Denmark and Iceland

The smallest US state, Rhode Island (1,212 square miles), has a larger population than the largest US state, Alaska (663,300 square miles), with 1.055 million residents vs. 736,732.

The thistle is the emblem of Scotland as a barefoot viking raider cried out in pain as he stood on one, alerting the Scottish army encampment that the Norse army were sneaking up on.