Andorra

The landlocked Principality of Andorra -- one of the smallest states in Europe and nestled high in the Pyrenees between the French and Spanish borders -- is the last independent survivor of the Hispanic March states created by Frankish King Charlemagne in 795 after he halted the Moorish invasion of Spain. The March states were a series of buffer states to keep the Muslim Moors from advancing into Christian France. For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, 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's winter sports, summer climate, and duty-free shopping attract approximately 8 million people each year. Andorra has also become a wealthy international commercial center because of its mature banking sector and low taxes. As part of the effort to modernize its economy, Andorra has opened to foreign investment and engaged in other reforms, such as tax initiatives aimed at supporting broader infrastructure. Although not a member of the EU, Andorra enjoys a special relationship with the bloc that is governed by various customs and cooperation agreements, and Andorra uses the euro as its national currency.

land

468 sq km

total

468 sq km

water

0 sq km

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

0 km (landlocked)

highest point

Pic de Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

lowest point

Riu Runer 840 m

mean elevation

1,996 m

42 30 N, 1 30 E

landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees

0 sq km (2022)

border countries

France 55 km; Spain 63 km

total

118 km

agricultural land

40% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 38.3% (2018 est.)

forest

34% (2018 est.)

other

26% (2018 est.)

Southwestern Europe, Pyrenees mountains, on the border between France and Spain

Europe

none (landlocked)

avalanches

hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

population is unevenly distributed and is concentrated in the seven urbanized valleys that make up the country's parishes (political administrative divisions)

rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

0-14 years

12% (male 5,276/female 4,954)

15-64 years

67.7% (male 29,562/female 28,201)

65 years and over

20.4% (2024 est.) (male 8,814/female 8,563)

beer

3.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

10.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

4.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

6.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

NA

NA

9.1% of GDP (2020)

8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

20.1

potential support ratio

5 (2021)

total dependency ratio

38.1

youth dependency ratio

18.1

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

2.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

Spanish 34.3%, Andorran 32.1%, Portuguese 10%, French 5.6%, other 18% (2024 est.)

note

note: data represent population by country of birth

0.71 (2024 est.)

2.5 beds/1,000 population

female

3.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Catalan (official) 44.1%, Castilian 40.3%, Portuguese 13.5%, French 10%, English 3%, other 6.8% (2022 est.)

note

note: data represent mother tongue

female

86.2 years

male

81.6 years

total population

83.8 years (2024 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

100% (2016)

male

100%

total population

100%

23,000 ANDORRA LA VELLA (capital) (2018)

female

48.8 years

male

48.7 years

total

48.8 years (2024 est.)

32.8 years (2019)

adjective

Andorran

noun

Andorran(s)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

25.6% (2016)

3.63 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

female

41,718 (2024 est.)

male

43,652

total

85,370

population is unevenly distributed and is concentrated in the seven urbanized valleys that make up the country's parishes (political administrative divisions)

-0.12% (2024 est.)

Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 89.5, other 8.8%, unaffiliated 1.7% (2020 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over

1.03 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

28.3% (2020 est.)

male

35.3% (2020 est.)

total

31.8% (2020 est.)

1.47 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

87.8% of total population (2023)

7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology

translates as "Andorra the Old" in Catalan

geographic coordinates

42 30 N, 1 31 E

name

Andorra la Vella

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

amendments

proposed by the coprinces jointly or by the General Council; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the General Council, ratification in a referendum, and sanctioning by the coprinces

history

drafted 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 28 April 1993

conventional long form

Principality of Andorra

conventional short form

Andorra

etymology

the origin of the country's name is obscure; the name may derive from the Arabic "ad-darra" meaning "the forest," a reference to its location as part of the Spanish March (defensive buffer zone) against the invading Moors in the 8th century; an alternate explanation is that the name originates from a Navarrese word "andurrial" meaning "shrub-covered land"

local long form

Principat d'Andorra

local short form

Andorra

embassy

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, Espana; telephone: [34] (93) 280-22-27; FAX: [34] (93) 280-61-75; email address: Barcelonaacs@state.gov

chancery

2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Joan FORNER ROVIRA (since 20 August 2024); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN

email address and website

contact@andorraun.orghttps://www.exteriors.ad/en/embassies-of-andorra/andorra-usa-embassy

