The landlocked Principality of Andorra is one of the smallest states in Europe, nestled high in the Pyrenees between the French and Spanish borders. For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique coprincipality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Bishop of Urgell). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the introduction of a modern, constitution; the co-princes remained as titular heads of state, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy.
Andorra has become a popular tourist destination visited by approximately 10 million people each year drawn by the winter sports, summer climate, and duty-free shopping. Andorra has also become a wealthy international commercial center because of its mature banking sector and low taxes. As part of its effort to modernize its economy, Andorra has opened to foreign investment, and engaged in other reforms, such as advancing tax initiatives aimed at supporting a broader infrastructure. Although not a member of the EU, Andorra enjoys a special relationship with the organization and uses the euro as its national currency.
Southwestern Europe, Pyrenees mountains, on the border between France and Spain
42 30 N, 1 30 E
Europe
total: 468 sq km
land: 468 sq km
water: 0 sq km
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
total: 118 km
border countries (2): France 55 km, Spain 63 km
0 km (landlocked)
none (landlocked)
temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
mean elevation: 1,996 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m
highest point: Pic de Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
agricultural land: 43.4%
arable land 5.5%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 37.9%
forest: 34%
other: 22.6% (2011 est.)
0 sq km (2012)
avalanches
deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees
85,660 (July 2016 est.)
noun: Andorran(s)
adjective: Andorran
Andorran 49%, Spanish 24.6%, Portuguese 14.3%, French 3.9%, other 8.2% (2012 est.)
Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese
Roman Catholic (predominant)
0-14 years: 14.74% (male 6,476/female 6,151)
15-24 years: 9.52% (male 4,236/female 3,915)
25-54 years: 47.01% (male 20,614/female 19,651)
55-64 years: 13.59% (male 6,229/female 5,412)
65 years and over: 15.15% (male 6,566/female 6,410) (2016 est.)
total: 43.7 years
male: 43.8 years
female: 43.5 years (2016 est.)
0.07% (2016 est.)
7.8 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
8.1% of GDP (2014)
7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)
population is unevenly distributed and is concentrated in the 7 urbanized valleys that make up the country's parishes (political administrative divisions)
urban population: 85.1% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 0.14% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
ANDORRA LA VELLA (capital) 23,000 (2014)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
total: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)
total population: 82.8 years
male: 80.6 years
female: 85.1 years (2016 est.)
1.39 children born/woman (2016 est.)
4 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
2.5 beds/1,000 population (2009)
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
NA
NA
NA
32.1% (2014)
3.1% of GDP (2014)
Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)
conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
conventional short form: Andorra
local long form: Principat d'Andorra
local short form: Andorra
etymology: the origin of the country's name is obscure; since the area served as part of the Spanish March (defensive buffer zone) against the invading Moors in the 8th century, the name may derive from the Arabic "ad-darra" meaning "the forest"
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains its chiefs of state in the form of a co-principality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seu d'Urgell, Spain, who are represented in Andorra by the co-princes' representatives
name: Andorra la Vella
geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 31 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
1278 (formed under the joint sovereignty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgell)
history: drafted 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 28 April 1993
amendments: proposed by the coprinces jointly or by the General Council; approval required by two-thirds majority vote of the General Council, by ratification in a referendum, and by the sanctioning of the coprinces (2016)
mixed legal system of civil and customary law with the influence of canon law
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the mother must be an Andorran citizen or the father must have been born in Andorra and both parents maintain permanent residence in Andorra
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 25 years
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: French Coprince Francois HOLLANDE (since 15 May 2012); represented by Jean-Pierre HUGUES (since 15 June 2016) and Spanish Coprince Archbishop Joan-Enric VIVES i Sicilia (since 12 May 2003); represented by Josep Maria MAUN (since 20 July 2012)
head of government: Head of Government (or Cap de Govern) Antoni MARTI PETIT (since 12 May 2011)
cabinet: Executive Council designated by head of government
elections/appointments: head of government indirectly elected by the General Council (Andorran parliament), formally appointed by the coprinces for a 4-year term; election last held on 31 March 2015 (next to be held in April 2019); the leader of the majority party in the General Council is usually elected head of government
election results: Antoni MARTI PETIT (DA) elected head of government; percent of General Council vote - 79%
