Map of Andorra | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Long isolated and impoverished mountainous Andorra has achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.


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Location: Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 450 km²
Land: 450 km²
Comparative: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: Total 125 km, France 60 km, Spain 65 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: None; landlocked

Climate: Temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Terrain: Rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Lowest point: Riu Valira 840 m
Highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

Elevation

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 56%
Forests and woodland: 22%
Other: 20%

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Andorran(s)
Adjective: Andorran

Ethnic groups:

Languages: Catalan (official), French, Castilian

Religions: Roman Catholic (predominant)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years:
15-64 years:
65 years and over:

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion
Current issues Natural hazards: snowslides, avalanches
International agreements: NA
International agreements note: Landlocked

Air pollutants

Sex ratio: at birth:0.96 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
All ages:

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 90.94 years (1996), 78.52 years (1995)
Male: 86.47 years (1996), 75.65 years (1995)
Female: 95.2 years (1996 est.), 81.66 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: definition:NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
Conventional short form: Andorra
Local long form: Principat d'Andorra
Local short form: Andorra

Government type: Parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its heads of state a co-principality; the two princes are the president of France and Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are represented locally by officials called veguers

Capital: Andorra la Vella

Administrative divisions: 7 parishes (parroquies, singular_parroquia; Andorra, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Les Escaldes, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria

Dependent areas

Independence: 1278

National holiday: Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September

Constitution: Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; adopted 14 March 1993

Legal system: Based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chiefs of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) and Spanish Episcopal Coprince Monseigneur Juan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January 1971); each coprince is represented by a veguer (current names NA)
Head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne (since 21 December 1994) was elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces
Cabinet: Executive Council; designated by the executive council president

Legislative branch: Unicameral General Council of the Valleys:(Consell General de las Valls; elections last held 12 December 1993 (next to be held NA 1997; results_percent of vote by party NA; seats_(28 total) AND 8, UL 5, ND 5, CNA 2, IDN 2, other 6

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan (France) for civil cases, two civil judges appointed by the veguers, one appeals judge appointed by the co-princes alternately; Ecclesiastical Court of the Bishop of Seo de Urgel (Spain) for civil cases; Tribunal of the Courts (Tribunal des Cortes) for criminal cases, presided over by the two civil judges, one appeals judge, the veguers, and two members of the General Council

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: CE, ECE, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, WIPO

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: Three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of Chad and Romania that do not have a national coat of arms in the center

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 13 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its "tax haven" status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited by a scarcity of arable land, and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA

Real gdp per capita:

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: Sheep raising; small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, and some vegetables

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate NA

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 0%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $138 million
Expenditures: $177 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1993)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: Calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: total value. $46.2 million (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$920.2 million (1993)
Commodities:
Partners:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1_5.0056 (January 1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991; Spanish pesetas (Ptas) per US$1_123.19 (January 1996), 124.69 (1995), 133.96 (1994), 127.26 (1993), 102.38 (1992), 103.91 (1991), 101.93 (1990)


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Electricity
Capacity: 35,000 kW
Production: 140 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 2,570 kWh (1992)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 21,258 telephones (1983 est.); digital microwave network
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: landline circuits to France and Spain

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs