There are few places on earth as special, unique and delightfully fascinating as Andorra, the country of the Pyrenees. As one of the tiniest countries in the world, Andorra stands out for its small population of 79,000 people and area of 468 square kilometres, but it packs so much into that space.
Not only are the Andorra ski resorts famous around the world, but the principality’s special culture and unrivalled attractions also help make it one of the most popular holiday destinations. Approximately eight million tourists visit Andorra every year, a quite incredible number for a microstate.
In this guide, we’ll explain what Andorra is famous for and several other facts about Andorra. In fact, we’ll outline the most curious 10 facts about Andorra right here, so that you can know all about this unique part of the world before you arrive.
10 facts about Andorra: What is Andorra known for?
- The country’s name is the Principality of Andorra. This is one of the first facts about Andorra worth discussing, because many people aren’t sure exactly what the full name of Andorra is. The correct answer to that is the Principality of Andorra, with the country named this way because it is officially a parliamentary co-principality. That means it has two princes, the Bishop of Urgell and the president of France.
- Andorra is over 1,000 years old. It really is a historic part of the world, as the very first document to ever refer to Andorra was the act of consecration of the Cathedral of Santa María d’Urgell, which dates to the middle of the ninth century.
- Andorra is the only country where the official language is Catalan. Although Catalan is spoken in a few parts of the world, most famously Catalonia in Spain, the only country which has Catalan as its sole official language is Andorra. That said, many other languages are spoken across the principality too.
- Only a third of the country’s population is Andorran. Census data reveals that approximately two-thirds of the population of the country doesn’t have Andorran nationality. There are many people with Spanish, French and Portuguese nationality who reside in Andorra. The largest group is Spanish nationality, which makes up over 40% of the Andorran population.
- There is no airport in Andorra. Given how small this microstate is, at just 468 square kilometres, and given how mountainous the land is, there simply isn’t space for an airport inside Andorra’s borders. The closest one is just over the border on Spanish soil, called Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell Airport. The distance from this airport to Andorra’s capital of Andorra la Vella is 18 km as the crow flies, or 27 km by car.
- The Andorran life expectancy is one of the highest in the world. The Andorran food and lifestyle is very healthy, and this has contributed to Andorrans having one of the highest life expectancies in the world. In 2023, the Andorra life expectancy is set at 81.6 for males and 86.0 for females.
- Andorra has no army. Andorra is one of just a few countries in the world that doesn’t have a standing army. Because of this, the country has agreed treaties with Spain and France, who assist with defence and protection if needed.
- Andorra has the second-most museums per capita. There are 25 museums that you can visit during a stay in Andorra, which works out at 324.7 Andorra museums per million inhabitants, based on the fact that the microstate has such a small population. That makes Andorra the country with the second-most museums per capita, only behind the tiny island state of Niue.
- The ski slopes of Grandvalira add up to more than 300 km: There is so much skiable terrain in Andorra, and the Grandvalira Andorra Pass brings together the six sectors of Grandvalira, as well as the slopes of Pal Arinsal and Ordino Arcalís, to combine for 303 km of ski slopes.
- Andorra is home to Europe’s highest golf course: Golf Soldeu is located 2,250 metres above sea level, making it the highest golf course in Europe in terms of altitude. There is even a cable car for golfers to access the course.
So, there you have it. Those are some of the most interesting facts about Andorra. So, the next time somebody asks ‘What are one or two facts about Andorra?’, you’ll be able to respond with a whole host of Andorra fun facts.