Why does Western Europe tend to have small 'in between' countries?

Question

Why does Western Europe have small 'in between' countries? For example, Andorra is a tiny country between Spain and France. Another example is Luxembourg which is between France and Germany. Even Monaco, which is surrounded by France, is close to the border of Italy, while little Liechtenstein is between Austria and Switzerland. Is there a common reason why these kinds of countries form? For example, are they created to give people who don't identify with either of the surrounding countries' cultures or policies a place of their own? These 'in between' countries appear to be a Western European phenomenon.

Answer 1

Western Europe was previously devised of a few very large empires that spanned a great deal of physical area and a large population. When empires were broken up after wars, such as the Austrian-Hungarian Empire after World War One, small countries based on ethnic and linguistic similarities were created.

I would not say it is a Western European phenomenon. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, which followed the Russian Empire, many smaller nations were founded in Eastern Europe.