेबियन / کیریبین ; Chinese : 加勒比 ) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea , its islands ( some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean ) and the surrounding coasts . The region is southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and the North American mainland , east of Central America , and north of South America . Situated largely on the Caribbean Plate , the region has more than 700 islands , islets , reefs and cays ( see the list of Caribbean islands ) . Island arcs delineate the eastern and northern edges of the Caribbean Sea : The Greater Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago on the north and the Lesser Antilles and the on the south and east ( which includes the Leeward Antilles ) . The Lucayan Archipelago ( the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands ) , do not border the Caribbean Sea , but are still within the boundaries of the Caribbean region . On the mainland , Belize , Nicaragua , the Caribbean region of Colombia , Cozumel , the Yucatán Peninsula , Margarita Island , and the Guyanas ( Guyana , Suriname , French Guiana , Guayana Region in Venezuela , and Amapá in Brazil ) are often included due to their political and cultural ties with the region . Geopolitically , the islands of the Caribbean ( the West Indies ) are often regarded as a region of North America , though sometimes they are included in Central America or left as a region of their own . and are organized into 30 territories including sovereign states , overseas departments , and dependencies . From December 15 , 1954 , to October 10 , 2010 , there was a country known as the Netherlands Antilles composed of five states , all of which were Dutch dependencies . From January 3 , 1958 , to May 31 , 1962 , there was also a short-lived political union called the West Indies Federation composed of ten English-speaking Caribbean territories , all of which were then British dependencies . The West Indies cricket team continues to represent many of those nations .
The Marshall Islands , officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( Marshallese : Aolepān Aorōkin M̧ajeļ ) , [ note 1 ] is an island country and a United States associated state near the equator in the Pacific Ocean , slightly west of the International Date Line . Geographically , the country is part of the larger island group of Micronesia . The country 's population of 58,413 people ( at the 2018 World Bank Census ) is spread out over 29 coral atolls , comprising 1,156 individual islands and islets . The capital and largest city is Majuro . The islands share maritime boundaries with the Wake Island to the north , [ note 2 ] Kiribati to the southeast , Nauru to the south , and Federated States of Micronesia to the west . About 52.3% of Marshall Islanders ( 27,797 at the 2011 Census ) live on Majuro . Data from the United Nations indicates an estimated population in 2018 of 58,413 . In 2016 , 73.3% of the population were defined as being urban . The UN also indicates a population density of 295 per km2 ( 765 people per mi2 ) and its projected 2020 population is 59,190 . Micronesian colonists reached the Marshall Islands using canoes circa 2nd millennium BC , with interisland navigation made possible using traditional stick charts . They eventually settled here . Islands in the archipelago were first explored by Europeans in the 1520s , starting with Ferdinand Magellan , a Portuguese explorer in the service of Spain , Juan Sebastián Elcano and Miguel de Saavedra .
Majuro ( /ˈmædʒəroʊ/ ; Marshallese : Mājro [ mʲæzʲ ( e ) rˠo ] ) is the capital and largest city of the Marshall Islands . It is also a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean . It forms a legislative district of the Ratak ( Sunrise ) Chain of the Marshall Islands . The atoll has a land area of 9.7 square kilometres ( 3.7 sq mi ) and encloses a lagoon of 295 square kilometres ( 114 sq mi ) . As with other atolls in the Marshall Islands , Majuro consists of narrow land masses . The main population center , Delap-Uliga-Djarrit ( DUD ) , is made up of three contiguous motus and has a population of 20,301 people as of 2012 [ update ] . Majuro has a port , shopping district and hotels . Majuro has an international airport with scheduled international flights to Hawaii , Micronesia , Kiribati , and Nauru , and flights to domestic destinations around the country [ citation needed ] .
Dominica ( /ˌdɒmɪˈniːkə/ DOM-ih-NEE-kə or /dəˈmɪnɪkə/ də-MIH-nih-kə ; French : Dominique ; Island Carib : Waitu kubuli ) , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica , is an island country in the Caribbean . The capital , Roseau , is located on the western side of the island . It is geographically situated a part of the Leeward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea . The island is located near Guadeloupe to the northwest and Martinique to the south-southeast . Its area is 750 km2 ( 290 sq mi ) , and the highest point is Morne Diablotins , at 1,447 m ( 4,747 ft ) in elevation . The population was 71,293 at the 2011 census . The island was settled by the Arawak arriving from South America in the 5th century . The Island Caribs or Kalinagos displaced the Arawak violently by the 15th century . Columbus is said to have passed the island on Sunday 3 November 1493 . It was later colonised by Europeans , predominantly by the French from the 1690s to 1763 . The French imported enslaved people from West Africa to Dominica to work on coffee plantations . Great Britain took possession in 1763 after the Seven Years ' War , and it gradually established English as its official language .
