Facts on 10 smallest World Cup minnows – from Scotland to 1 that has inhabitants of Telford
Footie’s biggest tournament has kicked off with an incredible 48 nations taking part. That means plenty of smaller teams competing, as well as the usual giants – some of them for the first time.
But how much do you know about this year’s World Cup minnows? Here Meg Jorsh gives you the facts…
Curaçao – population 156,000
The tiniest country taking part, Curaçao has roughly the same population as Telford. But unlike the Shropshire town, it’s a sun-soaked Caribbean island, known around the world for its bitter, orange-based liqueur. It’s technically part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Cape Verde – population 530,000
About the size of Leeds, Cape Verde is made up of 10 islands off the coast of West Africa. They boast three volcanoes between them, but only one – Fogo – is still active, having last erupted in 2014.
Qatar – population 3.1million
What it lacks in size, Qatar makes up for in spending power, thanks to its massive reserves of natural oil and gas. In the capital city of Doha, men outnumber women three to one.
Uruguay – population 3.4million
The second smallest country in South America, Uruguay has still won the World Cup twice – once in 1930, when it hosted the first tournament, and again in 1950.
It also has the world’s longest anthem, with an impressive 11 verses.
Croatia – population 3.8million
Croatia, on the border of central and southeastern Europe, gave us the necktie, the Dalmatian dog and inventor Nikola Tesla. It has more than 1,100 miles of coastline and 1,200 islands, just 48 of which are inhabited.
Panama – population 4.5million
A central American nation, it’s best known for the Panama Canal. This 51-mile engineering marvel, which connects the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, reshaped global trade when it opened in 1914. The Panama hat is actually from Ecuador.
New Zealand – population 5.2million
The country, in the Pacific Ocean, is made up of two main landmasses and more than 600 smaller islands.
Its indigenous Māori name is Aotearoa, which translates as “land of the long white cloud.”
Scotland – population 5.5million
It may not be a minnow in spirit, but Scotland is still one of the smallest places taking part.
It played in the first ever international football match, against England in 1872, resulting in a 0-0 draw.
Norway – population 5.6million
This Nordic region, on the Scandinavian peninsular, gave us the cheese slicer, the aerosol spray can and the paperclip. It also has the only national team never to have lost to Brazil.
Paraguay – population 6.9million
Landlocked Paraguay, in South America, is home to one of the world’s largest underground reservoirs.
It’s said the 460,000 square mile Guarani Aquifer could supply the whole planet with fresh drinking water for around 200 years.
