The world is rich with countries that have diverse cultures, landscapes, and histories. In this article, we focus on countries that start with the letter S. From the savannahs of South Africa to the historic cities of Spain, each of these twenty-four countries offers a unique experience for travelers and enthusiasts. Discover the unique aspects of these destinations and be inspired by their beauty and diversity.
Capital: Basseterre
Population: Approximately 53,000
Official Language: English
Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Area: 261 km²
Average Temperature: 26°C (79°F)
Export Products: Machinery, electronics, beverages, tobacco
Most Common Religion: Christianity (Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic)
Main Sports: Cricket, soccer, track and field
Main Attractions: Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, Nevis Peak, beaches
Natural Features: Volcanic islands, tropical forests, coral reefs
Capital: Castries
Population: Approximately 183,000
Official Language: English
Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Area: 617 km²
Average Temperature: 27°C (81°F)
Export Products: Bananas, clothing, cocoa, vegetables
Most Common Religion: Christianity (Roman Catholicism)
Main Sports: Cricket, soccer, track and field
Main Attractions: The Pitons, Sulphur Springs, Pigeon Island National Park
Natural Features: Volcanic mountains, rainforests, beaches
Capital: Apia
Population: Approximately 200,000
Official Languages: Samoan and English
Currency: Samoan tālā (WST)
Area: 2,842 km²
Average Temperature: 26°C (79°F)
Export Products: Fish, coconut oil, nonu fruit juice, taro
Most Common Religion: Christianity (various denominations)
Main Sports: Rugby, soccer, cricket
Main Attractions: To-Sua Ocean Trench, Lalomanu Beach, Papaseea Sliding Rocks
Natural Features: Tropical islands, volcanic landscapes, coral reefs
Capital: San Marino
Population: Approximately 34,000
Official Language: Italian
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Area: 61 km²
Average Temperature: 16°C (61°F)
Export Products: Ceramics, clothing, wine, stamps
Most Common Religion: Roman Catholicism
Main Sports: Soccer, motorsports
Main Attractions: Three Towers of San Marino, Palazzo Pubblico, Mount Titano
Natural Features: Apennine mountain range, rolling hills
Capital: São Tomé
Population: Approximately 220,000
Official Language: Portuguese
Currency: Dobra (STN)
Area: 964 km²
Average Temperature: 27°C (81°F)
Export Products: Cocoa, coffee, palm oil
Most Common Religion: Christianity (Roman Catholicism and Protestantism)
Main Sports: Soccer
Main Attractions: Obo National Park, Pico Cão Grande, beaches
Natural Features: Volcanic islands, rainforests, biodiversity
Capital: Riyadh
Population: Approximately 35 million
Official Language: Arabic
Currency: Saudi riyal (SAR)
Area: 2,149,690 km²
Average Temperature: 30°C (86°F)
Export Products: Petroleum, petroleum products, chemicals
Most Common Religion: Islam (Sunni)
Main Sports: Soccer, camel racing
Main Attractions: Mecca, Medina, Al Ula, Riyadh’s Kingdom Centre
Natural Features: Deserts, mountains, Red Sea coastline
Capital: Dakar
Population: Approximately 17 million
Official Language: French
Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF)
Area: 196,722 km²
Average Temperature: 27°C (81°F)
Export Products: Fish, groundnuts, gold, phosphates
Most Common Religion: Islam (Sunni)
Main Sports: Soccer, wrestling (Laamb)
Main Attractions: Goree Island, Lake Retba (Pink Lake), Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary
Natural Features: Atlantic coastline, savannas, rivers
Capital: Belgrade
Population: Approximately 7 million
Official Language: Serbian
Currency: Serbian dinar (RSD)
Area: 77,474 km²
Average Temperature: 12°C (54°F)
Export Products: Automobiles, electrical machinery, agricultural products
Most Common Religion: Serbian Orthodox Christianity
Main Sports: Soccer, basketball, tennis
Main Attractions: Belgrade Fortress, Novi Sad, Tara National Park
Natural Features: Mountains, rivers (Danube), plains
Capital: Victoria
Population: Approximately 98,000
Official Languages: Seychellois Creole, English, French
Currency: Seychellois rupee (SCR)
