India, Oct. 23 -- Not every country needs a vast territory to have a distinct identity, culture and place on the world map. Some of the world's smallest nations cover just a few square kilometres, yet have their own governments, currencies or national institutions.

Vatican City ranks as the world's smallest sovereign state, followed by Monaco and Nauru. While several of these countries are located in Europe, others are island nations spread across the Pacific and Indian oceans.

Here are the 10 smallest countries in the world ranked by land area, along with details about their capitals, populations and currencies.

1. Vatican City

- Area: Approximately 0.49 sq km- Capital: Vatican City- Population: Around 800- Currency: Euro

Located en...