The Principality of Monaco the second smallest state in the world, is continuously demonstrating for the last 100 years how to gain in size without being able to expand into neighboring countries.
Web log Strange Maps has put together an interesting summary on the changing size of the country over time.
Having lost about 95% of its terrain on land 1861, Monaco turned to the sea. The map on both lower stamps shows the amount of territory gained by landfill (plus dates of completion); as well as the extension of territorial waters to 12 nautical miles in 1984.
Click on the image for the jump.
What the two maps above don’t show is the substantial expansion with the new harbor in recent years as part of a new orientation of Monaco towards a broader spectrum of tourism (see for example this official press release) .
Other countries in Europe that have substantially expanded their terrain in a similar way are the Netherlands.
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