Area: 459 km²
Average Temperature: 27°C (81°F)
Export Products: Fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products
Most Common Religion: Christianity (Roman Catholicism)
Main Sports: Soccer, basketball
Main Attractions: Anse Source d’Argent beach, Morne Seychellois National Park, Aldabra Atoll
Natural Features: Tropical islands, coral reefs, granite formations
Capital: Freetown
Population: Approximately 8 million
Official Language: English
Currency: Sierra Leonean leone (SLE)
Area: 71,740 km²
Average Temperature: 26°C (79°F)
Export Products: Diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee
Most Common Religion: Islam (Sunni), with significant Christian minority
Main Sports: Soccer, basketball
Main Attractions: Tiwai Island, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, beaches
Natural Features: Tropical forests, mountains, coastline
Capital: Singapore (city-state)
Population: Approximately 5.7 million
Official Languages: English, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil
Currency: Singapore dollar (SGD)
Area: 728 km²
Average Temperature: 27°C (81°F)
Export Products: Electronics, chemicals, services, petroleum products
Most Common Religion: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism, Hinduism
Main Sports: Soccer, swimming, table tennis
Main Attractions: Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, Sentosa Island
Natural Features: Urban parks, nature reserves, tropical climate
Capital: Bratislava
Population: Approximately 5.5 million
Official Language: Slovak
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Area: 49,035 km²
Average Temperature: 9°C (48°F)
Export Products: Automobiles, machinery, electronics, metals
Most Common Religion: Roman Catholicism
Main Sports: Soccer, ice hockey, tennis
Main Attractions: High Tatras, Bratislava Castle, Spiš Castle
Natural Features: Mountains, caves, rivers
Capital: Ljubljana
Population: Approximately 2.1 million
Official Language: Slovene
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Area: 20,273 km²
Average Temperature: 9°C (48°F)
Export Products: Vehicles, machinery, pharmaceuticals, electronics
Most Common Religion: Roman Catholicism
Main Sports: Soccer, basketball, skiing
Main Attractions: Lake Bled, Postojna Cave, Triglav National Park
Natural Features: Alps, karst caves, lakes
Capital: Honiara
Population: Approximately 700,000
Official Language: English
Currency: Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
Area: 28,400 km²
Average Temperature: 27°C (81°F)
Export Products: Timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa
Most Common Religion: Christianity (Anglican, Catholic, other Protestant denominations)
Main Sports: Soccer, rugby
Main Attractions: WWII relics, Marovo Lagoon, diving sites
Natural Features: Tropical islands, rainforests, coral reefs
Capital: Mogadishu
Population: Approximately 16 million
Official Languages: Somali and Arabic
Currency: Somali shilling (SOS)
Area: 637,657 km²
Average Temperature: 28°C (82°F)
Export Products: Livestock, bananas, fish, charcoal
Most Common Religion: Islam (Sunni)
Main Sports: Soccer, basketball
Main Attractions: Laas Geel rock paintings, beaches
Natural Features: Coastline, deserts, mountains
Capital: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)
Population: Approximately 60 million
Official Languages: 11 official languages, including Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, English
Currency: South African rand (ZAR)
Area: 1,221,037 km²
Average Temperature: 17°C (63°F)
Export Products: Gold, diamonds, platinum, machinery
Most Common Religion: Christianity
Main Sports: Soccer, rugby, cricket
Main Attractions: Kruger National Park, Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope
Natural Features: Savannas, mountains, coastlines
Capital: Seoul
Population: Approximately 51 million
Official Language: Korean
Currency: South Korean won (KRW)
Area: 100,210 km²
Average Temperature: 12°C (54°F)
Export Products: Electronics, automobiles, machinery, petrochemicals
Most Common Religion: No dominant religion; mix of Buddhism, Christianity, and Confucianism
Main Sports: Soccer, baseball, archery
