World Book Day Today

Carved book landscape by Guy Laramee. More great book art at http://www.guylaramee.com/

Andorra: Top 10 Mountain Facts

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Andorra is the smallest country in Europe (468 square km/181 square miles) and situated between France and Spain in the Eastern Pyrenees. There is no airport or railway and no coastline.

There were 69,758 inhabitants in 2012 with a population density of 167 inhabitants per square kilometer. The geological center is near Encamp. Andorra was neutral during World War 2 with many crossing the border from France to escape Nazi persecution.

1. There are 72 peaks over 2 000 meters/ 6 561 feet            
2. The average height is 1 996 meters/ 6 549 feet
3. The highest point is the mountain Coma Pedrosa 2 942 m/ 9 652 feet and the lowest point is Riu Runer 840 metres/ 2 756 feet where the main road out of Andorra crosses into Spain.

Pic Coma Pedrosa

4. The country has the highest capital city in Europe - Andorra la Viella (1 023 metres / 3 356 feet)
5. The border with Spain and France is 120km/ 74 miles.
6. 75% of the border is over 1 829 metres/6 000 feet. Only 1.5km/1 mile is below  914 metres /3 000 feet. The border with France is not physically marked on the ground with border markers, unlike the border between France and Spain.
6. There are 72 lakes. The largest is the Estanys de Juclar 23 hectares/56.8 acres in the north east.

Juclar Lakes

7. There are 2 Nature Parks which equal 5% of the land area.
(Sorteny 1 080 hectares/ 2 669 acres and Coma Pedrosa 1 543 hectares/ 3 813 acres)
8. There is one Unesco World Heritage Site which equals 10% of the area.
(Madriu valley 4 247 hectares/ 10 494 acres.)

The Madriu Valley

9. The highest 5 peaks are Pic Coma Pedrosa, Roca Entravessada, Pic de l'Estanyo, Pic de la Serrera and Pic de la Medacorba.
10.Pic de la Medecorba is a tri point - the borders of  France, Spain and Andorra meet at the summit.