European microstates

== Similar entities and definitions ==

== Similar entities and definitions ==

[[File:LuxembourgPartitionsMap english.png|thumb|Luxembourg territorial changes over the centuries]]

[[File:LuxembourgPartitionsMap english.png|thumb|Luxembourg territorial changes over the centuries]]

[[File:Isle of Jersey (ASTER).jpg|thumb|Jersey, a crown dependency of the United Kingdom, although not part of the United Kingdom, it is a possession of the British crown ]]

[[File:Isle of Jersey (ASTER).jpg|thumb|Jersey, a crown dependency of the United Kingdom. Although not part of the United Kingdom, it is a possession of the British crown ]]

What countries are microstates is not clearly defined. However, some institutions use specific definitions. Two institutions, the World Bank and the IMF, define them as states with a population of no more than 200,000. However, others have focused on area, not population. The larger microstates are less likely to be considered such, and while Malta may sometimes be considered one, it is not common to describe Iceland, Kosovo, Montenegro, or Luxembourg as microstates. These are more likely to be deemed a ''[[small state]]'', which has been defined as a state of fewer than 1.5 million people, though some go as high as several million if the state has limited land area.

What countries are microstates is not clearly defined. However, some institutions use specific definitions. Two institutions, the World Bank and the IMF, define them as states with a population of no more than 200,000. However, others have focused on area, not population. The larger microstates are less likely to be considered such, and while Malta may sometimes be considered one, it is not common to describe Iceland, Kosovo, Montenegro, or Luxembourg as microstates. These are more likely to be deemed a ''[[small state]]'', which has been defined as a state of fewer than 1.5 million people, though some go as high as several million if the state has limited land area.

A paper in 2020 discussed the history of the smallest European states, and compared Malta and Cyprus to Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino.[https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-61537-6_27 European Regions, 1870 – 2020 Chapter Cyprus, Malta and Microstates: Andorra, Lichtenstein, Monaco, San Marino First Online: 21 August 2021 pp 371–383]

A paper in 2020 discussed the history of the smallest European states, and compared Malta and Cyprus to Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino.[https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-61537-6_27 European Regions, 1870 – 2020 Chapter Cyprus, Malta and Microstates: Andorra, Lichtenstein, Monaco, San Marino First Online: 21 August 2021 pp 371–383]

[[Crown Dependencies|The Crown dependencies]] are the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey, are small territories that have a high degree of autonomy and are not part of the United Kingdom. The Crown dependencies have a small territory and population with the Isle of Man being the largest out of the three having a size of 572 km² and the smallest being Guernsey with a size of 78 km² and a population of 67,334.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-01 |title=Guernsey population increases by 621 over a year |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv2p19qwr1po |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}} However, due to being not fully sovereign as the United Kingdom is responsible for their defence, international relations (including treaties) and citizenship and are also possessions of the British crown and also including their status as islands, they are sometimes excluded from being microstates.{{Cite web |title=Jersey's Constitution |url=https://www.policy.je/papers/jerseys-constitution |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=www.policy.je}}{{Cite web |title=House of Commons - Justice Committee - Written Evidence |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmjust/56/56we13.htm |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=publications.parliament.uk}}

[[Crown Dependencies|The Crown dependencies]] are the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey, are small territories that have a high degree of autonomy and are not part of the United Kingdom. The Crown dependencies have a small territory and population, with the Isle of Man being the largest out of the three having a size of 572 km² and the smallest being Guernsey, with a size of 78 km² and a population of 67,334.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-01 |title=Guernsey population increases by 621 over a year |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv2p19qwr1po |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}} However, due to being not fully sovereign as the United Kingdom is responsible for their defence, international relations (including treaties) and citizenship and are also possessions of the British crown and also including their status as islands, they are sometimes excluded from being microstates.{{Cite web |title=Jersey's Constitution |url=https://www.policy.je/papers/jerseys-constitution |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=www.policy.je}}{{Cite web |title=House of Commons - Justice Committee - Written Evidence |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmjust/56/56we13.htm |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=publications.parliament.uk}}

Including both traditional microstates and small states in the European region yields several more examples, such as Cyprus, Kosovo, Luxembourg, and Montenegro.

Including both traditional microstates and small states in the European region yields several more examples, such as: Cyprus, Kosovo, Luxembourg and Montenegro.

* {{flag|Andorra}}

* {{flag|Andorra}}

* {{flag|Cyprus}}{{NoteTag|Geographically a part of Asia, considered a European country in [[political geography]]. The [[United Nations geoscheme]] includes Cyprus in [[Western Asia]].|name="Cyprus"}}

* {{flag|Cyprus}}{{NoteTag|Geographically a part of Asia, considered a European country in [[political geography]]. The [[United Nations geoscheme]] includes Cyprus in [[Western Asia]].|name="Cyprus"}}