10 Least Visited Countries in the World (and How to Visit Them)

By Cornelius Okechukwu · Last updated: October 2026 · 9-minute read

Tired of queues at the Colosseum? The least visited countries in the world welcome fewer tourists in a whole year than Paris does in an afternoon. Most are tiny Pacific island nations, a long way from anywhere, but a few are in Africa and Asia. This guide lists 10 of the least visited countries in the world that are safe to visit, how to get there and what you will find when you arrive.

Why are the least visited countries in the world so rarely visited?

UN Tourism (formerly the UNWTO) collects arrival figures from every country. At the bottom of the table are countries with only a few thousand international tourists a year, many of them business travellers, aid workers or returning family rather than holidaymakers. The main reasons are distance, few and expensive flights, limited hotels and, in some places, safety concerns. Figures for the smallest countries are often several years old, so treat the ranking as a guide rather than an exact count.

1. Tuvalu

Tuvalu is usually named first among the least visited countries in the world. Its nine coral islands have a population of about 11,000, and the capital, Funafuti, is so narrow you can see the lagoon and the ocean at the same time. Snorkel in the Funafuti Conservation Area, watch locals play sport on the runway when no planes are due, and learn how rising seas threaten one of the lowest-lying nations on Earth.

2. Kiribati

Kiribati is made up of 33 atolls spread over an ocean area larger than India. Its Line Islands are in the world's most advanced time zone (UTC+14), so they greet each new year first. Kiritimati (Christmas Island) is famous for world-class bonefishing and seabirds.

3. The Marshall Islands

The Marshall Islands are among the least visited countries in the world and a paradise for divers, with lagoons full of Second World War wrecks. Bikini Atoll, where the USA tested nuclear weapons, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's most unusual dive destinations. Most visitors stay in the capital, Majuro.

4. Naoero (Nauru)

Naoero, still widely known as Nauru, is so small you can drive around it in about 30 minutes. Phosphate mining shaped its landscape of limestone pinnacles in the interior, while its coast has quiet beaches and WWII relics. In 2026 it officially adopted the name Naoero; read more in countries that changed their names.

5. Federated States of Micronesia

Micronesia is home to Nan Madol, a ruined city of stone islets built in a lagoon off Pohnpei, and Chuuk Lagoon, one of the best wreck-diving sites on Earth. Yap is famous for its giant stone money discs.

6. Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands saw some of the fiercest fighting of the Pacific War, and wrecks and memorials remain around Honiara. Beyond the capital you will find lagoons, village stays and East Rennell, the largest raised coral atoll in the world.

7. Comoros

The Comoros are a volcanic archipelago with a Swahili-Arab culture, spice and perfume plantations and one of the world's largest active volcanoes, Mount Karthala. In 2026 its old sultanate towns became the country's first World Heritage Site, which may bring more visitors soon.

8. São Tomé and Príncipe

Africa's second-smallest country produces some of the world's finest cocoa. Stay in a restored colonial roça (plantation house), hike Obô National Park to the needle-shaped Pico Cão Grande and watch turtles nesting on the beaches between November and March.

9. Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste is one of the world's youngest countries, independent since 2002. The waters off Atauro Island have some of the most diverse reef fish ever recorded, and the cool mountains around Maubisse grow excellent coffee.

10. Djibouti

Djibouti feels like another planet: Lake Assal lies about 155 m below sea level and is saltier than the Dead Sea, while Lac Abbé is dotted with steaming limestone chimneys. From November to February, you can swim with whale sharks in the Gulf of Tadjoura.

Least visited countries in the world compared

Difficulty is our own rating, based on flight options and tourist infrastructure. Even the hardest of the least visited countries in the world can be reached with good planning.

Tips for visiting the least visited countries in the world

Sources:

• UN Tourism: Key tourism statistics
• CNN Travel: The world's least visited countries (UNWTO data)
• AeroRoutes: Fiji Airways Tuvalu service from December 2026
• Time Out: New World Heritage Sites of 2026
• ConstitutionNet: Nauru renamed Naoero (2026)