A microstate is a sovereign state which has a territory of less than 1,000 square kilometers. Of the ten smallest microstates in the world, five are in Europe. While microstates are often island states, the European microstates were usually created out of historical processes and may be seen as ties to past times. An earlier essay looked at Some Tidbits About Little Europe and readers pointed out other aspects of Little Europe. What follows is some additional information about Little Europe (that is, the microstates).
Size Comparison:
Listed below are the European microstates and their territorial size.
Holy See (Vatican City State): .44 square kilometers
Monaco: 2 square kilometers
San Marino: 61 square kilometers
Liechtenstein: 160 square kilometers
Malta: 316 square kilometers
Andorra: 468 square kilometers
Holy See (Vatican City):
Europe’s smallest microstate is the Holy See, commonly known as the Vatican City State. In terms of size it is .44 square kilometers, or less than three-fourths the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It has a population of 832.
The Holy See (Sancta Sedes) is the central government of the Catholic Church. Diplomatically the Holy See acts and speaks for the whole Roman Catholic Church and is recognized by international laws as a sovereign entity which is headed by the Pope. The Vatican City is viewed as the capital of the Holy See.
The C.I.A. World Factbook summarizes the history of the Vatican City State this way:
Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy.
Monaco:
One of the best-known European microstates is the Principality of Monaco, renowned for its casinos, its royalty, and as a movie backdrop. Monaco started as a fortress which was constructed in 1215. It was originally established as a colony of Genoa. The C.I.A. World Factbook summarizes the history of Monaco this way:
The current ruling Grimaldi family first seized temporary control in 1297, and again in 1331, but were not able to permanently secure their holding until 1419. Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation center.
Shown above is the casino.
Located on the Mediterranean coast, Monaco is a popular resort, tourists attracted to the country by its casino and its pleasant climate. Monaco does not have an income tax and serves as a tax haven for both individuals who have established residence and foreign companies who have set up offices in the country.
With a population of nearly 31,000, Monaco covers only 2 square kilometers. It is about three times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It is the second smallest independent state in the world.
Monaco has been a constitutional monarchy since 1911. With regard to more recent history, Monaco adopted a new constitution in 1962 which abolished capital punishment, provided for women’s suffrage, and established a supreme court to guarantee fundamental liberties. In 1993, Monaco joined the United Nations. In 2002, a new treaty between France and Monaco specified that, should there be no heirs to carry on the Grimaldi dynasty, the principality would still remain an independent nation.
The palace is shown above.
Malta:
The Republic of Malta is made up of an archipelago situated in the center of the Mediterranean. Malta includes 316 square kilometers and has a population of nearly 409,000. Being located in a strategic position in the Mediterranean, the islands have been governed by foreign powers which have included the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Fatimids, Sicilians, Knights of St. John, French, and finally, the British. The British granted Malta independence in 1964. Malta initially retained Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Malta and thus head of state. Malta became a republic in 1974 with the President as head of state.
With 98% of the population being Roman Catholic, Malta has a long Christian legacy, dating back to the time when St. Paul was shipwrecked on the island and preached to the inhabitants.
The official languages of Malta are Maltese and English. Maltese is a Semitic language descended from Siculo-Arabic. Maltese includes substantial borrowings from Sicilian and Italian. All of the population speaks Maltese, 88% also speak English, 66% speak Italian, and 17% speak French.
Life expectancy among the Maltese is 80 (77 for men, 82 for women).
While Malta is a tourist destination, it does face some problems. According to the C.I.A. World Factbook:
Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. Malta's geographic position between the EU and Africa makes it a target for illegal immigration, which has strained Malta's political and economic resources.
Liechtenstein:
In 1140, Liechtenstein Castle was established in Lower Austria. Over the next few centuries, the Liechtenstein dynasty acquired vast tracts of land. However, these lands were in fief for more senior feudal lords. Thus, the Liechtenstein dynasty was unable to qualify for a seat in the Reichstag (parliament). Eventually, the family was able to purchase the Herrschaft (“Lordship”) of Schellenberg in 1699 and the county of Vaduz in 1712. In 1719, Charles VI, the Holy Roman Emperor, declared that Vaduz and Schellenburg were united and elevated the new territory to the status of principality. The new principality was then named Liechtenstein in honor of Anton Florian of Liechtenstein. With this, Liechtenstein became a sovereign member state of the Holy Roman Empire. The Princes of Liechtenstein did not actually set foot in their new principality for over 120 years.
The Vaduz Castle is shown above.
Liechtenstein became a sovereign state in 1806 and joined the Germanic Confederation in 1815. Liechtenstein became fully independent in 1866 when the Confederation dissolved. In 1921 it became a constitutional monarchy which was headed by the reigning prince of the Princely House of Liechtenstein. A new constitution was adopted in 2003. The reigning prince is Liechtenstein’s head of state and represents the country in its international relations. The prince has the power to call referendums, propose new legislation, and dissolve parliament.
Liechtenstein encompasses 160 square kilometers. This means that it is almost the size of Washington, D.C. (it is .9 times the size). It has a population of 35,000. Life expectancy in Liechtenstein is 80 (77 for men and 84 for women). It is the only predominantly German-speaking country not to share a common border with Germany.