Llivia, a small exclave of Spain inside France, exists due to historical treaties and political arrangements dating back to the 17th century.
Key Reasons:
1. Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659)
• This treaty ended the Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659), and Spain ceded several territories in the northern Catalonia region to France.
2. Treaty of Llivia (1660)
• The Treaty of the Pyrenees specified that Spain would cede 33 villages in the region to France.
• Llivia, although geographically similar to those villages, held the status of a town (“villa”) rather than a mere village.
• Spain successfully argued that the treaty applied only to villages, not towns, so Llivia remained Spanish.
3. Geographical Consequence
• This decision left Llivia as an enclave of Spain entirely surrounded by French territory, about 1.5 km from the main Spanish border.
4. Current Status
• Llivia is part of Spain’s autonomous community of Catalonia.
• It is connected to Spain via a special neutral road that allows transit without border controls, ensuring access to the rest of Catalonia.
This is a classic case of historical treaties shaping modern borders in unexpected ways.
