Squashed between Spain and France, Andorra is no less when it comes to having fun. Even though the country is comparatively smaller, you’ll never run out of adventures here.
Dive in to know about some of the hidden treasures of Andorra and discover the untold!
1. Andorra Produces A Lot Of Tobacco
It’s surprising how much tobacco Andorra produces considering the smallest farming area it permits. Thanks to cigarette factories there and its perks as a tax haven – you can buy cigarettes really cheap compared to France and Spain.
While it seems to be very beneficial for tourists, the wide availability of tobacco at cheaper prices has resulted in tobacco smuggling as well.
All things considered, you can even smoke indoors in Andorra!
2. Andorra Still Has Co-principality
It still feels like a fairy tale in Andorra because the country is ruled by two princes who share titles, however, none of them is native to the country.
One Prince is the President of France, Emmanuel Macron while the other one is the Bishop of Urgell named Joan Enric Vives Sicília.
The two of them cannot take decisions separately and need to agree together to make decisions regarding their country.
3. Andorra Hasn’t Fought A War For 1,000 Years
Since Charlemagne fought the Moors, Andorra has never been in a war – all thanks to its non-strategic location in the Pyrenees Mountains and the shortage of natural resources.
In fact, even after declaring war on Germany in WW1, they never got involved in the conflict and were eventually forgotten with time.
4. Andorra Is Not A Part Of The EU
Even though Andorra has Euro as its currency, it is not a significant part of the Eurozone and is not even a member of the European association. However, both countries still share trade relations.
What might surprise you the most – is the fact that Andorra is not even a part of the Schengen Treaty and can only be accessed via France and Spain.
5. Andorra Doesn’t Have An Airport
Even if you want to go to Andorra, you won’t be able to get a ticket to its airport because it doesn’t even have an airport. In fact, the country doesn’t even have a coastline with waterway travel routes.
To explore Andorra, the best route you can avail is via road from Barcelona to Andorra. If you want to come from another country, you can avail of the nearest airports in France and Spain and drive from there.
6. The Life Expectancy Of Andorra Is 8th Highest In The World
The average life expectancy in Andorra is 82.9 years on an average just like Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Monaco, San Marino, Iceland, and Japan.
7. Andorra Has Never Won An Olympic Medal
Though Andorra participated in the Olympic games back in 1976, Andorra has never won an Olympic medal. Fate or lack of talent – what do you think?
8. Andorra Is A Mountainous Country
Being a mountainous country, Andorra is located at the heart of the Pyrenees and is surrounded by a number of mountain valleys. The streams from these valleys joined forces to result in the Valira River.
So if you are looking for some bumpy adventures, this might be your chance to have it!
9. Most People In Andorra Aren’t Andorrans
Did you know – only one-third of the population living in Andorra are native Andorrans? Most people who live in Andorra are either Portuguese or French or Spanish.
10. There Is No Andorra Currency
Even though Andorra is a country, it doesn’t have a currency of its own. From the year 2011, the country’s national currency has been Euro and before that, they transacted through Spanish Peseta and French Franc.
11. There’s Practically No Pollution In Andorra
Thanks to the ecology of Andorra – there’s almost no pollution in the country and there’s no shortage of fresh air. The reason behind this isn’t only the mountains, but simply because there aren’t any factories in the country.
12. Andorra Is One Of The Safest Places On Earth
In Andorra, if you leave your bag on a bench and forget to pick it up, then it will be waiting for you in precisely the same place tomorrow. The crime rate in the country are among the lowest in Europe.
13. You Can Stay For Free In Andorra
Thanks to Andorra’s so-called Mountain Havens, you might get a chance to stay for free there if you ever get lost or find yourself in danger. But, they only operate during summer!