The world is home to nearly 200 countries, but some are so small you could walk across them in an afternoon. These nations may occupy tiny patches of land, yet many hold significant cultural, political or economic importance. Here are the 10 smallest countries in the world by land area.

A tiny piece of land in the Baltic Sea is the world's smallest 'divided island' shared by two countries. Despite being just 8.2-acres in size, Märket island has belonged to both Sweden and Finland for centuries. Considered to be a skerry, the countries ...