With 195 officially recognised countries in the world, it’s hardly surprising that plenty don’t have an airport. This includes five countries in Europe – but they still attract plenty of tourists.
Several factors contribute to the issue. One of the factors is geography, as many of the countries are fairly small in terms of area. Airports require flat, long runways but it would be difficult to construct one in a mountainous region. Other countries on the list are located in densely populated areas where there is simply not enough space available to build an airport.
Below are the list of five European countries that do not have an airport:
1. Vatican City
With a population of just 764 people, Vatican City is the smallest country in the world. The popular country witnessed over 6 million visitors in a year; however, it is far too small to have an airport. There is a small heliport, but it isn’t available to the general public. It’s home to the Pope and a trove of iconic art and architecture. The Vatican Museums house ancient Roman sculptures such as the famed “Laocoön and His Sons” as well as Renaissance frescoes in the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel, famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling. To reach the country, one needs to land at Rome Ciampino (CIA) Airport in Italy and take a car journey for around 45 minutes.
2. Monaco
With an area of 2.08 km2 (0.80 sq miles), Monaco is the second-smallest sovereign state in the world, after Vatican City. The country – a constitutional monarchy – is surrounded on three sides by France. The easiest way to reach the country is by arriving in France at Nice’s airport, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE). From here, it will take about 40 minutes to reach Monaco by car.
3. San Marino
San Marino, a mountainous microstate encircled by north-central Italy, is one of the world’s oldest republics and is renowned for preserving much of its historic architecture. It is the fifth smallest country in the world and the third smallest in Europe. San Marino is another country where you will first have to arrive in Italy. The closest airport is Federico Fellini International Airport (RMI), just a 30-minute car journey from San Marino.
4. Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein is the fourth smallest country in Europe and the sixth smallest in the world. Sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria. The nearest airport for Liechtenstein residents is Altenrhein Airport in the canton of St. Gallen. It is around 30 minutes away by car. However, there is a privately operated helicopter airfield in Balzers.
5. Andorra
The sixth smallest country in Europe, Andorra, is another tiny country. The scenic country is nestled between the Pyrenees mountains. Because of its mountainous terrain, there isn’t enough flat land to build something as large as an airport. Andorra–La Seu d’Urgell Airport (LEU) in Spain is just 35 minutes away from Andorra by car.