Which country is known for having the shortest written national constitution in the world, with a very brief text compared to other modern constitutions?

Introduction / Context:
Different countries have constitutions that vary greatly in length and detail. India is often cited as having one of the lengthiest written constitutions, while some very small countries have extremely short constitutional texts. General knowledge questions commonly ask about these extremes to test awareness of comparative political facts. This question focuses on identifying which country is recognised for having the shortest written national constitution in the world.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The question is about a written national constitution, not an unwritten or partially written one. - The comparison is global, so we are looking for the shortest constitution in the world. - Options provided include the United States of America, Monaco, Vatican City and India. - The constitution must be a formal written document that functions as the country basic law.

Concept / Approach:
The concept being tested is comparative civics and political science. India has a very long constitution, so it cannot be the shortest. The United States Constitution, while brief compared to many others, is still significantly longer than the constitution of Monaco. Vatican City has a unique legal arrangement and is not generally cited as having the world shortest national constitution in this context. Many standard general knowledge sources identify Monaco as the country with the shortest written constitution, which is compact in length and structure.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Eliminate India first, since it is widely known to have one of the lengthiest constitutions, not the shortest. Step 2: Consider the United States. While its constitution is concise compared with many countries, it still has a reasonable number of words and is not usually described as the very shortest in the world. Step 3: Note that Vatican City has a unique status and legal framework, but most exam references for shortest written constitution point toward Monaco. Step 4: Check standard general awareness notes, which mention that the constitution of Monaco is very brief and is commonly cited as the shortest written constitution globally. Step 5: Based on these references, choose Monaco as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
A verification method is to consult basic civics summaries that compare length of constitutions. Such summaries often state that the Indian Constitution is the longest written constitution, while Monaco has the shortest written constitution, with a compact number of chapters and articles. The United States Constitution is sometimes described as relatively short, but not the shortest worldwide. Vatican City legal order is based on fundamental law but is not generally named in exam keys for this specific fact. These consistent references support Monaco as the correct option.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
USA: The United States Constitution is concise compared with some documents, but it is not recognised as the shortest written constitution when compared across all countries, so this option is incorrect.
Vatican City: Although Vatican City is the smallest state by area and has its own fundamental law, general knowledge sources about the shortest written constitution usually cite Monaco, not Vatican City, making this choice wrong here.
India: India is famous for having one of the lengthiest written constitutions in the world, so it is the opposite of what the question is asking and cannot be correct.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to associate smallest geographical size with shortest constitution and thus pick Vatican City or Monaco without recalling which one is recognised in exam material. Another pitfall is to assume that the well known and influential United States Constitution must be the shortest simply because it is widely studied and not very long. Learners also sometimes forget that the question is about written constitutions, which excludes various unwritten or partly written systems. To avoid errors, it helps to remember a simple pair: India has the longest written constitution and Monaco has the shortest written constitution in typical general knowledge comparisons.

Final Answer:
The country known for having the shortest written national constitution in the world is Monaco.