Microstate

Most scholars identify microstates by using a quantitative threshold and applying it to either one variable (such as the size of its territory[3] or population[4]) or a composite of different variables.[5] While it is agreed that microstates are the smallest of all states, there is no consensus on what variable (or variables) or what cut-off point should be used to determine which political units should be labelled as "microstates" (as opposed to small "normal" states).[1][2][6][7] While employing simple quantitative criteria may seem straightforward, it can also be perceived as potentially problematic. According to some scholars the quantitative approach to defining microstates suffers from such problems as "inconsistency, arbitrariness, vagueness and inability to meaningfully isolate qualitatively distinct political units".[2]

List of microstates — by area or population

Sovereign states with a non-EEZ area less than 1,000 km² (386 sq mi)[8][9] [10][11] and/or with a population of less than 500,000 people[8]

Rank	Country	Area (km2 or sqmi)	Population	Density (pop./km2)	Capital	Continent	Subregion
1	Vatican City	0.44 km2 (0.17 sq mi)	1,000	1913.6	Vatican City	Europe	Southern Europe
2	Monaco	2.02 km2 (0.78 sq mi)	37,308	18469.3	Monaco	Europe	Western Europe
3	Nauru	21 km2 (8 sq mi)	9,488	451.8	Yaren	Oceania	Micronesia
4	Tuvalu	26 km2 (10 sq mi)	10,782	414.7	Funafuti	Oceania	Polynesia
5	San Marino	61 km2 (24 sq mi)	32,742	536.8	San Marino	Europe	Southern Europe
6	Liechtenstein	160 km2 (62 sq mi)	37,313	233.2	Vaduz	Europe	Western Europe
7	Marshall Islands	181 km2 (70 sq mi)	70,983	392.2	Majuro	Oceania	Micronesia
8	Saint Kitts and Nevis	261 km2 (101 sq mi)	51,538	197.5	Basseterre	Americas	Caribbean
9	Maldives	298 km2 (115 sq mi)	393,595	1320.8	Malé	Asia	Southern Asia
10	Malta	316 km2 (122 sq mi)	412,655	1305.9	Valletta	Europe	Southern Europe
11	Grenada	344 km2 (133 sq mi)	110,152	320.2	St. George's	Americas	Caribbean
12	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	389 km2 (150 sq mi)	102,918	264.6	Kingstown	Americas	Caribbean
13	Barbados	430 km2 (166 sq mi)	289,680	673.7	Bridgetown	Americas	Caribbean
14	Antigua and Barbuda	443 km2 (171 sq mi)	91,295	206.1	St. John's	Americas	Caribbean
15	Seychelles	455 km2 (176 sq mi)	91,650	201.4	Victoria	Africa	Eastern Africa
16	Palau	459 km2 (177 sq mi)	21,186	46.2	Ngerulmud	Oceania	Micronesia
17	Andorra	468 km2 (181 sq mi)	85,458	182.6	Andorra la Vella	Europe	Southern Europe
18	Saint Lucia	616 km2 (238 sq mi)	163,362	265.2	Castries	Americas	Caribbean
19	Federated States of Micronesia	702 km2 (271 sq mi)	105,681	150.5	Palikir	Oceania	Micronesia
20	Singapore	714 km2 (276 sq mi)	5,888,926	8247.8	Singapore	Asia	South-eastern Asia
21	Tonga	747 km2 (288 sq mi)	106,440	142.5	Nukuʻalofa	Oceania	Polynesia
22	Dominica	751 km2 (290 sq mi)	73,449	97.8	Roseau	Americas	Caribbean
23	Bahrain	765 km2 (295 sq mi)	1,140,942	1491.4	Manama	Asia	Western Asia
24	Kiribati	811 km2 (313 sq mi)	104,488	128.8	Tarawa	Oceania	Micronesia
25	São Tomé and Príncipe	964 km2 (372 sq mi)	190,428	197.5	São Tomé	Africa	Middle Africa
26	Samoa	2,831 km2 (1,093 sq mi)	196,628	69.5	Apia	Oceania	Polynesia
27	Brunei	5,765 km2 (2,226 sq mi)	422,675	73.3	Bandar Seri Begawan	Asia	South-eastern Asia
28	Vanuatu	12,189 km2 (4,706 sq mi)	266,937	21.9	Port Vila	Oceania	Melanesia
29	Bahamas	13,880 km2 (5,359 sq mi)	321,834	23.2	Nassau	Americas	Caribbean
30	Belize	22,966 km2 (8,867 sq mi)	340,844	14.8	Belmopan	Americas	Central America
31	Iceland	103,000 km2 (39,769 sq mi)	317,351	3.1	Reykjavík	Europe	Northern Europe

- With the exception of The Bahamas, Belize, Brunei, Iceland, Samoa, and Vanuatu, all the above countries have a non-EEZ area less than 1,000 km² (386 sq mi).

