2002 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2002 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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.
Geography
Area
total: 468 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 468 sq km
Area - comparative
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
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
Geographic coordinates
42 30 N, 1 30 E
Geography - note
landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
total: 120.3 km border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km
Land use
arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.)
Location
Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain
Map references
Europe
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
avalanches
Natural resources
hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Terrain
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 15.2% (male 5,456; female 4,951) 15-64 years: 71.9% (male 25,855; female 23,311) 65 years and over: 12.9% (male 4,425; female 4,405) (2002 est.)
Birth rate
9.97 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate
5.57 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Ethnic groups
Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA%
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Infant mortality rate
4.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Languages
Catalan (official), French, Castilian
Life expectancy at birth
86.58 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.26 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Literacy
definition: NA total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality
noun: Andorran(s) adjective: Andorran
Net migration rate
6.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Population
68,403 (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate
1.11% (2002 est.)
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 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
Capital
Andorra la Vella
Constitution
Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993
Country name
Principality of Andorra conventional short form:
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: 280-2227; FAX: (3493) 205-7705
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jelena V. PIA-COMELLA chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064
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) elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA% cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne (since 21 December 1994)
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
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
Independence
1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of France and Spain)
International organization participation
CCC, CE, ECE, ICAO, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
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
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 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 46.1%, PSD 30%, PD 23.8%, other 0.1%; seats by party - PLA 15, PSD 6, PD 5, independents 2
National holiday
Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)
Political parties and leaders
Democratic Party or PD (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND) [leader NA]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Marc Forne MOLNE] (used to be Liberal Union or UL); National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vincenc MATEU Zamora]; New Democracy or ND [Jaume BARTOMEU Cassany]; Social Democratic Party or PSD (formerly part of National Democratic Group of AND) [leader NA]; 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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep
Budget
revenues: $385 million expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
Currency
euro (EUR); French franc (FRF); Spanish peseta (ESP)
Currency code
EUR; FRF; ESP
Debt - external
$NA
Economic aid - recipient
none
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% other: NA% nuclear: NA% hydro: NA%
Exchange rates
euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997); Spanish pesetas per US dollar - 149.40 (1998), 146.41 (1997)
Exports
$58 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports - commodities
tobacco products, furniture
Exports - partners
France 34%, Spain 58% (1998)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
3.8% (2000 est.)
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)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, tobacco, banking
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.3% (2000)
Labor force
33,000 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
0%
Communications
Internet country code
.ad
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
1 (2000)
Internet users
24,500 (2001)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
16,000 (1997)
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)
Transportation
Airports
none (2001)
Highways
total: 269 km paved: 198 km unpaved: 71 km (1994 est.)
Ports and harbors
none
Railways
0 km
Waterways
none
Military and Security
Military branches
no regular military forces, but there is a police force
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
border is undemarcated in sections This page was last updated on 1 January 2002 Angola