Places

San Marino [.sm]

Independent since AD301, population 30000, total land mass 61km. Completely surrounded by Italy, in north. Reach it up cable car.

• The San Marino web site

Andorra [.ad]

Tiny, between France and Spain, in Pyrenees. Lots of skiing. In summer, good hiking. Population 64,000, speak Catalan and French. Village festivals between July and September. Hamlet of Llorts set amids tobacco fields, untouched and beautiful for hiking. Hang-gliders.

• Government
• Britannica
• Lonely Planet
• Statistics
• History

Moldova [.md]

Near Romania. First ruled by Dragos 1351-1353, Sas son of Dragos 1354-1358, Balc son of Sas 1359. Became independent from USSR in 1991.

• Rulers
• Britannica
• Other encyclopedia

Kiribati [.ki]

Pronounced 'Kiribas, means "smell of the sea", formerly 'Gilbert Islands', on International Date Line and equator, in central Pacific ocean. Population 70,000. Consists of 33 coral atoll islands. Part of commonwealth. No tourism, no history, no facilities. Canoe-building. English widely understood in the capital; less so in outer islands. Includes Christmas island. Catholic.

• "Casual tourists or those stranded there by airline foul-ups generally don't like the place. Serious travellers and adventurers (in the best sense of the word) love it. These pages will, I hope, show why."
• Political systems
• Travel information

Cocos (Keeling) Islands [.cc]

In Indian Ocean, administered by Australia, population 700, speak English. Discovered by William Keeling of East India company. Copra is chief product.

• Main tourism site
• Cocoloco island resort
• Brief history

Niue [.nu]

Population 1800 (smallest self-governing state in word), associated with New Zealand, near Fiji and Tonga to east of Australia, speak English. Walking, biking, fishing, diving, wonderful caveing (although must get guide or advice so as not to stumble into the 'taboo' burial caves). Flights from new Zealand and Honolulu.

• Local tourism information
• Britannica
• "What To Do On Niue", from Excite
• Travel and tourism
• Diving in Niue
• More travel and tourism

Antigua and Barbuda [.ag]

In Caribbean, near Dominica, Martinique. Partly adminstered by Britain. Millionaire tourists and backpackers and packages. Also cricket. Near Monserrat.

• Tourist guide
• Britannica

Aruba [.aw]

Small island north of Venezuela, east of Colombia, right next to Curacao. Capital Oranjestad. Part of the Netherland Antilles, with Spanish colonial past. Largest exported of Aloe Vera. Tourism employs half the island's population. Mainly packaged holidays and cruise ships. Cactuses.

• Official tourism website