Nauru is the world’s smallest island country by area.
This independent republic is a single raised coral island in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, with an area of roughly 21 square kilometres. That makes it smaller than other frequently guessed island countries such as Tuvalu, Malta, and the Maldives. Nauru is also the smallest republic and the smallest member state of the Commonwealth of Nations by area.
A common mix-up is confusing the smallest island country with the smallest sovereign country overall. Vatican City is smaller, at about 0.49 square kilometres, but it is a landlocked city-state rather than an island country. Monaco is also smaller than Nauru but is likewise not an island state.
Nauru’s landscape reflects its economic history. Phosphate mining removed much of the island’s central plateau and left extensive areas of jagged limestone pinnacles. The populated coastal belt surrounds the elevated interior, while Buada Lagoon is the island’s principal inland water feature. Nauru became independent on 31 January 1968.