2001 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.29% (male 5,425; female 4,917) 15-64 years: 72.06% (male 25,654; female 23,078) 65 years and over: 12.65% (male 4,299; female 4,254) (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

none (2000 est.) Andorra Military

Area

total: 468 sq km land: 468 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

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. Andorra Geography

Birth rate

10.29 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Budget

revenues: $385 million expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Capital

Andorra la Vella

Climate

temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993

Country name

conventional long form: Principality of Andorra conventional short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra local short form: Andorra

Currency

French franc (FRF); Spanish peseta (ESP); euro (EUR)

Currency code

FRF; ESP; EUR

Death rate

5.41 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Debt - external

$NA

Diplomatic representation from the US

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 Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: (3493) 280-2227;

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064

Disputes - international

none

Economic aid - recipient

none

Economy - overview

Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 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 output 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.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - exports

NA kWh

Electricity - imports

NA kWh note: most electricity supplied by Spain and France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998)

Exchange rates

euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996); Spanish pesetas per US dollar - 149.40 (1998), 146.41 (1997), 126.66 (1996)

Executive branch

chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Frederic de SAINT-SERNIN (since NA); Spanish Coprince Episcopal Monseigneur Joan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January 1971), represented by Nemesi MARQUES OSTE (since NA) head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne (since 21 December 1994) cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; 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 - 64%

Exports

$58 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities

tobacco products, furniture

Exports - partners

France 34%, Spain 58% (1998)

FAX

[1] (212) 750-6630

(3493) 205-7705

Fiscal year

calendar year Andorra Communications

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, which do not have a national coat of arms in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem Andorra Economy

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $18,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Geographic coordinates

42 30 N, 1 30 E

Geography - note

landlocked Andorra People

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 bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented locally by coprinces' representatives

Highways

total: 269 km paved: 198 km unpaved: 71 km (1994 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$1.077 billion (c.i.f., 1998)

Imports - commodities

consumer goods, food, electricity

Imports - partners

Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (1998)

Independence

1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of France and Spain)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, tobacco, banking

Infant mortality rate

4.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.62% (1998)

International organization participation

CCC, CE, ECE, ICAO, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Internet country code

.ad

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

5,000 (2000) Andorra Transportation

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional

Labor force

30,787 salaried employees (1998)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (1998)

Land boundaries

total: 120.3 km border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km

Land use

arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 45% forests and woodland: 35% other: 16% (1998 est.)

Languages

Catalan (official), French, Castilian

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 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 NA 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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 83.47 years male: 80.57 years female: 86.57 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

definition: NA total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA% Andorra Government

Location

Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France and Spain Andorra Transnational Issues

National holiday

Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

Nationality

noun: Andorran(s) adjective: Andorran

Natural hazards

snowslides, avalanches

Natural resources

hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Net migration rate

6.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Liberal Union or UL [Marc Forne MOLNE] (renamed Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA); National Democratic Group or AND [Ladislau BARO SOLA]; National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vincenc MATEU Zamora]; New Democracy or ND [Jaume BARTOMEU Cassany]; Union of the People of Ordino (Unio Parroquial d'Ordino) or UPO [Simo DURO Coma] note: there are two other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

67,627 (July 2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

1.17% (2001 est.)

Ports and harbors

none

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

16,000 (1997)

Railways

0 km

Religions

Roman Catholic (predominant)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: landline circuits to France and Spain

Telephones - main lines in use

32,946 (December 1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

14,117 (December 1998)

Television broadcast stations

0 (1997)

Televisions

27,000 (1997)

Terrain

rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Total fertility rate

1.25 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate

0%

Waterways

none