Smallest Towns In The World 2024: No 10 Will Shock You
What are the Smallest Towns In The World? firstly, what is a town? A town is larger than a village but smaller than a city. However, most people make the mistake of confusing a village for a city. Town and City are not the same, a town is a little modernized, unlike a village.
As explained in the previous line, a city is also modern and well-developed but it is called a city because it had a huge population than that of a town. Cities have more basic amenities like an organized transport system, sanitation, housing, clean water, etc.
We certainly have many differences, things we can use to depict a town and a city like the economy, the geography, and demography of the area, and many more.
We have many places in the world that most people haven’t even heard about just like Vatican City which has a landmass of 0.44km², and Vatican City is the world’s smallest country.
Let us quickly walk you through this as we reveal the top 10 smallest towns in the world, find out below;
List Of The Top 10 Smallest Towns In The World
#1. Fordwich
Population: 381
Country: England
This might be the most populated smallest town in the world, sure you are shocked but it is an interesting thing to know. Fordwich is located in England (Britain), and it is the smallest town in England, and the record has it that between the years 2001 and 2019, the town only increased in population by 30.
Fordwich is said to be the remnant market town, which simply means it has over time flourished in the past.
Located in the northeast of Canterbury (east Kent) on the River Stour, Fordwich is also called Civil Parish.
In 1880, due to economic reasons and lack of a mayor, Fordwich lost its standing as a town and became very quiet.
Though later on it gained back its lost glory and became a town again in 1972 and was also rated as the smallest town in England.
The town is one of the most serene and peaceful in England, and the inhabitants of the town are well known for one occupation which is fishing activities.
The town has some facilities that make it fun for the inhabitants and tourists like a drinking pub, recreational centers, churches, a school, and a town hall building.
Buildings in Fordwich are old-fashioned, they maintain their conservative aesthetics.
#2. Manele
Population: 29
Country: United States, Hawaii
Manele is one of the smallest towns in the world located in Maui County, though it has quite several inhabitants much more than the other towns we have listed here. Manele has a population of 29 people and Manele is the smallest city in Hawaii, United States.
If you love to travel and tour then this town is one place you want to visit. Manele is home to the famous Four Seasons Resort, and one thing you will love about this place is that its residents live above the poverty scale.
The hotel is a perfect place to have fun and have a nice meal, the Resort will make you always come back.
It has a calm and clear climatic temperature which ranges between 18 – 21 degrees Celsius on average.
With a landmass of about 5km² and a population density of 5.6/km², this census-designated place (CDP) finds its way to our list.
#3. Valley City
Population: 12
Country: United States, Illinois
Located in Pike County Illinois, as of the 2010 census, Valley City’s total population was 13 which later dropped in 2017 to 12. It sounds odd but Valley City is just home to three families and is the smallest city in the state.
It has an area of 54 ha (52 ha Land / 3 ha Water). and also the weather condition is 12°C, Wind N at 24 km/h, 49% Humidity, which is quite small from the towns we’ve talked about so far.
Valley City is a very peaceful town with a low crime rate and the income per capita ranges around $7,000.
#4. Cooladdi
Population: 3
Country: Australia, Queensland Charleville
Cooladdi is another town that made it on our list of the top 10 smallest towns. Cooladdi Queensland is popularly known as the tiniest town and is located in Australia.
As of 2015 till date, the population was 3, all of whom reside at the general store. The name of the town was previously called Yarrovale which was later changed to Cooladi so far it is the smallest town in Australia and due to that, it was referred to as a Ghost Town.
The Queensland town of Cooladdi is located 560 miles south of Brisbane and a 90-minute drive from the nearest other settlement Charleville.
Cooladdi means “Black Duck” and you can find a store that serves as a home, bar, store, and post office.
It has a school and also a railway siding close to the general store.
#5. Brewster
Population: 3
Country: United States, Florida
Brewster was one of the phosphate cities built around the Brewster phosphate industry at the turn of the century. It is known to be a mining town that was founded in 1910.
The chimney, very visible, was the first thing built. Entering Fort. Meade was a problem because of the distance, so all the residents’ needs were met by the company’s village. There was a doctor’s office, pharmacy, commissioner, gas station, swimming pool, school, post office, and, later, a recreation center.
The company expected all workers to live in Brewster. It’s sad the town has now been deserted in the 1960s due to environmental pollution and mining was permanently shut down.
The famous John Vincent Atanasoff, popularly known as the inventor of the digital computer, grew up in this town.
#6. Swett
Population: 2 people and 1 dog
Country: United States
Swett town is located in South Dakota and was established in 1931 is on U.S Highway 18 and covers 6.16 acres of land. The Swett town is a former tire shop that was converted into a three-bedroom house.
The town also has some amenities like a gas station, bar, store, and museum. with just two people and a dog, it is a peaceful town. It was previously listed for sale in 2014 but unfortunately, no one is willing to buy it.
Wikipedia also made us understand that the town is being hunted.
#7. Cass
Population: 1
Country: New Zealand
Cass is one of the smallest towns in the world having just 1 inhabitant, the name of the guy is Barrie Drummond, having a tie with Buford.
According to history, the name was acquired from the pioneer surveyor named Thomas Cass, and the town is located on the South Island of New Zealand.
Having one person in the town happened recently because we had over 800 people living in Cass before, and the number kept on reducing day by day.
The town only has 5 houses and a woman named Rita Angus lives there, though she designed the railway station painting which made the town popular even though people don’t wish to live there.
Also, there is an annual celebration called Cass Bash which usually takes place in the town where people from neighboring cities and all over the country come over to have fun.
#8. Monowi
Population: 1
Country: United States, Nebraska
The word Monowi according to the Native American language means flower. Situated in Alaska, in the United States, has just 1 person living in it according to the 2010 general census data record.
Monowi is a town that is over 100 years old and has some amenities like a hotel, library, church, and bar. A Monowi town is a perfect place for tourists and it is home to an 84-years-old Elsie Eiler.
Elsie is in charge of the bar and also is the librarian, she is self-employed herself as the mayor of the town.
Just like every normal citizen she also pays her taxes. To keep the town running, Elsie is required to annually submit a municipal road plan to get funding from the state. Right beside the main building in the city is a post office which has been there for donkey years.
#9. Buford
Population: 1
Country: United States, Wyoming
Located in Wyoming, Buford is the second world’s smallest town ever with just one person living in it, a 60-year-old resident. Though this isn’t how the town was before as it had over 2000 inhabitants before remaining just 1 person.
Don Sammons family was the last to remain in the town but after Don’s wife dies and the only son grew up and migrated out of the town, Don Sammon is the only one remaining in Buford.
Read Also: The 10 Smallest Countries In The World
#10. Betoota
Population: 0
Country: Australia, Queensland
Betoota is amongst the smallest towns in the world, another ghost town situated in Queensland, this town has nobody living in it. People were living in it before until it remains just one person, now the only one person living there died in 2004 and since then there has been no human living in this town.
Popularly known as the smallest ghost town in Australia the town also has some amenities like a hotel, airstrip, phone box, a cricket field, and also a petrol station. People still visit and tour around the town and they also attend the yearly Betoota race which takes place on the town race track.
