# If you had to pick a small country to live in {Small for this thread is less than 3 million people} **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 27, 2023, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170 "2023-06-27T13:00:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/121 "2023-07-17T18:18:07Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Be aware of (most of) the German tourists. Mallorca is jokingly called Germany’s 17th federal state, and we don’t send our best there, in fact most of them just drink and go wild to trashy music in beer halls and generally annoy the natives and other tourists. Then Menorca must be safe! What do they have… oh… drunken _British_ tourists. While we’re on the subject of European islands who aren’t countries but have some degree of autonomy, the Azores are lovely. Lots of Azoreans in the SF Bay, not much in the way of jobs and such there, but very pretty. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/122 "2023-07-17T18:18:58Z")
I don’t know how naturalization works, but people from there may choose British, Irish, or both citizenships. One of those options only required an oath to the king in the 1920s and 1930s but no longer, there was a whole civil war over the oath and everything. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/123 "2023-07-17T20:47:24Z")
Right. Ireland is literally just across the river from our home town. If i had my druthers i’d just go be a citizen there. But Ireland has too many people to fit the OP. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/124 "2023-07-18T08:00:11Z")
That’s a good point actually, I’m not sure what the rules are for NI, wouldn’t surprise me if they were quite different ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/125 "2023-07-18T10:58:54Z")
Malta is in many ways a great choice for a Med-climate loving English speaker, but as well as the possible excess of British tourists mentioned above, it is pretty corrupt, in a “journalists investigating said corruption die in car-bombs” kind of way. Cyprus similarly has a lot of banks with Russian clients. Aside from any moral qualms, long-term stability is not guaranteed. I really liked Slovenia on my one visit - a very compact country which offers limpid Alpine lakes, vineyards and an Aegean coast, an historic capital, all mod-cons etc. I’d also be quite happy in the Baltics, with only mild geopolitical concerns. Luxembourg I have an irrational aversion to for some reason - I think because I have a mental image of it as a tax haven full of obnoxious bankers, but I don’t know how true that is. From what I have seen of Iceland on TV, I would find the scenery impressive on a holiday but depressingly bleak if I lived there. I’m another one who wants to stay out the tropics, which rules out most of the other options. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/126 "2023-07-18T12:43:39Z")
> [@Stanislaus](#): > > Luxembourg I have an irrational aversion to for some reason - I think because I have a mental image of it as a tax haven full of obnoxious bankers, but I don’t know how true that is. Terrain wise it’s mostly farm country and forest. I’m looking out my window right now at a field of cows. There are obnoxious bankers but they’re confined to the city (or commute in from neighboring France or Germany). I love living here. I would certainly recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![UDS1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47774/32.png) [@UDS1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS1)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/127 "2023-07-18T16:47:59Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > That’s a good point actually, I’m not sure what the rules are for NI, wouldn’t surprise me if they were quite different If you have a parent or grandparent born in any part of Ireland - NI or the Republic - you can obtain citizenship of Ireland (the republic) and this will enable you to settle in Ireland or in any part of the UK (including Northern Ireland) if you wish. Or, indeed, anywhere in the EU. If you have a parent, but not a grandparent, born in NI you can alternatively (or also, if you wish) apply for British citizenship, and this will enable you to settle in the UK or in Ireland (the republic) but not elsewhere in the EU. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/128 "2023-07-18T19:34:15Z")
Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) is a tiny monarchy, land-locked between South Africa and Mozambique. It is corrupt, under-developed, impoverished and in thrall to RSA, but wow, it is beautiful. My plan is to return to Zimbabwe for my retirement, which does not meet the criteria, but Eswatini or Lesotho both do. I’d be happy in either, corruption, incompetance and poor government be damned! ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/129 "2023-07-19T07:47:58Z")
> [@UDS1](#): > > If you have a parent or grandparent born in any part of Ireland - NI or the Republic - you can obtain citizenship of Ireland (the republic) and this will enable you to settle in Ireland or in any part of the UK (including Northern Ireland) if you wish. Or, indeed, anywhere in the EU. > > If you have a parent, but not a grandparent, born in NI you can alternatively (or also, if you wish) apply for British citizenship, and this will enable you to settle in the UK or in Ireland (the republic) but not elsewhere in the EU. So to avoid taking an oath to the King, you need to opt for Irish citizenship? No get out for British citizenship? Is that what you’re saying? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/130 "2023-07-19T08:11:44Z")
They are off on a tangent now. That gets you Irish citizenship which, as i’ve stated, is too big to fit the OP. ---
