The Principality of Catalonia (in Catalan, Principat de Catalunya, in Spanish, Principado de Cataluña) is an independent, single-county Principality, since it declared independence from the Crown of Aragon October 13th, 1456. It shares borders with the Kingdom of France to the north, with the Kingdom of Aragon to the west and with the Kingdom of Valencia to the south, and limits to the east with the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital city is Barcelona. It is governed by three institutions: the Prince of Catalonia, currently vacant, the Generalitat de Catalunya and the city councils. The Generalitat de Catalunya, in turn, is made up of three elected powers: the Catalan Assembly, the Catalan Government and the Court of Appeal. Its maximum law is the Constitution. The Principality of Catalonia ha