Is San Marino the 2nd Smallest Country in Europe? No — It's 5th; Monaco Is 2nd

San Marino is the fifth smallest country in Europe, not the second. The ranking by land area:

1. Vatican City — 0.44 km² (0.17 sq mi)
2. Monaco — 2.02 km² (0.78 sq mi) ← 2nd smallest
3. Nauru — 21 km² (8.1 sq mi) *[Oceania, often listed in Europe tables erroneously]*
4. Tuvalu — 26 km² (10 sq mi) *[Oceania]*
5. San Marino — 61 km² (23.6 sq mi)
6. Liechtenstein — 160 km² (62 sq mi)
7. Malta — 316 km² (122 sq mi)

Note: If considering only sovereign European states (excluding microstates outside Europe), the order is Vatican → Monaco → San Marino → Liechtenstein → Malta.

San Marino Quick Facts

• World's oldest surviving republic (founded 301 AD)
• Population: ~33,600 (2024)
• Per capita GDP among world's highest
• Uses euro (not EU member); Italian-speaking
• UN member since 1992