19. Skiing is a popular sport in the country, attracting millions of tourists every year. Vallnord and Grand Valira are two popular ski areas in the country.
20. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), does not provide health coverage in Andorra.
21. The common otter is among the country’s threatened species, while the Apollo butterfly and the lesser horseshoe bat are vulnerable species in Andorra.
22. Because of its high elevation, the northern valleys in the country are completely snowed in for several months of the year.
23. Andorrans are a minority in their own country. An estimated two-thirds of the Andorran population is without Andorran nationality. They are not allowed to vote or to be elected as the president.
24. Spanish nationals account for almost 43% of Andorra’s population.
25. Arinsal is the smallest city in the country, with a population of 1,555.
26. It is also the sixth-smallest nation in Europe and the sixteenth-smallest nation in the world.
27. Only 5% of the land in Andorra is arable.
Fun facts about Andorra
28. Andorra was once referred to as “the poor man’s Switzerland.”
30. Andorra’s constitution came into effect on April 28th, 1993.
31. The Coma Pedrosa, at 2,942 meters (9,652 ft), is the highest mountain (highest point) in the country.
32. There are no airports in the country. Accessibility to international passengers is provided by nearby airports located in Spain and France.
33. In Andorra, women live longer than men.
34.Andorran law requires the eldest able-bodied man of a house to keep a rifle to be used when needed for national protection.
35. The country has an army of just 12 people. It is interesting to note that this army has never fought for more than 700 years.
36. The country has rough and mountainous terrain.
37. Education law requires school attendance for children up to age 16.
38. Andorran authorities build schools and maintain them; however, Spain or France pay for the teachers.
39. In Andorra, pork-based dishes and seafood are very popular. People of the region also eat snails with much delight.
40. The legal drinking age is 18 in the country.
41. The first highway was built in the country in 1911. It connected the Spanish city of La Seu-de-Urgell with the country.
42. As per the CIA Factbook, the country has a total roadway length of 320 km.
Andorra – the country at a glance
Capital City
Andorra la Vella
(42°30′N 1°31′E)
Largest City
Andorra la Vella
(42°30′N 1°31′E)
Total area
468 sq km
(2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.)
Population
85,370 (2024 est.)
Official Language
Catalan
Borders
Spain & France
Demonym
Andorran
Literacy
100%
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Currency
Euro
Religion
Roman Catholic
Life expectancy at birth
83.8 years (2024)
Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.
Terrain
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Mean elevation
1,996 m
Lowest point
Riu Runer 840 m
Highest point
Pic de Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
Natural resources
hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Government type
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains its chiefs of state in the form of a co-principality;
