The territory of Gorky Park does not exceed three kilometers, but against the background of the Vatican, San Marino or Monaco - this is quite a solid land holding! Some states have several capitals ( Germany unofficially has two, Berlin and Bonn, South Africa has three – one each for the judiciary, executive and legislative branches). And the Republic of Nauru does not have a capital city at all, but it has its own railway line. About these and many other funny facts - in our today's material.
Malta — 316 km²
A small islet in the central Mediterranean is an archipelago of two inhabited and five populationless islands. Malta and Gozo – as the inhabited islands are called – are very crowded, and their history can be envied by another empire. A fifteen-minute walk along the embankment can become a tour of four small, but separate cities.
It is difficult to find a country in Europe with which Malta would not be deeply connected. England owned the island for a century and a half, France - much less, but the Frankish knights for centuries defended Malta from the Turkish invaders and Barbarian corsairs. Finally, in 1798, the Russian Emperor Paul I took the island and the Maltese Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem located on it under his protection. For several years, until the death of Paul in a palace coup, the island was a Russian province.
It has been a neutral country for 350 years, but it has its own army.
Maldives — 298 km²
More than a thousand islands, of which only two hundred are inhabited, constitute a single state. It is considered the flattest on Earth: the highest point on the islands - the "hill" on the islet of Vilingili - "reaches" a height of 248 centimeters above sea level. The authorities do not allow the construction of houses that exceed the area of 20% of the island, and the height should not exceed that for the tallest tree on the island.
In addition, this resort paradise outside of hotels and hotels is a country with harsh Sharia laws, where the production, sale and drinking of alcohol is prohibited, as well as, for an unclear reason, the maintenance of dogs.
Saint Kitts and Nevis — 261 km²
The territory of the two islands that make up this country roughly corresponds to the area of the city of Tagil, although the population is six and a half times smaller – 48 thousand people. And it could be even less - a few decades ago there was a referendum on the withdrawal of a smaller island from the country, Nevis. In order to formally declare independence, it was necessary to gain 65%. Supporters of independence as a result of a bright propaganda campaign managed to gain 61%.
To replenish the semi-impoverished budget of the islands, its authorities trade in citizenship. One of the new submissions of the island was in 2014 the ex-owner of Vkontakte Pavel Durov: citizenship cost him a modest 250 thousand. The only thing that can keep a person from wanting to acquire a piece of rights to this tropical paradise is the highest crime rate, ahead of all other countries on the continent.
Republic of the Marshall Islands - 181 km²
One of the islands of the Ralik archipelago was used immediately after World War II to conduct nuclear bomb tests. A few days after the bombing, a presentation of a new swimsuit was held in Paris. The topic of a nuclear explosion was very popular, and the swimsuit was named after the tropical islet where the tests were conducted.
I must say, not the last - after that, almost 70 nuclear explosions were carried out on two atolls belonging to the republic (Eniwetok and Bikini), which had an extremely negative impact on the quality of life and health of the inhabitants of the islands; oncological diseases have become the norm here, and tumors caused by radioactive contamination have become commonplace. There are a couple of hospitals, 27 airports, all of which were once built by the military, only four hard-surfaced runways.
Principality of Liechtenstein - 157km²
This dwarf state formation, unlike small islands in the Caribbean Sea and Polynesia, is able to provide for itself. This is a highly developed industrial country with a rich history and an even better tailored economy, the highest level of well-being of the population.
There are 120 police officers in the local police. The difference is that in a year in this village as many crimes are committed in this village as in distant Liechtenstein occur in years and decades.
By the way, the Liechtenstein prison is a good place: the prison authorities do not consider it necessary to maintain a catering unit, so food for prisoners and defendants is ordered in a restaurant. At the same time, the country has a non-aligned status and even during the Second World War adhered to a neutral status - like Switzerland.
San Marino — 61 km²
It is almost the oldest country in Europe; was founded in 301 and is located on one of the slopes of Monte Titano, among the Apennine Mountains. 81% of the territory is harsh rocks, and less than 17% remains on arable land.
What is interesting is that it is not only one of the first countries in Europe, but also the first republics. It is surrounded on all sides by Italy, so that it is forced to act in line with its foreign policy, which at certain points in history – during fascist rule – caused certain inconveniences and brought reputational harm. But now the country, not being in the European Union, has the right to print its own coins, using the euro!
Tuvalu — 26 km²
Another country in Polynesia, which is a conglomerate of several archipelagos along the equator and just to the south. It is believed that Tuvalu is drowning due to global warming: they say, the islands will certainly be below the water level (in fairness, 25% of Europe and 41% of Asia with an increase in the level of the world ocean by 5 meters will also drown).
There is a university and a primary school.
In 1978, the country gained independence from Britain, ceasing to be its colony, but retaining Elizabeth on the throne. There are no rivers here either, as well as lakes, so residents collect water from the sky or use condensers, and then store it in tanks made of reinforced concrete.
Republic of Nauru — 21 km²
In the 80s, this tiny island was damn rich: its bowels contained phosphorites, and prices in international markets skyrocketed, so that the islanders bathed like cheese in butter, supplying their products to Australia, the United States, England and Japan. During the mining, all the island forests were destroyed, and 4/5 of the island's territory turned into an unnecessary desert. There are no more resources for land reclamation, so now Nauru sets economic anti-records, tries to make ends meet, selling the territory to other countries for the storage of garbage and the maintenance of criminals. Not the prettiest place, in general.
Principality of Monaco - 2.02 km²
In a country where there is no income tax, and the minimum wage fund is 150 thousand rubles (in recalculation), life is very good - the average submitted prince lives up to 90 years.
An interesting fact: there are 85 people in the national princely orchestra, and only 82 in the armed forces.
Vatican City - 0.44 km²
Less than half a kilometer, which is approximately equivalent to the territory of the Olimpiyskiy sports complex destroyed by Sobyanin. And yet , our own railroad, mint and astronomical laboratory in the mountains of Arizona!
There is no birth rate in the country, only mortality: according to the law, births are registered in the maternity hospital, and all of them are located in Rome. But death is possible both at home and at the place of service. Speaking of population. According to the 2011 census conducted in the city-state, there are 594 people with citizenship, including seven dozen cardinals, a hundred and a little guardsmen and monks. But the Pope has no citizenship - he is the viceroy of God on earth.
