The first time I landed in Malta, the runway looked as if it had been carved straight from the island’s pale limestone. The air shimmered with salt and heat, and the immigration officer waved me through with a smile that felt less procedural and more personal. Within hours, I was walking through alleys that glowed like amber, the scent of the sea carried between shuttered balconies, realizing that small countries – often among the most underrated countries to visit – contain a magnitude that can’t be measured on a map.
In an age that prizes expansion—bigger markets, bigger cities, bigger everything—there’s something quietly radical about the nations that remain small. They don’t compete for attention. They don’t promise more than they can sustain. Instead, they offer something far rarer: the chance to live well, not just to live big.
For expats and global citizens, these micro-nations and overlooked enclaves are becoming sanctuaries of stability. They’re places where bureaucracy feels human, where safety isn’t a privilege, and where identity isn’t blurred by overexposure. Their smallness, paradoxically, becomes their greatest strength.
This is a journey through the world’s most underrated countries to visit and the powerful simplicity they offer those seeking freedom, security, and belonging.
The Allure of Smallness – Exploring the Underrated Countries to Visit
We often equate importance with size. But look closer, and you’ll find that the smallest nations are often the ones that function best. They have cohesive societies, transparent governments, and a shared sense of stewardship that large states struggle to maintain.
When you visit the underrated countries, you feel connected to the pulse of a place. Your vote carries weight, your neighbor knows your name, and your environment feels like a shared responsibility rather than a resource to exploit. It’s not utopia—it’s proximity. And proximity breeds accountability.
For expats and investors, that intimacy translates into practicality. The most Underrated countries tend to have simpler regulations, faster decision-making, and a scale of living that encourages balance rather than burnout. They are laboratories of good governance—testing what happens when ambition meets restraint.
San Marino: The Republic That Endures
High above the Adriatic, the towers of San Marino rise from stone cliffs like a medieval mirage. With a population smaller than a mid-sized university, this enclave is Europe’s oldest republic—founded in 301 AD—and one of its most enduring democracies, as well as one of the most underrated countries to visit.
San Marino’s survival isn’t luck. It’s design. The republic has perfected the art of neutrality, avoiding wars while cultivating quiet prosperity. Its economy blends tourism, manufacturing, and finance, and its citizens enjoy high standards of living, universal healthcare, and near-zero crime.
For those seeking a foothold in Europe without the costs and congestion of its capitals, San Marino offers serenity. The language is Italian, the pace unhurried, and the politics refreshingly pragmatic. Its limestone streets, lined with small cafes and artisan shops, are a reminder that a country doesn’t need to expand to evolve—it just needs to endure.
Belize: English-Speaking Ease
On the Caribbean coast of Central America, Belize glows with a languid rhythm that feels timeless. English is the official language, and the legal system runs on British common law. For expats, that clarity is gold. Property ownership is straightforward, residency is attainable, and the tax environment remains light and transparent.
Yet what draws people to Belize isn’t only its policies—it’s its pulse. Life happens at a human tempo. Morning markets brim with conversation. Neighbors gather on porches, not behind gates. Even the country’s quirks—a slow internet connection, an erratic bus schedule—become part of its charm.
The government’s Qualified Retired Persons program has made relocation simple for foreigners with modest income, but many stay because of something deeper. Belize teaches presence. Its reefs, jungles, and small-town warmth offer a kind of uncomplicated contentment that’s almost extinct elsewhere.
It’s not perfect—few places are—but for those seeking freedom without pretense, Belize delivers.
Read more like this: 7 Great Reasons to Move to Belize
Bhutan: Contentment by Design
Tucked between India and China, Bhutan is a kingdom that measures wealth in happiness rather than currency. Gross National Happiness isn’t a slogan—it’s a governing philosophy rooted in Buddhist principles of balance and compassion.
Bhutan guards its identity fiercely. Tourism is limited through high daily fees that fund sustainability and cultural preservation. Forests are protected by law, the carbon footprint is negative, and education and healthcare are free. There’s pride in this intentional simplicity—a refusal to let modernity erase meaning.
For expats and nomads, life here is immersive and introspective. The pace is slow, the connection to nature profound. It’s a place that asks not what you earn, but how you live. To experience Bhutan is to understand the quiet power of restraint.
Uruguay: Latin America’s Model Citizen
Wedged between Argentina and Brazil, Uruguay has long been the quiet success story of Latin America. Its democracy functions with enviable transparency, its crime rate is low, and its citizens enjoy universal healthcare, free education, and one of the highest literacy rates in the hemisphere.
Montevideo is often described as a city of calm competence. Cafés open late, the sea is always within reach, and the country’s politics are defined by moderation rather than ideology. Foreign investors appreciate Uruguay’s territorial tax model, which exempts most foreign-sourced income. Residents appreciate the civility that seems to govern daily life.
There’s no frenzy here, no constant reinvention. Uruguay is proof that progress doesn’t have to come at the expense of peace. For many expats, that’s the ultimate luxury.
Comoros: The Forgotten Islands
Scattered like emeralds in the Indian Ocean, the Comoros Islands remain one of Africa’s most underrated countries to visit. With a population of less than a million, they offer pristine beaches, volcanic landscapes, and a cultural blend of Arab, African, and French influences.
