Countries With the Fastest Decline in Surface area (5-Year Change)
Change in Surface area over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that fell are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Tuvalu fell the most: by 13.3%, from 30 km² to 26 km² in the five years to 2024. Solomon Islands is second (−1.56%), followed by Malta (−1.52%). 32 countries fell over that period; the median change among them was −0.097%.
- #1
- Tuvalu · −13.3%
- Median
- −0.097%
- Coverage
- 32 countries
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tuvalu | 30 | 26 | −13.3% |
| 2 | Solomon Islands | 28,896 | 28,446 | −1.56% |
| 3 | Malta | 320 | 315.2 | −1.52% |
| 4 | Northern Mariana Islands | 460 | 457 | −0.652% |
| 5 | Seychelles | 460 | 457 | −0.652% |
| 6 | St. Lucia | 620 | 616 | −0.645% |
| 7 | Virgin Islands (US) | 350 | 348 | −0.571% |
| 8 | American Samoa | 200 | 199 | −0.5% |
| 9 | Andorra | 470 | 468 | −0.426% |
| 10 | Mexico | 1,964,400 | 1,957,200 | −0.367% |
| 11 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 390 | 389 | −0.256% |
| 12 | Tanzania | 947,300 | 945,500 | −0.19% |
| 13 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 950 | 948.2 | −0.186% |
| 14 | Tonga | 750 | 749 | −0.133% |
| 15 | Norway | 625,220 | 624,500 | −0.115% |
| 16 | Colombia | 1,141,800 | 1,140,600 | −0.105% |
| 17 | Chile | 757,240 | 756,560 | −0.09% |
| 18 | Brazil | 8,515,800 | 8,510,400 | −0.063% |
| 19 | Canada | 15,641,000 | 15,634,000 | −0.045% |
| 20 | Gambia, The | 11,300 | 11,295 | −0.044% |
| 21 | Trinidad and Tobago | 5,130 | 5,128 | −0.039% |
| 22 | New Caledonia | 18,580 | 18,576 | −0.022% |
| 23 | Belize | 22,970 | 22,966 | −0.017% |
| 24 | Bahamas, The | 13,880 | 13,878 | −0.014% |
| 25 | Guinea-Bissau | 36,130 | 36,125 | −0.014% |
| 26 | Togo | 56,790 | 56,785 | −0.0088% |
| 27 | Eritrea | 121,640 | 121,630 | −0.0082% |
| 28 | Vanuatu | 12,190 | 12,189 | −0.0082% |
| 29 | Latvia | 64,594 | 64,590 | −0.0062% |
| 30 | Croatia | 88,073 | 88,070 | −0.0034% |
| 31 | Moldova | 33,850 | 33,849 | −0.003% |
| 32 | Myanmar | 676,590 | 676,580 | −0.0015% |
About the top 10
#1 Tuvalu
Tuvalu ranks #1 on this list with −13.3%.
- Capital
- Funafuti
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 9,492 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$57.35 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,041 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in agricultural land share · #1 in health expenditure share of gdp · #1 in literacy rate.
#2 Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands ranks #2 on this list with −1.56%.
- Capital
- Honiara
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 838,650 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.75 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,086 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 70.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 31.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in forest rents share of gdp · #2 in female labour force participation · #3 in labour force participation rate.
#3 Malta
Malta ranks #3 on this list with −1.52%.
- Capital
- Valletta
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 579,700 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$27.77 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$47,907 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #4 in access to sanitation · #6 in trade share of gdp · #6 in irrigated land share.
#4 Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands ranks #4 on this list with −0.652%.
- Capital
- Saipan
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 43,541 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.1 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$23,786 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 78.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 92.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in gdp growth rate · #12 in male population share · #16 in protected marine area share.
#5 Seychelles
Seychelles ranks #5 on this list with −0.652%.
- Capital
- Victoria
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 122,730 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.39 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,449 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in protected terrestrial area share · #3 in physicians per 1,000 · #8 in male population share.
#6 St. Lucia
St. Lucia ranks #6 on this list with −0.645%.
- Capital
- Castries
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 180,150 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.66 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,746 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 29.1% of population (2025)
Also ranks #9 in homicide rate · #9 in immunisation (dpt) rate · #13 in population ages 15-64 share.
#7 Virgin Islands (US)
Virgin Islands (US) ranks #7 on this list with −0.571%.
- Capital
- Charlotte Amalie
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 103,790 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$4.67 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$44,321 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 80.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in age dependency ratio (old) · #8 in trade share of gdp · #13 in population ages 65+ share.
#8 American Samoa
American Samoa ranks #8 on this list with −0.5%.
- Capital
- Pago Pago
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 46,029 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$871 million (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$18,017 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 73 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 80.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in forest area share · #9 in voice and accountability score · #14 in homicide rate.
#9 Andorra
Andorra ranks #9 on this list with −0.426%.
- Capital
- Andorra la Vella
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 82,904 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$4.5 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$54,292 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 84.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 88.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in access to sanitation · #1 in access to clean cooking fuels · #3 in electricity access rate.
#10 Mexico
Mexico ranks #10 on this list with −0.367%.
- Capital
- Mexico City
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 131.95 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.83 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$13,889 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 75.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 80% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Mexico City, Mexico City, Tijuana.
Also ranks #2 in remittances received · #3 in tourism arrivals · #4 in external debt stocks.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Surface area over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that fell are listed.
Source: The World Bank, indicator AG.SRF.TOTL.K2. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Surface area (sq. km): FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.