Andorra la Vella — Capital of Andorra

Andorra la Vella sits at an elevation of 1,023 metres above sea level in the heart of the Pyrenees mountains, making it the highest capital city in all of Europe. The city is the urban centre of the tiny co-principality of Andorra — a country of just 468 km² wedged between France and Spain, with a population of around 77,000.

Andorra's system of government is unlike any other in the world. Since a charter signed in 1278, the country has been jointly ruled by two co-princes: the Bishop of Urgell in Spain and the President of France. This means that whoever wins the French presidential election automatically becomes the co-monarch of a foreign sovereign state — without campaigning there, without Andorran citizens voting for them, and regardless of whether they want the title.

Catalan is the sole official language of Andorra — the only country in the world where this is the case. The language flourishes here even as it struggles for recognition elsewhere. Andorra has no income tax and very low VAT, making it a major shopping destination for visitors from France and Spain, particularly for tobacco, alcohol, and electronics. Tourism and retail are the backbone of the economy, supplemented by banking and a surprisingly robust financial sector.

One of Andorra's stranger historical quirks involves World War I. Andorra sent a small delegation to the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 but was overlooked, meaning it was never officially included in any peace treaty with Germany. Technically, Andorra remained in a state of war with Germany until 1958, when both countries finally signed a formal peace declaration — 40 years after the armistice.