What Is the Smallest Country in Europe?

The smallest country in Europe is Vatican City, a microstate contained entirely inside the city of Rome, Italy. The Vatican (and its politically intertwined alter ego, the Holy See) is the seat of the Catholic Church. As such, Vatican City is a popular tourist destination for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. The entirety of the Vatican itself is just over 100 acres.

Top 10 Smallest Countries in Europe by Population

Top 10 Smallest Countries in Europe by Total Area (km²/mi²)

What is the Smallest Country Outside of the Vatican?

Other than the Vatican, the smallest country in Europe is Monaco, a Western European microstate located on the French Riviera, just a few kilometers from the border between France and Italy. A Mediterranean country, Monaco is bordered by France to the northeast, northwest, and southwest, but is far from landlocked because its entire southeastern border runs along the Mediterranean Sea. Monaco is known for its incredible wealth, and it is the home of one of the most popular Formula 1 races during the year.

What is the Largest Country in Europe?

The largest country in Europe is Russia, which is not only the largest country in Europe, but also the largest country in Asia and the largest country in the world. The largest country located entirely in Europe is Ukraine. Like Russia, Ukraine is a former USSR country, but is now considered more culturally European than Russian. Ukraine is more than 603,000 km² (233,000 mi²) in area and is bordered by other very large countries, including Russia and Poland. The size of many European countries has changed during the past few hundred years as territory has changed hands, mostly due to wars.

Is the United Kingdom part of Europe?

The United Kingdom is a union of the countries England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, and is part of Europe even though the UK does not share a land border with any other European countries. Although the United Kingdom officially exited the European Union in 2020, it still maintains very strong relations with the other countries of Europe and has a variety of strong military alliances with European countries, many of which are part of NATO, a military alliance led by the United States.