Geography of Andorra

Andorra

Continent

Europe

Subregion

Southwest Europe

Geographic coordinates

42°30′N 1°30′E / 42.500°N 1.500°E

Area
- Total
- Water

Ranked 179th
468 km²
121.4 hectares (1.214 km²)^[1]

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Land boundaries

118 km

Countries bordered

Spain 63 km
France 55 km

Highest point

Coma Pedrosa, 2,946 m

Lowest point

Riu Runer, 840 m (2756 ft)

Longest river

Gran Valira

Largest inland body of water

Lake Juclar (23 ha)^[1]

Land use

arable land: 1.7%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pasture 38.3%
forest: 34.0%
other: 26.0% (2018)

Irrigated land 0 km²

Climate:

temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Terrain:

rugged mountains and narrow valleys

Natural resources

hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Natural hazards

avalanches

Environmental issues

deforestation, overgrazing of meadows, air pollution, waste disposal

Andorra is a small, landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountain range and bordered by Spain and France. With an area of 468 km², it is the sixth smallest country in Europe and also the largest of the European microstates.

Andorra consists predominantly of rugged mountains, the highest being the Coma Pedrosa at 2,942 metres (9,652 ft), and the average elevation of Andorra is 1,996 metres (6,549 ft).^[2] These are dissected by three narrow valleys in a Y shape that combine into one as the main stream, the Gran Valira river, leaves the country for Spain (at Andorra's lowest point of 840 m or 2,756 ft).

Andorra's climate is similar to that of its neighbours' temperate climates, but its higher elevation means there is, on average, more snow in winter, lower humidity, and it is slightly cooler in summer. There are, on average, 300 days per year of sunshine.

Phytogeographically, Andorra belongs to the Atlantic European province of the Circumboreal Region within the Boreal Kingdom. According to the WWF, the territory of Andorra belongs to the ecoregion of Pyrenees conifer and mixed forests.

Landslides and avalanches are the main natural hazards. There are frequent earthquakes below Richter magnitude 2. There is no historical record of any damaging earthquakes in Andorra, but the Andorran government has studied the possibility of a future one.^[3]

^ ^a ^b Girard P & Gomez P (2009), Lacs des Pyrénées: Andorre. (in French)
^ Atlas of Andorra (1991), Andorran Government. OCLC 801960401. (in Catalan)
^ Conseqüències per a Andorra d'un possible terratrèmol Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine, Programa dactivitats tardor 08, el Centre Andorra Sostenible, Govern d'Andorra, p.16. (in Catalan)

[gg1-1] Girard P & Gomez P (2009), Lacs des Pyrénées: Andorre. (in French)

[2] Atlas of Andorra (1991), Andorran Government. OCLC 801960401. (in Catalan)

[sost1-3] Conseqüències per a Andorra d'un possible terratrèmol Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine, Programa dactivitats tardor 08, el Centre Andorra Sostenible, Govern d'Andorra, p.16. (in Catalan)

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