1985 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1985 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Agriculture
sheep raising; small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, and some vegetables (less than 4% of land is arable)
Airfields
none
Area
466 km2; half the size of New York City
Branches
legislative (General Council of the Valleys) consisting of 28 members; executive— syndic (manager) and a deputy subsyndic chosen by General Council; judiciary chosen by Co-princes who appoint two civil judges, a judge of appeals, and two batlles (court prosecutors); final appeal to the Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan, France, or to the Ecclesiastical Court of the Bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain
Capital
Andorra la Vella
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Communists
negligible
Elections
General Council chosen every four years; last election December 1981 Political parties and leaders: political parties not yet legally recognized; traditionally no political parties but only partisans for particular independent candidates for the General Council, on the basis of competence, personality, and orientation toward Spain or France; various small pressure groups developed in 1972; first formal political party Andorran Democratic Association — formed in 1976, reorganized in 1979 as Andorran Democratic Party
Electric power
35,000 kW capacity (1984); 140 million kWh produced (1984), 3,121 kWh per capita; power is mainly exported to Spain and France
Ethnic divisions
Catalan stock; 61 % Spanish, 30% Andorran, 6% French, 3% other
Government leaders
head of state — Francois MITTERRAND (President of France; since 1981) and Juan Marti ALANIS (Bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain; since 1971), Co-Princes; Syndic— Francesc CERQUEDA Pasquet (since 1982); Subsyndic — Josep Maria MAS Pons (since 1982); head of government—Oscar RIBAS Reig (Chief Executive; since 1982)
Highways
about 96 km
Labor force
unorganized (unions prohibited); largely shepherds and farmers Government
Land boundaries
105 km People
Language
Catalan (official); many also speak some French and Castilian
Legal system
based on French and Spanish civil codes; Plan of Reform adopted 1866 serves as constitution; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Literacy
100%
Major industries
tourism (particularly skiing), sheep, timber, tobacco, and smuggling
Major trade partners
Spain, France
Member of
UNESCO Economy
Monetary conversion rate
9.375 French francs=US$l (October 1984); 169.96 Spanish pesetas=US$l (October 1984) Communications
Nationality
noun — Andorran(s); adjective— Andorran
Official name
Principality of Andorra
Political subdivisions
7 districts
Population
47,000 (July 1985), average annual growth rate 5.4%
Railroads
none
Religion
virtually all Roman Catholic
Suffrage
those of 21 or over who are third generation Andorrans vote for General Council members
Telecommunications
international landline circuits to Spain and France; 1 AM station, 1 FM station, 1 TV station; about 12,800 telephones (43.5 per 100 popl.); about 7,000 radio receivers (1982) Defense Forces Andorra has no defense forces; Spain and France are responsible for protection as needed
Type
unique co-principality under formal sovereignty of President of France and Spanish Bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are represented locally by officials called verguers