description: unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de les Valls (a minimum of 28 seats; 14 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies (parishes) by simple majority vote and 14 directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms); note - each voter casts two separate ballots - one for a national list and one for a parish list
elections: last held on 1 March 2015 (next to be held in April 2019)
election results: seats by party - percent of vote by party: DA 34.5%, PLA 25.0%, PS-VA-IC-independent coalition 21.3%, SDP 9.6%, invalid votes 9.5%; seats by party: DA 15, PLA 8, PS-VA-IC-independent coalition 3, SDP 2
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de la Justicia d'Andorra (consists of the court president and 8 judges organized into civil, criminal, and administrative chambers); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 4 magistrates)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president and judges appointed by the Supreme Council of Justice, a 5-member judicial policy and administrative body appointed 1 each by the coprinces, 1 by the General Council, 1 by the executive council president, and 1 by the courts; judges serve 6-year renewable terms; Constitutional magistrates appointed 2 by the coprinces and 2 by the General Council; magistrates' appointments limited to 2 consecutive 8-year terms
subordinate courts: Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts
Citizens' Initiative or IC [Sergi RICART] (including PS, VA, IC, and independents)
Democrats for Andorra or DA [Antoni MARTI PETIT]
Greens of Andorra or VA [Isabel LOZANO MUNOZ, Juli FERNANDEZ BLASI]
Liberal Party or PLA [Jordi GALLARDO]
Social Democratic Party or PS [Vincenc ALAY FERRER]
Social Democratic Progress Party or SDP [Victor NAUDI ZAMORA]
note: there are also several smaller parties at the parish level (one is Lauredian Union)
CE, FAO, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)
chief of mission: Ambassador Elisenda VIVES BALMANA (since 2 March 2016)
chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064
FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630
national colors: blue, yellow, red
the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the US Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (93) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (93) 280-6175
three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red, with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the latter band is slightly wider than the other two so that the ratio of band widths is 8:9:8; the coat of arms features a quartered shield with the emblems of (starting in the upper left and proceeding clockwise): Urgell, Foix, Bearn, and Catalonia; the motto reads VIRTUS UNITA FORTIOR (Strength United is Stronger); the flag combines the blue and red French colors with the red and yellow of Spain to show Franco-Spanish protection
note: similar to the flags of Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem
name: "El Gran Carlemany" (The Great Charlemagne)
lyrics/music: Joan BENLLOCH i VIVO/Enric MARFANY BONS
note: adopted 1921; the anthem provides a brief history of Andorra in a first person narrative
Tourism, retail sales, and finance are the mainstays of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounting for more than three-quarters of GDP. Andorra's duty-free status for some products and its summer and winter resorts attract millions of visitors annuall
Slower growth in Spain and France has dimmed Andorra's economic prospects. Since 2010, a drop in tourism contributed to a contraction in GDP and a sharp deterioration of public finances, prompting the government to begin implementing several austerity mea
$3.163 billion (2012 est.)
$3.214 billion (2011 est.)
$3.227 billion (2010 est.)
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$4.8 billion (2012 est.)
-1.6% (2012 est.)
-0.4% (2011 est.)
-1.9% (2010 est.)
$37,200 (2011 est.)
$37,700 (2010 est.)
$37,900 (2009 est.)
agriculture: 14%
industry: 79%
services: 6% (2011 est.)
small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables, tobacco; sheep, cattle
tourism (particularly skiing), banking, timber, furniture
NA%
36,060 (2012)
agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 4.7%
services: 94.9% (2010)
4% (2012 est.)
1.9% (2011 est.)
NA%
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $1.029 billion
expenditures: $1.041 billion (2012)
21.4% of GDP (2012)
-0.3% of GDP (2012)
41.1% of GDP (2012)
37.7% of GDP (2011)
calendar year
1.1% (2012 est.)
-2.5% (2011 est.)
$70 million (2012 est.)
$72 million (2011 est.)
tobacco products, furniture
$1.43 billion (2012 est.)
$1.501 billion (2011 est.)
consumer goods, food, fuel, electricity
$NA
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.9214 (2016 est.)
0.885 (2015 est.)
0.885 (2014 est.)
0.7634 (2013 est.)
0.78 (2012 est.)
0 kWh (2012 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
91.24 million kWh (2011)
562.4 million kWh (2012)
0 kWh (2012 est.)
520,000 kW (2010 est.)
61.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
23.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
total subscriptions: 38,850
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 45 (July 2015 est.)
total: 71,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 83 (July 2015 est.)
general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges
international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain (2012)
1 public TV station and 2 public radio stations; about 10 commercial radio stations; good reception of radio and TV broadcasts from stations in France and Spain; upgraded to terrestrial digital TV broadcasting in 2007; roughly 25 international TV channels (2012)
.ad
total: 83,000
percent of population: 96.9% (July 2015 est.)
C3 (2016)
total: 320 km (2008)
no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra (2011)
defense is the responsibility of France and Spain
none
