<P> Condominia (the plural of condominium in Latin) originally referred to territories over which two or more sovereign powers shared joint dominion . This technique was frequently used to settle border disputes when multiple claimants could not agree on how to partition the disputed territory . For example, from 1818 to 1846, Oregon Country was a condominium over which both the United States and Great Britain shared joint sovereignty until the Oregon Treaty resolved the issue by splitting the territory along the 49th parallel and each country gaining sole sovereignty of one side . </P> <P> The difference between an "apartment" complex and condominium is purely legal . There is no way to differentiate a condominium from an apartment simply by looking at or visiting the building . What defines a condominium is the form of ownership . A building developed as a condominium (and sold in individual units to different owners) could actually be built at another location as an apartment building (the developers would retain ownership and rent individual units to different tenants). As a practical matter, builders tend to build condominiums to higher quality standards than apartment complexes because of the differences between the rental and sale markets . </P> <P> Technically, a condominium is a collection of individual home units and common areas along with the land upon which they sit . Individual home ownership within a condominium is construed as ownership of only the air space confining the boundaries of the home . The boundaries of that space are specified by a legal document known as a Declaration, filed on record with the local governing authority . Typically, these boundaries will include the wall surrounding a condo, allowing the homeowner to make some interior modifications without impacting the common area . Anything outside this boundary is held in an undivided ownership interest by a corporation established at the time of the condominium's creation . The corporation holds this property in trust on behalf of the homeowners as a group--it may not have ownership itself . </P> <P> Condominiums have conditions, covenants, and restrictions, and often additional rules that govern how the individual unit owners are to share the space . </P>

Who owns the land a condo is built on