**Author:** ![UDS1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47774/32.png) [@UDS1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS1)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/131 "2023-07-19T08:48:44Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > So to avoid taking an oath to the King, you need to opt for Irish citizenship? No get out for British citizenship? Is that what you’re saying? Irish citizenship and UK citizenship are independent statuses. Depending on your circumstances you may be eligible for one, the other, both or neither. You can’t choose between them unless you are eligible for both and, even then, you don’t _have_ to choose between them — there’s nothing to stop you being both an Irish and a UK citizen. If you are eligible for both and you want one but only one, your choice between them might be influenced by the consideration that taking UK citizenship will require an oath of allegiance to the Crown, while talking Irish citizenship will require a declaration of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State. On the other hand, it might be influenced by other considerations which carry greater weight with you such as, e.g, the different fees involved, or which application will be processed more quickly. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/132 "2023-07-19T15:03:35Z")
> [@UDS1](#): > > Irish citizenship and UK citizenship are independent statuses. Well yes, obviously. But we know the rules are different in NI - if you’re born there you can opt for either or both, but I’m not so sure about people who move there and take citizenship. TrueCelt was interested in NI, but not in oath taking, so the question is - could they opt for Irish citizenship in order to stay in NI, or are they confined to British because they aren’t born there? ---
**Author:** ![UDS1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47774/32.png) [@UDS1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS1)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/133 "2023-07-20T01:21:34Z")
Oh, right, I get you. No, you can acquire Irish citizenship by birth in NI or by descent from someone born in NI, but simple residence in NI, even long residence, will not qualify you to be naturalised as an Irish citizen; only residence in the Republic will do that. However if (a) TruCelt moves to NI and (b) marries an Irish citizen (of which there is no shortage in NI) then residence in NI will count towards satisfying the conditions of naturalisation on the basis of marriage plus residence. But if TruCelt doesn’t marry an Irish citizen, then a sufficient period of residence in NI (with the appropiate migration status under UK law) will entitle them to apply for UK citizenship, but not for Irish citizenship. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/134 "2023-07-20T02:38:42Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Iceland first choice, Estonia second. I would be close-luxembourg, then Iceland then Estonia. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/135 "2023-07-20T18:37:09Z")
Probably bigger language barrier issue than Luxembourg! Just kidding. Mostly. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/136 "2023-09-06T16:20:11Z")
> [@motu](#): > > The [Faroe Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faroe_Islands) have not been mentioned. Though some would object to their dolphin and whale hunting. Their underwater roundabout is pretty amazing, > **[World first under sea roundabout](https://visitfaroeislands.com/en/see-do/culture-attractions0/world-first-under-sea-roundabout)** > > THE NEW GIANT UNDERWATER “JELLYFISH” ROUNDABOUT HAS BECOME THE LATEST FAROE ISLANDS TOURIST ATTRACTION ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/137 "2023-09-06T17:03:20Z")
In 2005, we booked a discount Easter holiday to Mallorca. We were asked whether we wanted to stay at the beach or the town. We chose beach. Turned out that beach meant German and town meant English. At one point, we were in a bar where the waitress asked for our order in German. I replied in Spanish, telling her I didn’t speak German other than I didn’t know the Spanish word for German. The waitress asked why we were in the bar as it had a famous German DJ. We just had a quick drink and moved on. A couple of years later, I talked about Mallorca with a German work colleague and mentioned this experience. He asked me what pylon this was near. (I think we were at 17, but it was a long time ago. The pylons are numbered streetlights/obelisks on the promenade.) My colleague knew who the DJ was. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/138 "2023-09-06T17:25:30Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > A couple of years later, I talked about Mallorca with a German work colleague and mentioned this experience. He asked me what pylon this was near. (I think we were at 17, but it was a long time ago. The pylons are numbered streetlights/obelisks on the promenade.) My colleague knew who the DJ was. Ballermann 6 (Balneario No. 6) is the most (in)famous and worst beach section to be at Mallorca. I’ve never been to the island myself (thank god), but “Ballermann” has become proverbial in German, in expressions like “Ballermanntourismus”, which stands for a general form of tourism that only consists of partying and drinking, not only in Mallorca. The term “Ballermann” is derived from the slang expression “sich einen ballern” (to get hammered). Sorry, only German wiki link: > **[Ballermann 6](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballermann_6)** > > Ballermann 6 (Verballhornung von Balneario Nº 6, seit 2017 offiziell Beach Club Six) ist ein Strandlokal an der Platja de Palma auf der spanischen Baleareninsel Mallorca. Es liegt im Ortsteil Ses Cadenes in S’Arenal in der Nähe der Inselhauptstadt Palma. Der Begriff Ballermann (seit 2004 im Duden) steht für eine Gegend mit Alkohol- und Partytourismus, die insbesondere in der Schinkenstraße und in Lokalen wie Mega-Park, Bierkönig und Oberbayern gepflegt wird. Die dort entstandene Ballermann-Mus 19... ETA: there are also some other exclusive localities in the vicinity of Ballermann like Schinkenstraße (ham street) and Bierkönig (Beer King)…You get the picture. ---
**Author:** ![3AxisCtrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/ecd19e/32.png) [@3AxisCtrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3AxisCtrl)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/139 "2023-09-06T22:07:53Z")
Are the folks favoring Iceland planning to spend the winter there? Expect 3.5 months per year of less that 8 hours of sunlight per day - 2 months with less than 6 hours / day. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170/140 "2023-09-11T15:27:28Z")
I would invest in really powerful imitation sunlight in a room. But yes. My biggest concern with Iceland is that “global warming” might disrupt the gulf stream and leave it really cold. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-a-small-country-to-live-in-small-for-this-thread-is-less-than-3-million-people/986170.md?page=8)