I noticed something interesting when I created a recent article, Highest Lowpoints. Andorra is small, mountainous and trapped firmly between Spain and France. Thus it creates all sorts of interesting opportunities for practical exlaves and near-misses.
Most of you are probably aware of practical exclaves. Others readers may require a quick summary. First, an exclave is an area of a nation that is completely separated from the main body of a nation. The U.S. state of Alaska serves as a prime example. On the other hand, a practical exclave is connected physically to the main body of a nation but not in any convenient manner. Ireland’s Drummully Polyp is a classic instance of this phenomenon. However, I’m not sure it really matters in Andorra except as an interesting academic exercise.
Accessing Andorra
Realize that Andorra is not a party to the Schengen Agreement. That could be a problem on a theoretical level, for those requiring access to a practical exclave on either side of the border. According to Wikipedia, which has varying levels of accuracy,
“Border controls remain on Andorra’s borders with both France and Spain. Citizens of EU countries require either their national identity cards or passports to enter Andorra, while anyone else requires a passport or equivalent. Those travelers who need a visa to enter the Schengen Area need a multiple-entry visa to visit Andorra, because entering Andorra means leaving the Schengen Area”
Other sources seem to imply that border controls have been removed or relaxed to the point of formality. Has anyone in the 12MC audience crossed the Andorra border recently and have a more accurate assessment?
Identifying Practical Exclaves
I found several examples of practical exclaves, all on the border between Spain and Andorra. The French side presents much more mountainous terrain and many fewer roads that seem to cross between the border areas. The geography is much more difficult to navigate from France.
My search started at the primary crossing from Spain where the satellite image shows border controls in place (at least at the time the image was captured).
Example 1
This map shows a few nice instances; a couple of loops and then a road forking into the hills. It’s a practical exclave because it’s obviously part of Andorra but a citizen can’t reach this area without venturing into Spain. Well, an Andorran could probably hike to this remote corner without leaving his national territory but it wouldn’t be possible to drive there in an automobile. That’s how practical exclaves work. It’s not impossible, just inconvenient.
Example 2
Here are instances of “almost” practical exclaves. Let’s say our Andorran citizen owned farmland along this stretch of the border. He would need to use the Spanish road to get to his forests and fields. He would park his car and then walk a metre or two across the international boundary and onto his land. If he built a little driveway then it would become a perfect instance.
Examples 3 & 4
Then I checked on the eastern side of the main road leading from Spain to Andorra.
The opposite condition exists on this side. It’s Spanish territory that comprises practical exclaves, with access from the Andorran side of the border.
Neither of them are particularly large but it’s fun to watch how the road slides across international borders with little apparent meaning to the people who constructed them. I’m sure there are other instances so I’ll leave those for someone else to explore. It was a nice hour-long diversion.
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