2008 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2008 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Background
For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 onward, 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
Area
total: 468 sq km land: 468 sq km water: 0 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: Biodiversity, Desertification, 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
Land boundaries
total: 120.3 km border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km
Land use
arable land: 2.13% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.87% (2005)
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: 15.5% (male 6,606/female 6,192) 15-64 years: 72.5% (male 31,313/female 28,563) 65 years and over: 12% (male 4,906/female 5,047) (2008 est.)
Birth rate
10.59 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate
5.59 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Education expenditures
2.3% of GDP (2006)
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
total: 3.68 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Languages
Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 82.67 years male: 80.35 years female: 85.14 years (2008 est.)
Literacy
definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
Median age
total: 38.9 years male: 39.2 years female: 38.6 years (2008 est.)
Nationality
noun: Andorran(s) adjective: Andorran
Net migration rate
13.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Population
82,627 (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate
1.899% (2008 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic (predominant)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2006)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.32 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
Capital
name: Andorra la Vella geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Constitution
Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 28 April 1993
Country name
conventional long form: Principality of Andorra conventional short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra local short form: Andorra
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 de Montcada, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (93) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (93) 280-6175
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Carles FONT-ROSSELL chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064
Executive branch
chief of state: French Coprince Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002) and Spanish Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003); represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since 30 July 2003) head of government: Executive Council President Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA (since 27 May 2005) 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 24 April 2005 (next to be held in April-May 2009) election results: Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA
FAX
[1] (212) 750-6630
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 note: 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 chiefs 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 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgel)
International organization participation
CE, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTO (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 seven parishes; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 24 April 2005 (next to be held in March-April 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 41.2%, PS 38.1%, CDA-S21 11%, other 9.7%; seats by party - PLA 14, PS 12, CDA-S21 2
National holiday
Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)
Political parties and leaders
Andorran Democratic Center Party (formerly Democratic Party or PD) and Century 21 or CDA and S21 [Enric TARRADO]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA] (formerly Liberal Union or UL); Social Democratic Party or PS [Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY] (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND)
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep
Budget
revenues: $333.5 million expenditures: $386.6 million (2005)
Currency (code)
euro (EUR)
Currency code
EUR
Debt - external
$NA
Economic aid - recipient
$0
Economy - overview
Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for more than 80% of GDP. An estimated 11.6 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 partial "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
NA kWh
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
NA
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Exports
$148.7 million f.o.b. (2005)
Exports - commodities
tobacco products, furniture
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$38,800 (2005)
GDP - real growth rate
3.5% (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$NA
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$2.77 billion (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$1.879 billion (2005)
Imports - commodities
consumer goods, food, electricity
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking, tobacco, furniture
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.2% (2005)
Labor force
42,420 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 0.3% industry: 20.3% services: 79.4% (2005)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
0% (1996 est.)
Communications
Internet country code
.ad
Internet hosts
23,368 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
1 (2000)
Internet users
58,900 (2007)
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: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain
Telephones - main lines in use
37,200 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular
68,500 (2007)
Television broadcast stations
0 (1997)
Televisions
27,000 (1997)
Transportation
Roadways
total: 270 km
Military and Security
Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49: 18,685 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49: 14,976 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male: 412 female: 395 (2008 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of France and Spain
Military branches
no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008