The smallest prime number is 2.
A prime number is defined as a natural number greater than 1 that cannot be formed by multiplying two smaller natural numbers. In simpler terms, a prime number is a number that has exactly two distinct positive divisors: 1 and itself.
The number 2 fits this definition because its only divisors are 1 and 2. It is also the only even prime number; all other even numbers can be divided by 2, thus having more than two divisors. This uniqueness makes 2 a significant number in the realm of mathematics.