When the European Union (EU) was founded on November 1, 1993, the union was not designed with microstates in mind. No wonder the EU only recognises 27 countries as its members. But there are some independent tiny countries that adopt Euro as their official currency.
As we know Euro is popular among the EU member countries, though only 19 member countries accept Euro as currency.
In this post, we take a look at five Non-EU member countries that use Euro as currency even though they are not listed as member countries on the EU official portal.
In agreement with the EU, they adopted the Euro as their national currency, hence the confusion most times for some people to think they are members of the EU.
Monaco
With just a population of 39, 244 (World Bank data in 2020), Monaco is a breakaway territory from France. That’s why some people still ask: Is Monaco part of France? Both countries belong to Europe (continent)
The tiny country got its sovereignty from France in 1861. But in a situation of an unforeseen circumstance, Monaco signed a pact with France in 1918 to get French protection in case the dynasty fell, the Principality of Monaco will become part of France.
Because of its low population, Monaco is reputed as being one of the most protected countries in the world: one police officer to 100 residents, according to Business Insider.
The country is famous for its lavish wealth, glamorous Monaco Yacht Show, and casino. The official currency in Monaco is Euro.
Vatican City
According to the 2020 estimates from the UN’s World Population, the Vatican City has just 801 people, making the tiny territory the smallest in the world.
Surrounded by Rome, Italy, the Vatican City is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church which is headed by the Pope. Most times, the Pope is referred to as the President of Vatican City
It is famous for its historic art and architecture, ancient Roman sculptures.
The Euro is the official currency of the city, hence citizens of EU member countries travelling to the Vatican may not worry about the exchange rate.
Another interesting fact about this tiny territory is that it has no prison system in place. Any Vatican City resident who is sentenced (which is very rare) serve their jail term in Italian prisons with costs covered by the Vatican.
Andorra
With a population of less than a hundred thousand, Andorra is another non-EU member country that uses the Euro as official currency.
The tiny tiny independent country can be found between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains. Its capital is Andorra la Vella.
The languages spoken in Andorra are French, Catalan, English and Spanish. Next time you visit Andorra from France, Germany, Greece or any other EU-member country, you have nothing to worry about which currency to take along.
With Euro in your pocket on your credit or debit cards, you can enter marts, grocery stores in Andorra, spend and have a good time.
San Marino
Next on the list is San Marino, a mountainous microstate surrounded by north-central Italy with less than 40,000 people (33,938 according to World Bank 2020).
The ancient tiny country is classified as one of the richest countries in the World. An estimated 2016 data put San Marino’s GDP per capita at $59,500.
It is a one-city state with ancient structures. When visiting, load your debit or credit card with Euro.
Montenegro
Famous for its mountains Montenegro is a non-EU member country that adopts Euro as its official currency.
Montenegro is famous for its citizenship by investment programme. According to a 2020 CNN report, the Balkan country has seen a 142 per cent increase in applications for its citizenship.
If you’re wondering as a foreigner if you can invest in real estate in Montenegro, its citizenship-by-investment programme qualifies any legal entities to have access to the country’s property including buying houses and apartments.
The official currency is Euro.
Recap:
Despite the fact that the Vatican City, San Marino, Andorra, Monaco, and Montenegro are outside the European Union, the microstates have some form of relations with the European Union (EU). One of such relations is the adoption of the Euro as their official currency.
Sources:
- Featured Image by Pixabay
- European Union. “Country profiles”. European-union.europa.eu. Retrieved March 27, 2022
- Katie Warren (May 22, 2019). “15 astounding facts about Monaco, the tiny French Riviera city-state where 32% of the population is made up of millionaires”. Businessinsider.com. Retrieved March 27, 2022