Roseau ( Dominican Creole : Wozo ) is the capital and largest city of Dominica , with a population of 14,725 as of 2011 . It is a small and compact urban settlement , in the Saint George parish and surrounded by the Caribbean Sea , the Roseau River and Morne Bruce . Built on the site of the ancient Island Carib village of Sairi , it is the oldest and most important urban settlement on the island of Dominica . It is on the west ( leeward ) coast of Dominica and has a combination of modern and colonial French architecture . Roseau is Dominica 's most important port for foreign trade . Some exports include bananas , bay oil , vegetables , grapefruit , oranges , and cocoa . The service sector is also a large part of the local economy . There are several private institutions registered in Dominica , like Ross University , Ballsbridge University , international university for graduate studies , All Saints University , New World University , Western Orthodox University . There is a prominent diocese called Roman Catholic Diocese of Roseau .
Andorra ( /ænˈdɔːrə/ ( listen ) , also UK : /ænˈdɒrə/ ; Catalan : [ ənˈdorə ] ) , officially the Principality of Andorra ( Catalan : Principat d'Andorra ) , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra ( Catalan : Principat de les Valls d'Andorra ) , is a sovereign landlocked microstate on the Iberian Peninsula , in the eastern Pyrenees , bordered by France to the north and Spain to the south . Believed to have been created by Charlemagne , Andorra was ruled by the count of Urgell until 988 , when it was transferred to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Urgell . The present principality was formed by a charter in 1278 . It is known as a principality as it is a diarchy headed by two princes : the Catholic bishop of Urgell in Catalonia , Spain , and the president of the French Republic . Andorra is the sixth-smallest nation in Europe , having an area of 468 square kilometres ( 181 sq mi ) and a population of approximately 77,006 . The Andorran people are a Romance ethnic group of originally Catalan descent . Andorra is the 16th-smallest country in the world by land and the 11th-smallest by population . Its capital , Andorra la Vella , is the highest capital city in Europe , at an elevation of 1,023 metres ( 3,356 feet ) above sea level . The official language is Catalan , but Spanish , Portuguese , and French are also commonly spoken . Tourism in Andorra sees an estimated 10.2 million visitors annually . Andorra is not a member of the European Union , but the euro is its official currency . It has been a member of the United Nations since 1993 .
Andorra la Vella ( UK : /ænˌdɔːrə lə ˈveɪjə/ , US : /- lɑː ˈveɪljə/ ; Catalan pronunciation : [ ənˈdorə lə ˈβeʎə ] , Spanish : Andorra la Vieja , French : Andorre-la-Vieille ) is the capital of the Principality of Andorra . It is located high in the east Pyrenees , between France and Spain . It is also the name of the parish that surrounds the capital . As of 2015 [ update ] , the city has a population of 22,886 , and the urban area , which includes Escaldes-Engordany plus satellite villages , has over 40,000 inhabitants . The principal industry is tourism , although the country also earns foreign income from being a tax haven . Furniture and brandies are local products . Being at an elevation of 1,023 m ( 3,356 ft ) , it is the highest capital city in Europe and a popular ski resort .
Antigua and Barbuda ( /ænˈtiːɡ ( w ) ə . bɑːrˈb ( j ) uːdə/ ( listen ) ; an-TEE-g ( w ) ə . bar-B ( Y ) OO-də ) is an island sovereign state in the West Indies in the Americas , lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean . It consists of two major islands , Antigua and Barbuda , and a number of smaller islands ( including Great Bird , Green , Guiana , Long , Maiden and York Islands and further south , the island of Redonda ) . The permanent population numbers about 95,900 ( 2018 est . ) , with 97% being resident on Antigua . The capital and largest port and city is St. John 's on Antigua , with Codrington being the largest town on Barbuda . Lying near each other ( the main Barbuda airport is less than 0.5° of latitude , or 56 kilometres ( 30 nautical miles ) , north of the main Antigua airport ) , Antigua and Barbuda are in the middle of the Leeward Islands , part of the Lesser Antilles , roughly at 17°N of the equator . The island of Antigua was explored by Christopher Columbus in 1493 and named for the Church of Santa María La Antigua . Antigua was colonised by Britain in 1632 ; Barbuda island was first colonised in 1678 . Antigua and Barbuda joined the West Indies Federation in 1958 . With the breakup of the federation , it became one of the West Indies Associated States in 1967 .
