Pheasant Island is a small island on the Bidasoa River between France and Spain. It has an ancient monument marking the Treaty of the Pyrenees, and is co-owned by France and Spain, alternating every six months. This joint sovereignty is called a condominium.
No one lives on the small Pheasant Island, stuck in the middle of the Bidasoa River bordering France and Spain. It’s quiet there, with trees and neatly cut grass. There is also an ancient monument marking the Treaty of the Pyrenees, a peace agreement signed in 1659 by representatives of both countries, followed by a royal wedding, where King Louis XIV of France married the daughter of King Philip IV of Spain . An unusual part of the agreement involved co-ownership of the island, alternating between French and Spanish rule every six months.
A Different Kind of Condo:
In French, Pheasant Island is known as Île des Faisans. In Spanish it is called Isla de los Faisanes.
Spain assumes sovereignty of the island every February and the French take over the reins every August. This joint sovereignty is called a condominium.
As of January 2018, the island is approximately 660 feet (200m) long and 130 feet (40m) wide, but erosion is taking a toll.
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