- With the exception of Bahrain and Singapore, all the above countries have fewer than 500,000 people.

Vatican City, the smallest independent country in Europe and in the world

Other definitions

Some academics have suggested defining microstates according to the unique features that are linked to their geographic or demographic smallness.[2][9][12] Newer approaches have proposed looking at the behaviour or capacity to operate in the international arena in order to determine which states should deserve the microstate label.[12][13] Yet, it has been argued that such approaches could lead to either confusing microstates with weak states[6][9] (or failed states) or relying too much on subjective perceptions.[2]

An alternative approach, that may overcome these challenges, is to define microstates as "modern protected states".[2] According to the definition proposed by Dumienski (2014): "microstates are modern protected states, i.e. sovereign states that have been able to unilaterally depute certain attributes of sovereignty to larger powers in exchange for benign protection of their political and economic viability against their geographic or demographic constraints."[2] Adopting this approach permits limiting the number of microstates and separating them from both small states and autonomies or dependencies.[2] Examples of microstates understood as modern protected states include such states as Liechtenstein, San Marino, Monaco, Niue, Andorra, the Cook Islands or Palau.

The smallest political unit recognized as a sovereign state is Vatican City. However, Professor of International Law Maurice Mendelson disputes qualifying Vatican City as a state, arguing that it does not meet the "traditional criteria of statehood" and that the "special status of the Vatican City is probably best regarded as a means of ensuring that the Pope can freely exercise his spiritual functions, and in this respect is loosely analogous to that of the headquarters of international organisations."[14]

St. Kitts and Nevis, the smallest independent country in the Americas with 261 km² (101 sq mi)

Statistical research has shown that microstates are more likely to be democracies than larger states. In 2012, Freedom House classified 86% of the countries with less than 500,000 inhabitants as "free".[15] This shows that countries with small populations often had a high degree of political freedom and civil liberties, which is one of the hallmarks of democracies. Some scholars have taken the statistical correlation between small size and democracy as a sign that smallness is beneficial to the development of a democratic political system,[16] mentioning social cohesiveness, opportunities for direct communication and homogeneity of interests as possible explanations for why this is the case.[15][17]

Seychelles, the smallest independent country in Africa with 455 km² (176 sq mi)

Case study research, however, has led researches to believe that the statistical evidence belies the anti-democratic elements of microstate politics.[15][18] Due to small populations, family and personal relations are often decisive in microstate politics. In some cases, this impedes neutral and formal decision-making and instead leads to undemocratic political activity, such as clientelism, corruption, particularism and executive dominance.[15] While microstates often have formal institutions that are associated with democracy, the inner workings of politics in microstates are in reality often undemocratic.

The high number of democracies amongst microstates could be explained by their colonial history.[15][16] Most microstates adopted the same political system as their colonial ruler.[19] Because of the high number of microstates that were British colonies in the past, microstates often have a majoritarian and parliamentary political system similar to the Westminster system.[16] Some microstates with a history as British colony have implemented some aspects of a consensus political system, to adapt to their geographic features or societal make-up.[19] While the colonial history often determines what political systems microstates have, they do implement changes to better accommodate their specific characteristics.

A small number of tiny sovereign political units are founded on historical anomalies or eccentric interpretations of law. These types of states, often labelled as "microstates," are usually located on small (usually disputed) territorial enclaves, generate limited economic activity founded on tourism and philatelic and numismatic sales, and are tolerated or ignored by the nations from which they claim to have seceded.

One example is the Republic of Indian Stream, now the town of Pittsburg, New Hampshire—a geographic anomaly left unresolved by the Treaty of Paris that ended the U.S. Revolutionary War, and claimed by both the U.S. and Canada. Between 1832 and 1835, the area's residents refused to acknowledge either claimant.

Another example is the Cospaia Republic, which became independent through a treaty error and survived from 1440 to 1826. Its independence made it important in the introduction of tobacco cultivation to Italy.

Maldives, the smallest independent country in Asia with 298 km² (115 sq mi)

Another is Couto Misto, disputed by Spain and Portugal, that operated as a sovereign state in its own right until the 1864 Treaty of Lisbon that partitioned the territory, with the largest part becoming part of Spain.

• Sack, John; Silverstein, Shel (1959). Report from practically nowhere. Harper.