Map of Andorra | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

top of page


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.


top of page


Location: Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 30 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 450 km²
Land: 450 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries
Total: 125 km
Border countries: (2) 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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Riu Valira 840 m
Extremes highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

Natural resources: hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Land use
Arable land: 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 56%
Forests and woodland: 22%
Other: 20% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: snowslides, avalanches

Geography
Note: landlocked


top of page


Population: 64,716 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 1.5% (1998 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Andorran(s)
Adjective: Andorran

Ethnic groups: Spanish 61%, Andorran 30%, French 6%, other 3%

Languages: Catalan (official), French, Castilian

Religions: Roman Catholic (predominant)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 14% (male 4,819; female 4,474)
15-64 years: 73% (male 25,448; female 22,028)
65 years and over: 13% (male 4,041; female 3,906) (July 1998 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.5% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 10.48 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5.35 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 9.84 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion
International agreements party to: none of the selected agreements
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 4.09 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 83.45 years
Male: 80.54 years
Female: 86.54 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.23 children born/woman (1998 est.)

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: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


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 coprincipality; 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
Chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) and Spanish Episcopal Coprince Monseigneur Juan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January 1971); note_each coprince is represented by a veguer (French:Jean-Pierre COURTOIS; Spanish:Francesc BADIA Battalla): ead of
Government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne (since 21 December 1994)
Cabinet: Executive Council designated by the executive council president
Elections: executive council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces; election last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held NA 2001)
Election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote_NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held February 2001)
Election results: percent of vote by party_UL 57%, AND 21%, IDN 7%, ND 7%, other 8%; seats by party_UL 16, AND 6, ND 2, IDN 2, UPO 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan (France) two civil judges appointed by the veguers, one appeals judge appointed by the coprinces alternately; Ecclesiastical Court of the Bishop of Seo de Urgel (Spain; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal des Cortes 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, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Juli MINOVES-TRIQUELL (also Permanent Representative to the UN)
In the us chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] (212) 750-8,064
In the us fax: [1] (212) 750-6,630
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain);
From the us mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 8,034 Barcelona, Spain;
From the us telephone: (343) 280-2,227;
From the us fax: (343) 205-7,705; note_Consul General Maurice S. PARKER makes periodic visits to Andorra

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


top of page


Economy overview: Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 10 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 ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep raising

Industries: tourism (particularly skiing), sheep, timber, tobacco, banking

Industrial production 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 $N/A (1993)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

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:$47 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Commodoties: electricity, tobacco products, furniture
Partners: France 49%, Spain 47%

Imports: total value:$1 billion (1995)
Commodoties: consumer goods, food
Partners: France, Spain, US 4.2%

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_6.0836 (January 1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993; Spanish pesetas (Ptas) per US$1_153.94 (January 1998), 146.41 (1997), 126.66 (1996), 124.69 (1995), 133.96 (1994), 127.26 (1993)


top of page


Electricity access

Electricity production: 140 million kWh (1992)

Electricity consumption
Per capita: NA kWh; note_Andorra exports most of its electricity to France and Spain

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system
Domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges
International: landline circuits to France and Spain

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: none

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs