condominium

condominium

Politics

1. joint rule or sovereignty

2. a country ruled by two or more foreign powers

Condominium

An apartment house, office building or other multiple-unit complex; the units are individually owned, and there is joint ownership of common elements such as hallways, elevators, and all mechanical systems.

Condominium

 

according to states’ law, a joint ownership, that is, joint sovereignty over a territory by two or more states. Historically, the condominium was established to eliminate conflicts between states laying claim to one and the same territory. For instance, according to an act of the Congress of Vienna of 1814–15 and of a special treaty in 1816, a condominium was established over Moresnet, since Prussia and Belgium could not agree on the frontier of this borderland between them. Andorra and several islands in the Bidassoa River are condominiums of France and Spain. A condominium may also be established over expanses of water (for example, the condominium over the Gulf of Fonseca and the Gulf of San Juan).

A condominium should be distinguished from a coimperium —a joint rule over an alien territory (for example, the joint rule of Great Britain, France, and Spain over Tangier in the 20th century).

condominium

A form of real estate ownership of a multifamily residential dwelling. Each occupant has 100% ownership of his own apartment and partial ownership of common elements such as hallways, elevators, plumbing, etc. Also see cooperative.