Comoros is raw, unpolished, and utterly captivating. Infrastructure is limited, bureaucracy can be opaque, and yet life here has an authenticity that money can’t buy. It’s a nation still defining itself—a place where modernity meets memory in unpredictable ways.
For expats and investors, Comoros offers frontier potential. Tourism remains underdeveloped, but opportunities exist in sustainable development and eco-hospitality. It’s not for everyone, but those who embrace imperfection often find themselves profoundly changed by it. Sometimes, smallness isn’t a limitation. It’s an invitation—to contribute, to shape, to belong.
Liechtenstein: The Engine of Precision
Between Austria and Switzerland lies a country that seems more concept than place. Liechtenstein has no airport, no coastline, and fewer residents than a Barcelona district—yet it’s one of the wealthiest nations on Earth.
Its success comes from a meticulous blend of innovation and discretion. Precision manufacturing, finance, and family-run enterprises form its backbone. Governance is lean, education is world-class, and community trust runs deep. There’s no opulence here, just efficiency and elegance.
For residents, daily life feels effortlessly ordered. Trails weave through alpine forests, while the capital, Vaduz, maintains a rhythm that’s calm but purposeful. It’s a society where excellence feels ordinary—and where smallness is synonymous with sophistication.
Andorra: A Mountain Refuge
Nestled in the Pyrenees between France and Spain, Andorra has long been Europe’s hidden refuge. Its dramatic landscapes of snow and stone have given rise to a culture that values independence and resilience.
With one of the highest life expectancies in the world and a tax system designed for simplicity, Andorra attracts entrepreneurs, retirees, and digital professionals who crave both stability and scenery. Residency is attainable through investment or financial solvency, and the cost of living remains modest compared to neighboring nations.
Life here is shaped by the mountains. Winters are devoted to skiing, summers to hiking and slow living. Despite its size, Andorra feels expansive—proof that geography doesn’t define possibility.
Read more like this: Top 10 Things to Know before Moving in France
Seychelles: Serenity with Sovereignty
Far out in the Indian Ocean, Seychelles offers a vision of tropical life that goes beyond beaches. It’s a stable democracy, a financial hub for responsible offshore banking, and one of Africa’s most progressive nations in conservation and human rights.
The archipelago’s small population has created a deeply interconnected society—one where environmental stewardship isn’t just policy but personal pride. Around 40% of its land is protected nature reserve, and the government has prioritized renewable energy and marine preservation. For those seeking an offshore home with both beauty and integrity, Seychelles offers a rare balance. It’s not just about living near the sea, but living in harmony with it.
Vanuatu: The Edge of the Pacific
Southwest of Fiji, the island nation of Vanuatu feels like a place time misplaced. Its villages are bound by tradition, yet its policies are surprisingly modern. Vanuatu offers one of the fastest citizenship-by-investment programs in the world, allowing investors to gain a second passport within months.
Beyond its practical advantages lies something more elemental—a life stripped of clutter. Islanders live close to the land, and the rhythm of daily life feels anchored in authenticity. The beaches are luminous, the markets vivid, and the sense of safety profound. Vanuatu’s charm lies in its disinterest in perfection. It welcomes those who value freedom over formality.
The Grace of Scale
Across these underrated countries to visit, a pattern emerges. Small countries function differently not because they are exceptions, but because they are focused. They don’t need to assert dominance or chase global relevance. They concentrate on coherence—on the idea that a country, like a person, is strongest when it knows who it is.
For expats, these microstates embody something deeper than opportunity. They represent clarity: the ability to live where quality of life isn’t lost to scale. Their economies may be small, but their resilience is vast. Their governance may be modest, but their vision is enduring. Underrated Countries to visit teach the value of proportion—the art of balancing progress with preservation. They remind us that simplicity isn’t regression; it’s refinement.
The Underrated Countries to Visit: Why They Matter Now
In an increasingly uncertain world, the most underrated countries stand as sanctuaries of stability. They’re less burdened by bureaucracy, less fractured by polarization, and more capable of adapting quickly to global shifts.
For expats and investors, this agility has become invaluable. It’s why nations like Andorra and Panama attract entrepreneurs seeking regulatory clarity, and why Bhutan and Seychelles draw those yearning for a gentler moral compass.
Read more like this: A Magical Life in Panama
Most of the underrated countries to visit don’t chase globalization; they curate it. They choose what to let in and what to protect. That discernment—so rare in the modern age—has become their quiet superpower.
The Measure of Smallness
To live in one of the world’s most underrated countries to visit is to live in focus. You see the mountains every day. You know the names of the people who grow your food and teach your children. You witness how governance and community intertwine.
For those who have lived their lives in sprawling metropolises, it can feel revelatory. You begin to understand that freedom isn’t found in anonymity, but in recognition—that the truest wealth lies in time, space, and peace of mind.
The world’s most underrated countries to visit may not dominate the news, but they quietly master the art of balance. They show that greatness isn’t measured in borders or economies, but in how gracefully a nation serves its people.
For expats, they’re not just underrated countries to visit – they’re reminders of what the world can still be when humanity takes precedence over scale. Sometimes, the smallest countries hold the largest lives.
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Isha Sesay is Escape Artist’s Editor-in-Chief. Born in London, she has spent the past decade living and working across the globe, and now calls Spain home.
