1990 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1990 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
temperate; snowy, cold winters and cool, dry summers
Coastline
none--landlocked
Comparative area
slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Environment
deforestation, overgrazing
Land boundaries
125 km total; France 60 km, Spain 65 km
Land use
2% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 56% meadows and pastures; 22% forest and woodland; 20% other
Maritime claims
none--landlocked
Natural resources
hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Note
landlocked
Terrain
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Total area
450 km2; land area: 450 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
12 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate
4 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
Catalan stock; 61% Spanish, 30% Andorran, 6% French, 3% other
Infant mortality rate
7 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Labor force
NA
Language
Catalan (official); many also speak some French and Castilian
Life expectancy at birth
74 years male, 81 years female (1990)
Literacy
100%
Nationality
noun--Andorran(s); adjective--Andorran
Net migration rate
18 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Organized labor
none
Population
51,895 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)
Religion
virtually all Roman Catholic
Total fertility rate
1.3 children born/woman (1990)
Government
Administrative divisions
7 parishes (parroquies, singular--parroquia); Andorra, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Les Escaldes, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
Capital
Andorra la Vella
Communists
negligible
Constitution
none; some pareatges and decrees, mostly custom and usage
Diplomatic representation
Andorra has no mission in the US; US--includes Andorra within the Barcelona (Spain) Consular District and the US Consul General visits Andorra periodically; Consul General Ruth A. DAVIS; Consulate General at Via Layetana 33, Barcelona 3, Spain (mailing address APO NY 09286); telephone [34] (3) 319-9550
Elections
General Council of the Valleys--last held 11 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993); results--percent of vote NA; seats--(28 total) number of seats by party NA
Executive branch
two co-princes (president of France, bishop of Seo de Urgel in Spain), two designated representatives (French veguer, Episcopal veguer), two permanent delegates (French prefect for the department of Pyrenees-Orientales, Spanish vicar general for the Seo de Urgel diocese), president of government, Executive Council
Flag
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 flag of Chad which does not have a national coat of arms in the center; also similar to the flag of Romania which has a national coat of arms featuring a mountain landscape below a red five-pointed star and the words REPUBLICA SOCIALISTA ROMANIA at the bottom
Independence
1278
Judicial branch
civil cases--Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan (France) or the Ecclesiastical Court of the bishop of Seo de Urgel (Spain); criminal cases--Tribunal of the Courts (Tribunal des Cortes)
Leaders
Chiefs of State--French Co-Prince Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981), represented by Veguer de Franca Louis DEBLE; Spanish Episcopal Co-Prince Mgr. Joan MARTI y Alanis (since 31 January 1971), represented by Veguer Episcopal Francesc BADIA Batalla; Head of Government--Josep PINTAT Solans (since NA 1984)
Legal system
based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral General Council of the Valleys (Consell General de las Valls)
Long-form name
Principality of Andorra
Member of
CCC, UNESCO
National holiday
Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September
Political parties and leaders
political parties not yet legally recognized; traditionally no political parties but 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, was formed in 1976 and reorganized in 1979 as Andorran Democratic Party
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
unique coprincipality under formal sovereignty of president of France and Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are represented locally by officials called verguers
Economy
Agriculture
sheep raising; small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, and some vegetables
Aid
none
Budget
revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Currency
French franc (plural--francs) and Spanish peseta (plural--pesetas); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes and 1 Spanish peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos
Electricity
35,000 kW capacity; 140 million kWh produced, 2,800 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
French francs (F) per US$1--5.7598 (January 1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985); Spanish pesetas (Ptas) per US$1--109.69 (January 1990), 118.38 (1989), 116.49 (1988), 123.48 (1987), 140.05 (1986), 170.04 (1985)
Exports
$0.017 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities--electricity; partners--France, Spain
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
calendar year
GNP
$NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
Imports
$531 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities--NA; partners--France, Spain
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
tourism (particularly skiing), sheep, timber, tobacco, smuggling, banking
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
Overview
The mainstay of Andorra's economy is tourism. An estimated 12 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. 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. The rapid pace of European economic integration is a potential threat to Andorra's advantages from its duty-free status.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Highways
96 km
Telecommunications
international digital microwave network; international landline circuits to France and Spain; stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV; 17,700 telephones
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of France and Spain