St. John 's is the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda , located in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea and with a population of 22,193 , St. John 's is the commercial centre of the nation and the chief port of the island of Antigua .
Seychelles ( /seɪˈʃɛlz/ ( listen ) ; French : [ sɛʃɛl ] or [ seʃɛl ] ) , officially the Republic of Seychelles ( French : République des Seychelles ; Creole : La Repiblik Sesel ) , is an archipelago country in the Indian Ocean . The capital of the 115-island country , Victoria , lies 1,500 kilometres ( 932 mi ) east of mainland Africa . Other nearby island countries and territories include Comoros , Mayotte ( territory of France ) , Madagascar , Réunion ( territory of France ) , and Mauritius to the south ; as well as the Maldives and Chagos Archipelago to the east . With a population of roughly 94,367 , it has the smallest population of any sovereign African country . Seychelles is a member of the United Nations , the African Union , the Southern African Development Community , and the Commonwealth of Nations . After proclaiming independence from the United Kingdom in 1976 , Seychelles has developed from a largely agricultural society to a market-based diversified economy , with agriculture being supplanted by rapidly rising service and public sectors as well as tourism . From 1976 until 2015 , nominal GDP output increased nearly sevenfold , and the purchasing power parity increased nearly sixteenfold . In the late 2010s , President Danny Faure and the National Assembly presented plans to encourage foreign investment in order to further upgrade these sectors . Today , Seychelles boasts the highest nominal per capita GDP in Africa , excluding the French regions . It is one of only a handful of countries in Africa with a high Human Development Index and is the first country in Africa with an HDI score exceeding 0.800 ( excluding French territorial possessions ) . It is also the only country in Africa which is classed as a high-income economy by the World Bank . Despite the country 's somewhat economic prosperity , poverty remains widespread , and there is a high level of economic inequality , one of the highest in the world , and unequal wealth distribution among the populace , with the upper and ruling class commanding a vast proportion of the country 's wealth .
Victoria ( French pronunciation : ​ [ viktɔʁja ] ) is the capital and largest city of Seychelles , situated on the north-eastern side of Mahé island , the archipelago 's main island . The city was first established as the seat of the British colonial government . In 2010 , the population of Greater Victoria ( including the suburbs ) was 26,450 out of the country 's total population of 90,945 .
Africa is the world 's second-largest and second-most populous continent , after Asia . At about 30.3 million km2 ( 11.7 million square miles ) including adjacent islands , it covers 6% of Earth 's total surface area and 20% of its land area . With 1.3 billion people as of 2018 , it accounts for about 16% of the world 's human population . The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north , the Isthmus of Suez and the Red Sea to the northeast , the Indian Ocean to the southeast and the Atlantic Ocean to the west . The continent includes Madagascar and various archipelagos . It contains 54 fully recognised sovereign states ( countries ) , four territories and two de facto independent states with limited or no recognition . The majority of the continent and its countries are in the Northern Hemisphere , with a substantial portion and number of countries in the Southern Hemisphere . Africa 's average population is the youngest amongst all the continents ; the median age in 2012 was 19.7 , when the worldwide median age was 30.4 . Algeria is Africa 's largest country by area , and Nigeria is its largest by population . Africa , particularly central Eastern Africa , is widely accepted as the place of origin of humans and the Hominidae clade ( great apes ) , as evidenced by the discovery of the earliest hominids and their ancestors as well as later ones that have been dated to around 7 million years ago , including Sahelanthropus tchadensis , Australopithecus africanus , A. afarensis , Homo erectus , H. habilis and H. ergaster - the earliest Homo sapiens ( modern human ) , found in Ethiopia , date to circa 200,000 years ago . Africa straddles the equator and encompasses numerous climate areas ; it is the only continent to stretch from the northern temperate to southern temperate zones . Africa hosts a large diversity of ethnicities , cultures and languages .
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world 's oceanic divisions , covering 70,560,000 km2 ( 27,240,000 sq mi ) or 19.8% of the water on the Earth 's surface . It is bounded by Asia to the north , Africa to the west , and Australia to the east . To the south it is bounded by the Southern Ocean or Antarctica , depending on the definition in use .