FAX

[1] (212) 750-6630

telephone

[1] (212) 750-8064

cabinet

Executive Council composed of head of government and 11 ministers designated by the head of government

chief of state

Co-prince Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Patrick STROZDA (since 14 May 2017); and Co-prince Archbishop Joan-Enric VIVES i Sicilia (since 12 May 2003); represented by Eduard Ibanez PULIDO (since 27 November 2023)

election results

2023: Xaviar Espot ZAMORA (DA) reelected head of government; percent of General Council vote - 57.1%2019: Xaviar Espot ZAMORA (DA) elected head of government; percent of General Council vote - 60.7

elections/appointments

head of government indirectly elected by the General Council (Andorran parliament), formally appointed by the co-princes for a 4-year term; election last held on 2 April 2023 (next to be held in April 2027); the leader of the majority party in the General Council is usually elected head of government

head of government

Prime Minister Xavier Espot ZAMORA (since 16 May 2019)

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 2 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

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

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

1278 (formed under the joint sovereignty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgell)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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)

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 - 2 appointed 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

mixed legal system of civil and customary law with the influence of canon (religious) law

description

unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de les Valls (28 seats; 14 members directly elected in two-seat constituencies (7 parishes) by simple majority vote and 14 directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party/coalition - DA, CC, L'A & ACCIO alliance 43.6%, C 21.4%, AE 16%, PS & SDP alliance 21.1%; seats by party/coalition - DA, CC, L'A & ACCIO alliance 17, C 5, AE 3, PS & SDP alliance 3; composition - men 14, women 14, percentage women 50%

elections

last held on 2 April 2023 (next to be held in April 2027)

note

note: voters cast two separate ballots -- one for the national election and one for their parish

lyrics/music

Joan BENLLOCH i VIVO/Enric MARFANY BONS

name

"El Gran Carlemany" (The Great Charlemagne)

note

note: adopted 1921; the anthem provides a brief history of Andorra in a first person narrative

selected World Heritage Site locales

Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley

total World Heritage Sites

 1 (cultural)

Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

red cow (breed unspecified); national colors: blue, yellow, red

Action for Andorra or ACCIO Committed Citizens or CC Concord or CDemocrats for Andorra or DA Forward Andorra or AE Liberals of Andorra or L'A Social Democratic Party or PS Social Democracy and Progress or SDP

18 years of age; universal

small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables, tobacco, sheep, cattle

expenditures

$2.06 billion (2016)

revenues

$1.872 billion (2016)

Fitch rating

A- (2022)

Moody's rating

Baa2 (2022)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BBB+ (2023)

Current account balance 2020

$448.869 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

$467.435 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$583.199 million (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

high GDP; low unemployment; non-EU Euro user; co-principality duty-free area between Spain and France; tourist hub but hit hard by COVID-19; modern, non-tax haven financial sector; looking for big tech investments; new member of SEPA and IMF

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

0.893 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

note

note: while not an EU member state, Andorra has a 2011 monetary agreement with the EU to produce limited euro coinage—but not banknotes—that began enforcement in April 2012

Exports 2020

$1.842 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$2.414 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$2.736 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

paintings, integrated circuits, cars, orthopedic appliances, garments (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Spain 73%, France 6%, UK 3%, US 2%, Germany 2% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

agriculture

0.5% (2023 est.)

industry

11.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

78.6% (2023 est.)

$3.728 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Imports 2020

$1.727 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$2.143 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$2.44 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

cars, refined petroleum, garments, electricity, beauty products (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Spain 66%, France 12%, Germany 4%, China 3%, Italy 3% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

3.88% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

tourism (particularly skiing), banking, timber, furniture

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2014

-0.1% (2014 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015

-0.9% (2015 est.)

39,750 (2016)

Public debt 2014

41% of GDP (2014 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$4.65 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$5.094 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$5.168 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

8.29% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

9.56% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.44% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$58,800 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$63,800 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$64,500 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

1.59% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0% of GDP (2023 est.)

69% (of GDP) (2016)

Unemployment rate 2015

4.1% (2015 est.)

Unemployment rate 2016

3.7% (2016 est.)

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

48 (2020 est.)

total

37,000 (2020 est.)

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 available (2019)

.ad

percent of population

94% (2021 est.)

total

74,260 (2021 est.)

domestic

about 63 per 100 fixed-line, 110 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)

general assessment

Andorra has a modern telecommunications system with microwave radio relay connections between the exchanges and land line circuits to France and Spain (2023)

international

country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain; modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges (2023)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

64 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

51,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

142 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

114,000 (2022 est.)

C3

2 (2024)

total

320 km (2019)

defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

no regular military forces; Police Corps of Andorra (under the Ministry of Justice and Interior)

carbon dioxide emissions

0.47 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.05 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

8.52 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

agricultural land

40% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 38.3% (2018 est.)

forest

34% (2018 est.)

other

26% (2018 est.)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

320 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

87.8% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

43,000 tons (2012 est.)