Foreign Policy Priorities of European Landlocked Microstates

Abstract

A ‘Microstate’ is defined in its simplest form by a very small surface area and a very small population ratio. On the other hand, a ‘Landlocked’ country, again in its simplest definition, is a state without access to the sea. These two geographical characteristics create natural disadvantages when they are combined and the states having said characteristics are expected to have a lower level of prosperity. However the Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Liechtenstein and the Republic of San Marino, all possessing these characteristics in Europe do not experience the expected disadvantages in the same manner. The present study, focusing on the foreign policy tendencies of these 3 states, analyses how they overcome the geographical disadvantages. As they have strong neighbours, memberships to international organisations and special relationships with EU, in our day above mentioned states do not encounter difficulties in trade, development or simply about ‘existing’. Within this framework, the study focuses on how these states overcome, thanks to their geographical situation, the disadvantages of their unfavourable conditions.