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ( /ˌɡrɛnəˈdiːnz/ ( listen ) ) is a multi island Anglo-Caribbean country in the Lesser Antilles island arc , in the southeast Windward Islands , which lies in the West Indies at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean . The sovereign state is also frequently known simply as Saint Vincent . Its 389 km2 ( 150 sq mi ) territory consists of the main island of Saint Vincent and the northern two-thirds of the Grenadines , a chain of 32 smaller islands . Some of the Grenadines are inhabited - Bequia , Mustique , Union Island , Canouan , Palm Island , Mayreau , Young Island - while others are not : Tobago Cays , Petit Saint Vincent , Baliceaux , Bettowia , Quatre , Petite Mustique , Savan and Petit Nevis . Most of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines lies within the Hurricane Alley . To the north of Saint Vincent lies Saint Lucia , to the east is Barbados , and Grenada lies to the south . Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a densely populated country for its size ( over 300 inhabitants/km2 ) with approximately 110,211 inhabitants . Kingstown is the capital and main port . Saint Vincent has a British colonial history , and is now part of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States , CARICOM , the Commonwealth of Nations , the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States ( CELAC ) .
Kingstown is the capital , chief port , and main commercial centre of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines . With a population of 16,500 ( 2010 ) , Kingstown is the most populous settlement in the country . It is the centre for the island 's agricultural industry and a port of entry for tourists . The city lies within the parish of Saint George in the south-west corner of Saint Vincent .
Kiribati ( /ˌkɪrɪˈbæs , -ˈbɑːti/ ) , officially the Republic of Kiribati ( Gilbertese : Ribaberiki Kiribati ) , is a country in the central Pacific Ocean . The permanent population is just over 110,000 ( 2015 ) , more than half of whom live on Tarawa atoll . The state comprises 32 atolls and one raised coral island , Banaba . They have a total land area of 800 square kilometres ( 310 sq mi ) and are dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres ( 1.3 million square miles ) . In terms with its Exclusive Economic Zone in the Pacific , it straddles all three primary geographic regions ; Banaba ( Melanesian-Micronesian Border ) , the Gilbert Islands ( Micronesia ) and the Line and Phoenix Islands ( Polynesia ) . Their spread straddles the equator and the 180th meridian , although the International Date Line goes round Kiribati and swings far to the east , almost reaching the 150°W meridian . This brings the Line Islands into the same day as the Kiribati Islands . Kiribati 's easternmost islands , the southern Line Islands , south of Hawaii , have the most advanced time on Earth : UTC+14 hours . Kiribati is the only country in the world to be situated in all four hemispheres . Kiribati gained its independence from the United Kingdom , becoming a sovereign state in 1979 . The capital , South Tarawa , now the most populated area , consists of a number of islets , connected by a series of causeways . These comprise about half the area of Tarawa Atoll .
Tarawa is an atoll and the capital of the Republic of Kiribati , in the central Pacific Ocean . It comprises North Tarawa , which has much in common with other , more remote islands of the Gilberts group ; and South Tarawa , which is home to 56,284 people as of 2010 [ update ] - half of the country 's total population . The atoll was the site of the Battle of Tarawa during World War II .
The Federated States of Micronesia ( /ˌmaɪkroʊˈniːʒə/ ( listen ) ; abbreviated FSM and also known simply as Micronesia ) is an independent republic associated with the United States . It consists of four states - from west to east , Yap , Chuuk , Pohnpei and Kosrae - that are spread across the Western Pacific Ocean . Together , the states comprise around 607 islands ( a combined land area of approximately 702 km2 or 271 sq mi ) that cover a longitudinal distance of almost 2,700 km ( 1,678 mi ) just north of the equator . They lie northeast of New Guinea , south of Guam and the Marianas , west of Nauru and the Marshall Islands , east of Palau and the Philippines , about 2,900 km ( 1,802 mi ) north of eastern Australia and some 4,000 km ( 2,485 mi ) southwest of the main islands of Hawaii . While the FSM 's total land area is quite small , it occupies more than 2,600,000 km2 ( 1,000,000 sq mi ) of the Pacific Ocean , giving the country the 14th-largest exclusive economic zone in the world . The sovereign island nation 's capital is Palikir , located on Pohnpei Island , while the largest city is Weno , located in the Chuuk Atoll . Each of its four states is centered on one or more main high islands , and all but Kosrae include numerous outlying atolls . The Federated States of Micronesia is spread across part of the Caroline Islands in the wider region of Micronesia , which consists of thousands of small islands divided among several countries . The term Micronesia may refer to the Federated States or to the region as a whole . The FSM was formerly a part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands ( TTPI ) , a United Nations Trust Territory under U.S. administration , but it formed its own constitutional government on May 10 , 1979 , becoming a sovereign state after independence was attained on November 3 , 1986 , under a Compact of Free Association with the United States . Other neighboring island entities , and also former members of the TTPI , formulated their own constitutional governments and became the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( RMI ) and the Republic of Palau ( ROP ) . The FSM has a seat in the United Nations and has been a member of the Pacific Community since 1983 .
