The five countries without airports might be harder to reach, but the small are mighty!
The world may not have much travel going on right now, but it never hurts to learn about the places just beyond our reach. We can sometimes satisfy our wanderlust just by seeing these places and imagining stepping into them someday. Take a look at the longest nonstop flights to get you back to earth.
Your first step would generally be to book your flight if you were visiting another country. But not so fast…sometimes you can’t just hop on a plane and go anywhere. It’s not true, for example, if you want to visit the five countries listed below.
If you’re staying put anyway, these countries without airports might shock you and give you the special factoid to amaze your friends.
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The Only 5 Countries in the World Without Airports
Vatican City
There’s a catch here. In addition to being an independent city-state, Vatican City is also the world’s smallest country. It is not possible to build an airport on the 109-acre spot since it is actually “enclaved” within Rome. As a point of reference, Rome has two international airports.
It would be possible for visitors to fly into Rome and then drive into the small Roman Catholic city/state/country. Vatican City is about 18.5 miles from Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome. With these facts about Europe you didn’t know about Vatican City, you’ll learn more about it.
San Marino
Despite being surrounded by Italian land, San Marino also lacks an airport. Even though San Marino is the fifth-smallest country in the world, it is only nine miles away from Federico Fellini International Airport.
You shouldn’t feel too bad for San Marino’s 33,000 residents because they live in one of the richest countries in the world with one of the highest GDPs per capita. Are you looking for the other side?
Monaco
Monaco is the second-smallest country in the world, surrounded on three sides by France and on one side by the Mediterranean Sea. The country is also the most densely populated sovereign state in the world.
Monaco can be reached by boat or by car after touching down at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport in France. With Monaco hosting one of the oldest and most prestigious Formula One races, the Monaco Grand Prix, with the shortest track of all, entering by car is particularly appropriate.
Liechtenstein
In addition to being the smallest country bordering two countries (Austria and Germany), Liechtenstein does not have an airport. From nearby Swiss or Austrian rail stations, visitors could enter by car, boat, or train. The nearest airport is St. Gallen-Altenrhein in Switzerland.
Liechtenstein is nearly eight times smaller than Los Angeles, with its largest city housing only 6,000 residents. It has one of the highest GDPs per capita and one of the lowest national debts, despite its small size.
Andorra
Located on the border between Spain and France, Andorra is a landlocked country. In the Pyrenees mountain range, this micro-nation offers breathtaking hikes, climbs, and views. Located at the highest altitude in Europe, Andorra la Vella is the capital city of Andorra.
Within three hours of Andorra, there are five airports in Spain and France. Andorra consistently has one of the world’s highest life expectancies, with or without an airport.