Main Attractions: Gyeongbokgung Palace, Jeju Island, N Seoul Tower
Natural Features: Mountains, coastlines, islands
Capital: Juba
Population: Approximately 11 million
Official Language: English
Currency: South Sudanese pound (SSP)
Area: 619,745 km²
Average Temperature: 27°C (81°F)
Export Products: Oil
Most Common Religion: Christianity and traditional beliefs
Main Sports: Basketball, soccer
Main Attractions: Boma National Park, Sudd wetlands
Natural Features: Swamps, savannas, Nile River
Capital: Madrid
Population: Approximately 47 million
Official Language: Spanish
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Area: 505,990 km²
Average Temperature: 15°C (59°F)
Export Products: Machinery, vehicles, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals
Most Common Religion: Roman Catholicism
Main Sports: Soccer, basketball, tennis
Main Attractions: Sagrada Familia, Alhambra, Prado Museum
Natural Features: Beaches, mountains (Pyrenees, Sierra Nevada), plains
Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (administrative), Colombo (commercial)
Population: Approximately 21 million
Official Languages: Sinhala and Tamil
Currency: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Area: 65,610 km²
Average Temperature: 27°C (81°F)
Export Products: Textiles, tea, spices, rubber
Most Common Religion: Buddhism (Theravada)
Main Sports: Cricket, rugby, soccer
Main Attractions: Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Temple of the Tooth, beaches
Natural Features: Tropical forests, beaches, highlands
Capital: Khartoum
Population: Approximately 43 million
Official Languages: Arabic and English
Currency: Sudanese pound (SDG)
Area: 1,861,484 km²
Average Temperature: 29°C (84°F)
Export Products: Gold, oil, agricultural products
Most Common Religion: Islam (Sunni)
Main Sports: Soccer, athletics
Main Attractions: Pyramids of Meroe, Dinder National Park, Nile River
Natural Features: Deserts, Nile River, mountains
Capital: Paramaribo
Population: Approximately 600,000
Official Language: Dutch
Currency: Surinamese dollar (SRD)
Area: 163,820 km²
Average Temperature: 27°C (81°F)
Export Products: Gold, oil, alumina, lumber
Most Common Religion: Christianity, Hinduism, Islam
Main Sports: Soccer, basketball, cricket
Main Attractions: Central Suriname Nature Reserve, Brownsberg Nature Park, historic Paramaribo
Natural Features: Rainforests, rivers, savannas
Capital: Stockholm
Population: Approximately 10 million
Official Language: Swedish
Currency: Swedish krona (SEK)
Area: 450,295 km²
Average Temperature: 6°C (43°F)
Export Products: Machinery, vehicles, paper products, iron and steel
Most Common Religion: Christianity (Lutheran)
Main Sports: Soccer, ice hockey, skiing
Main Attractions: Vasa Museum, Stockholm’s Old Town, Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi
Natural Features: Forests, lakes, archipelagos
Capital: Bern
Population: Approximately 8.6 million
Official Languages: German, French, Italian, Romansh
Currency: Swiss franc (CHF)
Area: 41,285 km²
Average Temperature: 8°C (46°F)
Export Products: Machinery, chemicals, watches, precision instruments
Most Common Religion: Christianity (Roman Catholicism and Protestantism)
Main Sports: Soccer, skiing, ice hockey
Main Attractions: Matterhorn, Lake Geneva, Jungfraujoch
Natural Features: Alps, lakes, forests
Capital: Damascus
Population: Approximately 17 million
Official Language: Arabic
Currency: Syrian pound (SYP)
Area: 185,180 km²
Average Temperature: 18°C (64°F)
Export Products: Oil, minerals, agricultural products
Most Common Religion: Islam (Sunni majority, Shia minority), Christianity
Main Sports: Soccer, basketball
Main Attractions: Ancient city of Palmyra, Krak des Chevaliers, Umayyad Mosque
Natural Features: Deserts, Mediterranean coastline, mountains
Whether you’re a passionate traveler or simply looking to expand your geographical knowledge, these countries that start with the letter S offer a wealth of experiences and discoveries. They represent a mix of cultures, climates, and landscapes that highlight the diversity of our world. Consider adding one of these fascinating destinations to your next travel plans and immerse yourself in all they have to offer.