The smallest country in the world is Vatican City, with a landmass of just **** square kilometers (0.19 square miles). Vatican City is an independent state surrounded by Rome. Vatican City is not the only small country located inside Italy. San Marino is another microstate, with a land area of ** square kilometers, making it the fifth-smallest country in the world. Many of these small nations have equally small populations, typically less than ************** inhabitants. However, the population of Singapore is almost *** million, and it is the twentieth smallest country in the world with a land area of *** square kilometers. In comparison, Jamaica is almost eight times larger than Singapore, but has half the population.

Monaco led the ranking for countries with the highest population density in 2024, with nearly 26,000 residents per square kilometer. The Special Administrative Region of Macao came in second, followed by Singapore. The world’s second smallest country Monaco is the world’s second-smallest country, with an area of about two square kilometers and a population of only around 40,000. It is a constitutional monarchy located by the Mediterranean Sea, and while Monaco is not part of the European Union, it does participate in some EU policies. The country is perhaps most famous for the Monte Carlo casino and for hosting the Monaco Grand Prix, the world's most prestigious Formula One race. The global population Globally, the population density per square kilometer is about 60 inhabitants, and Asia is the most densely populated region in the world. The global population is increasing rapidly, so population density is only expected to increase. In 1950, for example, the global population stood at about 2.54 billion people, and it reached over eight billion during 2023.

The average for 2021 based on 11 countries was 671160 sq. km. The highest value was in India: 2973190 sq. km and the lowest value was in Singapore: 718 sq. km. The indicator is available from 1961 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2023, the total population of all ASEAN states amounted to an estimated 619.02 million inhabitants. The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member countries are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. ASEAN opportunity The Association of Southeast Asian Nations was founded by five states (Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore) in 1967 to improve economic and political stability and social progress among the member states. It was originally modelled after the European Union. Nowadays, after accepting more members, their agenda also includes an improvement of cultural and environmental conditions. ASEAN is now an important player on the global stage with numerous alliances and business partners, as well as more contenders wanting to join. The major player in the SouthIndonesia is not only a founding member of ASEAN, it is also its biggest contributor in terms of gross domestic product and is also one of the member states with a positive trade balance. In addition, it has the highest number of inhabitants by far. About a third of all people in the ASEAN live in Indonesia – and it is also one of the most populous countries worldwide. Among the ASEAN members, it is certainly the most powerful one, not just in numbers, but mostly due to its stable and thriving economy.

The lowest rural population rates are found in some of the smallest countries in the world and city-states and areas, such as Gibraltar, Monaco, and Singapore, where the whole population lives in urban areas. Apart from these, Qatar is the country with the lowest rural population rate in the world. There, less than one percent of the population lives in rural areas. Belgium follows behind Qatar with less than two percent living in rural areas. On the other hand, Papua New Guinea has the largest rural population in the world.

The statistic shows the 20 countries with the lowest fertility rates in 2024. All figures are estimates. In 2024, the fertility rate in Taiwan was estimated to be at 1.11 children per woman, making it the lowest fertility rate worldwide. Fertility rate The fertility rate is the average number of children born per woman of child-bearing age in a country. Usually, a woman aged between 15 and 45 is considered to be in her child-bearing years. The fertility rate of a country provides an insight into its economic state, as well as the level of health and education of its population. Developing countries usually have a higher fertility rate due to lack of access to birth control and contraception, and to women usually foregoing a higher education, or even any education at all, in favor of taking care of housework. Many families in poorer countries also need their children to help provide for the family by starting to work early and/or as caretakers for their parents in old age. In developed countries, fertility rates and birth rates are usually much lower, as birth control is easier to obtain and women often choose a career before becoming a mother. Additionally, if the number of women of child-bearing age declines, so does the fertility rate of a country. As can be seen above, countries like Hong Kong are a good example for women leaving the patriarchal structures and focusing on their own career instead of becoming a mother at a young age, causing a decline of the country’s fertility rate. A look at the fertility rate per woman worldwide by income group also shows that women with a low income tend to have more children than those with a high income. The United States are neither among the countries with the lowest, nor among those with the highest fertility rate, by the way. At 2.08 children per woman, the fertility rate in the US has been continuously slightly below the global average of about 2.4 children per woman over the last decade.