Andorra​—The Pearl of the Pyrenees

PERCHED high in the Pyrenees Mountains is the little principality of Andorra, wedged between France and Spain. With an area of 179 square miles [464 sq km] and a population of less than 50,000, it is one of the smallest countries in the world. Although French and Spanish are spoken, the official language is Catalan.

Andorra had its own ruler as far back as the ninth century, when it came under the control of the bishop of the nearby diocese of Urgel. Today, Andorra is ruled by the Spanish Catholic bishop of Urgel and the president of France.

Whether you approach it from the French or the Spanish border, Andorra is like discovering a hidden jewel in the midst of the lofty Pyrenees.