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Obscure Countries 2024

According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, the word “obscure” is defined as “relatively unknown, remote, or secluded.” Surprisingly, this word can be applied to some nations. Sure, there are countries that we all know – the United States, France, Canada, or India, for example, but there are also countries that we don’t hear about often – if at all. These are the world’s most obscure countries.

These nations offer natural beauty and culture that you can’t find anywhere else, so it’s a shame that they are – as the dictionary states – relatively unknown. Let’s take a look at some of the most obscure and unknown nations in the world. How many have you heard of before?

One country that is obscure is Malta, a small island off the coast of Sicily. This nation gained its independence in the 1960s. One of the highlights of this country is its temple complexes, which are some of the oldest buildings in the world. Even if you haven’t heard of Malta, you may be familiar with the Maltese – a dog breed that originated on this small island.

If you want an exotic place to snorkel and check out the local marine life, take a visit to Nauru. This tiny island has stunning coral reefs. However, this nation – which is the only one in the world without a capitol – only brings in about 200 tourists per year and has just two hotels.

You may not be familiar with the name Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, but you may have seen it on the silver screen. This archipelago located in the Caribbean has beautiful beaches and jungles. In fact, the beauty of this country was showcased in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie franchise.

Not all obscure countries are beautiful beaches, soaring mountain ranges, and great tourist destinations. Another obscure nation that you may not know about is Mauritania, located in the Sahara Desert. This nation made slavery illegal in 1981 but took an additional 26 years to actually make owning slaves a crime. Despite the illegality of slavery, as much as 20% of the country is still enslaved.

Another obscure nation is Benin, which is one of the poorest countries in the world. The major religion of Benin is voodoo and it is thought that this religion originated here. The nation celebrates Voodoo Day each year.

Finally, the last obscure nation we’re going to discuss is Lesotho, which is located in south Africa. More than 40% of the country’s population is very poor, and Lesotho is dependent on South Africa. However, the canyons and mountains of this nation are a sight to behold.

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Country
Obscure
Population
Uzbekistan35,673,804
Burkina Faso23,840,247
Guinea14,528,770
Benin14,080,072
Burundi13,591,657
Tajikistan10,331,513
Togo9,260,864
Kyrgyzstan6,839,606
Turkmenistan6,598,071
Mauritania4,993,922
Oman4,713,553
Eritrea3,817,651
Georgia3,717,425
Moldova3,329,865
Gambia2,841,803
Gabon2,484,557
Lesotho2,356,083
North Macedonia2,082,706
Timor Leste1,379,883
Mauritius1,301,978
Eswatini1,222,075
Djibouti1,152,329
Comoros867,605
Guyana819,594
Solomon Islands756,673
Luxembourg661,594
Suriname628,785
Cape Verde604,461
Malta536,740
Brunei455,858
Vanuatu342,325
Sao Tome and Principe236,381
Samoa228,966
Kiribati135,763
Micronesia116,300
Tonga108,683
Seychelles108,263
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines103,683
Andorra80,341
Dominica73,368
Saint Kitts and Nevis47,847
Marshall Islands42,415
Liechtenstein39,822
San Marino33,614
Palau18,051
Cook Islands17,072
Nauru12,884
Tuvalu11,478
showing: 48 rows

What are the tiny countries no one knows about?

Some obscure countries include Lesotho, Benin, Malta, Mauritania, Liechtenstein, Nauru, Uzbekistan, Suriname, Kiribati, Andorra, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Brunei.

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