2003 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: 15.1% (male 5,473; female 4,974) 15-64 years: 71.7% (male 26,063; female 23,542) 65 years and over: 13.2% (male 4,543; female 4,555) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

none (2002) Military Andorra

Area

land

468 sq km

total

468 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Background

For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel. In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra 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 Andorra

Birth rate

9.65 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$385 million

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

euro (EUR)

Currency code

EUR

Death rate

5.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 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; FAX: (3493) 205-7705

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jelena V. PIA-COMELLA

Disputes - international

none; border is undemarcated in sections but is not in dispute (a few French farmers still remain upset about the transfer of 35 hectares of land to Andorra) This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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 - only 2% of the land is arable - 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

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

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

Electricity - production

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

0%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0%

Elevation extremes

highest point

Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

lowest point

Riu Runer 840 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 - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president

chief of state

French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish Coprince Episcopal Monsignor Joan Enric VIVES SICILIA (since 12 May 2003), represented by Nemesi MARQUES OSTE (since NA)

election results

Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - 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)

head of government

Executive Council President Marc FORNE MOLNE (since 21 December 1994)

Exports

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

Exports - commodities

tobacco products, furniture

Exports - partners

Spain 58%, France 34% (2000)

FAX

[1] (212) 750-6630

telephone

[1] (212) 750-8064

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Andorra

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 Economy Andorra

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.)

Geographic coordinates

42 30 N, 1 30 E

Geography - note

landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees People Andorra

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

paved

198 km

total

269 km

unpaved

71 km (1994)

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

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$1.077 billion (1998)

Imports - commodities

consumer goods, food, electricity

Imports - partners

Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (2000)

Independence

1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

4.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.06 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.3% (2000)

International organization participation

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

Internet country code

.ad

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

24,500 (2001) Transportation Andorra

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

33,000 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (2000 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km

total

120.3 km

Land use

arable land

2.22%

other

97.78% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0%

Languages

Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese

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)

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

elections

last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2005)

Life expectancy at birth

female

86.58 years (2003 est.)

male

80.58 years

total population

83.49 years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

NA% Government Andorra

male

NA%

total population

100%

Location

Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

38.8 years (2002)

male

39.4 years

total

39.1 years

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France and Spain Transnational Issues Andorra

Military branches

no regular military forces, but there is a police force

National holiday

Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

Nationality

adjective

Andorran

noun

Andorran(s)

Natural hazards

avalanches

Natural resources

hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Net migration rate

6.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party or PD (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND) [Ladislau BARO SOLO]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Marc FORNE MOLNE] (used to be Liberal Union or UL); Liberal Union or UL [Francesc CERQUEDA]; National Democratic Group or AND [Ladislau BARO SOLO]; National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vicenc 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

Population

69,150 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

1.06% (2003 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

total population

1.09 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges

general assessment

NA

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

1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

0%

Waterways

none