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There are five European microstates. In alphabetical order they are Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City. Just one question: is it really worth having such small areas of land as countries in their own right?
Vatican City
Let's start with Vatican City. It's the smallest officially recognised independent state in the world by both area and population. According to Wikipedia, its area is just 44 hectares (110 acres). That's equivalent to 0.44 square km (0.17 square miles) and its population is just over 800.
How can such an infinitesimal plot of land justify being a country in its own right? It's a mickey taker really, the joker in the pack. Vatican City must be smaller than some English villages (possibly even hamlets). It's certainly only a fraction the size of Alton Towers 800 acres (3.2 square km), and Thorpe Park 500 acres (2.0 square km). Although you have to pay to go in them they're not countries in their own right separate from the UK.
Being as Vatican City is situated in the heart of Rome, and thus surrounded by Rome, why not just make it part of Rome? I'm aware that Rome is divided into administrative areas called municipi (singular municipio). Why don't they just make Vatican a municipio of Rome?
Is it true that, as I've been led to believe, you don't need a passport to cross from Rome to Vatican City or vice versa? Someone told me that it's difficult to tell exactly where the border is even. Is that true?
Monaco
The second smallest country in the world. On Google Maps, you have to zoom in close to find it! According to Wikipedia, its area is 2.02 square km (0.78 square miles), and population is 36,371, making it the most densely populated country in the world. The Franco-Monacoan land border is just 4.4 km (2.7 miles), its coastline is 4.1 km (2.5 miles). It would probably take me less than an hour to walk its entire coast length, and about an hour to walk the said land border. Monaco is long and narrow, its width ranges from 1.7 km (1.1 miles) at the widest point to 349 metres (382 yards) at the narrowest point. What a comical joke it is to call that a country!
It's hardly surprising the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix takes place on a road circuit, requiring road closures, not a race track circuit like most other F1 venues. It must take most of Monte Carlo's roads, if not the entirety of Monaco! I doubt if Monaco has enough land space there to build a permanent racing circuit like some other countries have. Likewise, when Monaco won the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest, it's no wonder the 1972 ESC came from Edinburgh, UK instead of Monaco.
To be an independent country, Monaco needs its own Government and economy, and has its own prince. Is it really worth having all that just to be a separate country? Do you need a passport to cross the border from France into Monaco and vice-versa?
Monaco has its own TV service TMC (Télé Monte Carlo). Apart from being a prerequisite to enter the Eurovision Song Contest, does such an infinitesimal country really need its own TV service? Surely it must be broadcast from a very low power terrestrial transmitter to cover such a tiny area and not leak too much into France; just like a low power relay transmitter here in the UK. I bet most Monacoan residents are also able to get French TV from a French transmitter even if that needs a second aerial.
Monaco doesn't have its own train service, all trains running along its 1.7 km (1.1 miles) of track, and calling at Monte-Carlo station, are provided by SNCF (French Railways).
Why don't they just merge Monaco into France? Such a pathetically infinitesimal country is way too small to be a standalone country! If it wants to retain its name, and remain the land unit it is, within its current land borderline as part of France, make it a French department, but even then it would surely be the smallest department in France. Monte Carlo would then be just another French Riviera town.
Vatican City
Let's start with Vatican City. It's the smallest officially recognised independent state in the world by both area and population. According to Wikipedia, its area is just 44 hectares (110 acres). That's equivalent to 0.44 square km (0.17 square miles) and its population is just over 800.
How can such an infinitesimal plot of land justify being a country in its own right? It's a mickey taker really, the joker in the pack. Vatican City must be smaller than some English villages (possibly even hamlets). It's certainly only a fraction the size of Alton Towers 800 acres (3.2 square km), and Thorpe Park 500 acres (2.0 square km). Although you have to pay to go in them they're not countries in their own right separate from the UK.
Being as Vatican City is situated in the heart of Rome, and thus surrounded by Rome, why not just make it part of Rome? I'm aware that Rome is divided into administrative areas called municipi (singular municipio). Why don't they just make Vatican a municipio of Rome?
Is it true that, as I've been led to believe, you don't need a passport to cross from Rome to Vatican City or vice versa? Someone told me that it's difficult to tell exactly where the border is even. Is that true?
Monaco
The second smallest country in the world. On Google Maps, you have to zoom in close to find it! According to Wikipedia, its area is 2.02 square km (0.78 square miles), and population is 36,371, making it the most densely populated country in the world. The Franco-Monacoan land border is just 4.4 km (2.7 miles), its coastline is 4.1 km (2.5 miles). It would probably take me less than an hour to walk its entire coast length, and about an hour to walk the said land border. Monaco is long and narrow, its width ranges from 1.7 km (1.1 miles) at the widest point to 349 metres (382 yards) at the narrowest point. What a comical joke it is to call that a country!
It's hardly surprising the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix takes place on a road circuit, requiring road closures, not a race track circuit like most other F1 venues. It must take most of Monte Carlo's roads, if not the entirety of Monaco! I doubt if Monaco has enough land space there to build a permanent racing circuit like some other countries have. Likewise, when Monaco won the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest, it's no wonder the 1972 ESC came from Edinburgh, UK instead of Monaco.
To be an independent country, Monaco needs its own Government and economy, and has its own prince. Is it really worth having all that just to be a separate country? Do you need a passport to cross the border from France into Monaco and vice-versa?
Monaco has its own TV service TMC (Télé Monte Carlo). Apart from being a prerequisite to enter the Eurovision Song Contest, does such an infinitesimal country really need its own TV service? Surely it must be broadcast from a very low power terrestrial transmitter to cover such a tiny area and not leak too much into France; just like a low power relay transmitter here in the UK. I bet most Monacoan residents are also able to get French TV from a French transmitter even if that needs a second aerial.
Monaco doesn't have its own train service, all trains running along its 1.7 km (1.1 miles) of track, and calling at Monte-Carlo station, are provided by SNCF (French Railways).
Why don't they just merge Monaco into France? Such a pathetically infinitesimal country is way too small to be a standalone country! If it wants to retain its name, and remain the land unit it is, within its current land borderline as part of France, make it a French department, but even then it would surely be the smallest department in France. Monte Carlo would then be just another French Riviera town.
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