Palikir ( /ˈpælɪˌkɪər/ ) is a town with about 4,600 people and the capital of the Federated States of Micronesia in the western Pacific Ocean . It is part of the larger Sokehs municipality , which had a population of 7,000 as of 2009 [ update ] , out of the nation 's total population of 106,487 . It is situated on the northwest side of Pohnpei island ( population 33,000 ) , a high volcanic island surrounded by a fringing coral reef . Nearby to the northeast is the island 's largest settlement , the coastal town of Kolonia .
Tonga ( /ˈtɒŋ ( ɡ ) ə/ ; Tongan : [ ˈtoŋa ] Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga ) , officially named the Kingdom of Tonga , is a Polynesian sovereign state and archipelago comprising 169 islands , of which 36 are inhabited . The total surface area is about 750 square kilometres ( 290 sq mi ) scattered over 700,000 square kilometres ( 270,000 sq mi ) of the southern Pacific Ocean . The state has a population of 100,651 people , of whom 70% reside on the main island of Tongatapu . Tonga stretches across approximately 800 kilometres ( 500 mi ) in a north-south line . It is surrounded by Fiji and Wallis and Futuna ( France ) to the northwest , Samoa to the northeast , Niue to the east ( which is the nearest foreign territory ) , Kermadec ( part of New Zealand ) to the southwest , and New Caledonia ( France ) and Vanuatu to the farther west . It is about 1,800 kilometres ( 1,100 mi ) from New Zealand 's North Island . From 1900 to 1970 , Tonga had British protected state status , with the United Kingdom looking after its foreign affairs under a Treaty of Friendship . The country never relinquished its sovereignty to any foreign power . In 2010 , Tonga took a decisive path towards becoming a constitutional monarchy rather than a traditional absolute kingdom , after legislative reforms passed a course for the first partial representative elections .
Nukuʻalofa is the capital of Tonga . It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu , in the country 's southernmost island group .
Grenada ( /ɡrɪˈneɪdə/ ( listen ) grin-AY-də Grenadian Creole : La Gwenad ) is a sovereign state in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea at the southern end of the Grenadines island chain . Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself plus six smaller islands which lie to the north of the main island . It is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago , northeast of Venezuela and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines . Its size is 348.5 square kilometres ( 134.6 sq mi ) , and it had an estimated population of 112,200 in July 2018 . Its capital is St. George 's . Grenada is also known as the Island of Spice due to its production of nutmeg and mace crops . The national bird of Grenada is the critically endangered Grenada dove . Coordinates : 12°07′N 61°40′W / 12.117°N 61.667°W / 12.117 ; -61.667 Before the arrival of Europeans in the Americas , Grenada was inhabited by the indigenous Arawaks and later by the Island Caribs . Christopher Columbus sighted Grenada in 1498 during his third voyage to the Americas . Although it was deemed the property of the King of Spain , there are no records to suggest the Spanish ever landed or settled on the island . Following several unsuccessful attempts by Europeans to colonise the island due to resistance from the Island Caribs , French settlement and colonisation began in 1650 and continued for the next century . On 10 February 1763 , Grenada was ceded to the British under the Treaty of Paris .
St. George 's ( Grenadian Creole French : Sen Jòj ) is the capital of Grenada . The town is surrounded by a hillside of an old volcano crater and is on a horseshoe-shaped harbour . St. George 's is a popular Caribbean tourist destination . The town has developed in recent years , [ when ? ] while preserving its history , culture , and natural environment . [ citation needed ] The town is home of St. Georges University School of Medicine and it is also where the country 's international airport is located , Maurice Bishop International Airport . The main exports are cocoa bean cacao , nutmeg , and mace spice . [ citation needed ] It has a moderate tropical climate that ensures the success of spice production . Nutmegs are a key crop , followed by spices such as cocoa , mace , cloves , vanilla , cinnamon and ginger .
Saint Lucia ( /ˈluːʃə/ ( listen ) ; French : Sainte-Lucie ) is a sovereign island country in the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean . The island was previously called Iyonola , the name given to the island by the native Amerindians and later , Hewanorra , the name given by the native Caribs . Part of the Lesser Antilles , it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent , northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique . It covers a land area of 617 km2 ( 238 square miles ) and reported a population of 165,595 in the 2010 census . Its capital is Castries . The French were the island 's first European settlers . They signed a treaty with the native Island Caribs in 1660 . England took control of the island from 1663 to 1667 . In ensuing years , it was at war with France fourteen times , and the rule of the island changed frequently ( it was ruled seven times each by the French and British ) . In 1814 , the British took definitive control of the island . Because it switched so often between British and French control , Saint Lucia was also known as the Helen of the West Indies after the Greek mythological character , Helen of Troy . Representative government came about in 1840 ( universal suffrage was established in 1953 ) .
Castries /ˈkæstriːz/ ( listen ) , population 20,000 , aggl . 53,639 , is the capital and largest city of Saint Lucia , an island country in the Caribbean . The quarter with the same name had a population of 70,000 on 22 May 2013 and stretches over an area of 80 km2 ( 31 sq mi ) . Castries is in a flood gut and is built on reclaimed land . It houses the seat of government and the head offices of many of foreign and local businesses . The city 's design is in a grid pattern . Its sheltered harbour receives cargo vessels , ferry boats , and cruise ships . It houses duty-free shopping facilities such as Point Seraphine and La Place Carenage . Many restaurants offer menus from local to Chinese . Supermarkets and other shopping facilities provide goods . The city is well served by a bus system and taxi service . St Lucia 's main post office is in Castries .
São Tomé and Príncipe ( /ˌsaʊ təˈmeɪ . ˈprɪnsɪpə , -peɪ/ ; Portuguese : [ sɐ̃w̃ tuˈmɛ i ˈpɾĩsɨpɨ ] ) , officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe , is an island country in the Gulf of Guinea , off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa . It consists of two archipelagos around the two main islands of São Tomé and Príncipe , about 140 km ( 87 mi ) apart and about 250 and 225 km ( 155 and 140 mi ) off the northwestern coast of Gabon , respectively . The islands were uninhabited until their discovery by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century . Gradually colonized and settled by the Portuguese throughout the 16th century , they collectively served as a vital commercial and trade center for the Atlantic slave trade . The rich volcanic soil and close proximity to the Equator made São Tomé and Príncipe ideal for sugar cultivation , followed later by cash crops such as coffee and cocoa ; the lucrative plantation economy was heavily dependent upon imported African slaves . Cycles of social unrest and economic instability throughout the 19th and 20th centuries culminated in peaceful independence in 1975 . São Tomé and Príncipe has since remained one of Africa 's most stable and democratic countries . With a population of 201,800 ( 2018 official estimate ) , São Tomé and Príncipe is the second-smallest African sovereign state after Seychelles , as well as the smallest Portuguese-speaking country . Its people are predominantly of African and mestiço descent , with most practicing Roman Catholicism . The legacy of Portuguese rule is also visible in the country 's culture , customs , and music , which fuse European and African influences . São Tomé and Príncipe is a founding member state of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries .
São Tomé is the capital and largest city of the Central African island country of São Tomé and Príncipe . Its name is Portuguese for Saint Thomas . Founded in the 15th century , is one of Africa 's oldest colonial cities .
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world 's oceans , with an area of about 106,460,000 square kilometers ( 41,100,000 square miles ) . It covers approximately 20 percent of Earth 's surface and about 29 percent of its water surface area . It separates the Old World from the New World . The Atlantic Ocean occupies an elongated , S-shaped basin extending longitudinally between Europe and Africa to the east , and the Americas to the west . As one component of the interconnected World Ocean , it is connected in the north to the Arctic Ocean , to the Pacific Ocean in the southwest , the Indian Ocean in the southeast , and the Southern Ocean in the south ( other definitions describe the Atlantic as extending southward to Antarctica ) . The Equatorial Counter Current subdivides it into the North ( ern ) Atlantic Ocean and the South ( ern ) Atlantic Ocean at about 8°N . Scientific explorations of the Atlantic include the Challenger expedition , the German Meteor expedition , Columbia University 's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the United States Navy Hydrographic Office .