2010 Edition

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 Seu d'Urgell). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. For decades Andorra enjoyed its status as a small refuge of fiscal and banking freedom and benefitted from Spanish and French tourists attracted to the country's duty-free shopping. The situation has changed in recent years as Andorra started to tax foreign investment and other sectors. Tourism accounts for over 80% of Andorra's gross domestic product.

Area

land

468 sq km

total

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

highest point

Pic de 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

Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection 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

border countries

France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km

total

120.3 km

Land use

arable land

2.13%

other

97.87% (2005)

permanent crops

0%

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.5% (male 6,710/female 6,305) 15-64 years: 72.2% (male 31,604/female 28,925) 65 years and over: 12.3% (male 5,113/female 5,231) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

10.03 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

6.21 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

3.2% of GDP (2008)

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

female

3.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

3.79 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.55 years (2010 est.)

male

80.3 years

total population

82.36 years

Literacy

definition: NA

female

100%

male

100%

total population

100%

Median age

female

39.6 years (2010 est.)

male

40.2 years

total

39.9 years

Nationality

adjective

Andorran

noun

Andorran(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

84,525 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

0.382% (2010 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic (predominant)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2008)

male

11 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.066 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female

total population

1.07 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.34 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

-0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

89% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

42 30 N, 1 31 E

name

Andorra la Vella

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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 US 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

chancery

2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017

chief of mission

Ambassador Narcis CASAL Fonsdeviela

FAX

[1] (212) 750-6630

telephone

[1] (212) 750-8064

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

French Coprince Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Christian FREMONT (since September 2008) and Spanish Coprince Bishop Joan-Enric VIVES i Sicilia (since 12 May 2003); represented by Nemesi MARQUES i Oste (since 30 July 2003)

election results

Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY 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 on 26 April 2009 (next to be held in April-May 2013)

head of government

Executive Council President Jaume BARTUMEU Cassany (since 5 June 2009)

Flag description

three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red, with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the latter band is slightly wider than the other two so that the ratio of band widths is 8:9:8; the coat of arms features a quartered shield with the emblems of (starting in the upper left and proceeding

clockwise)

Urgell, Foix, Bearn, and Catalonia; the motto reads VIRTUS UNITA FORTIOR (Strength United is Stronger); the flag combines the blue and red French colors with the red and yellow of Spain to show Franco-Spanish protection 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 Seu d'Urgell, Spain, who are represented in Andorra by the coprinces' representatives

Independence

1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Seu d'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; 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)

election results

percent of vote by party - PS 45%, Reformist Coaliton 32%, Andorra for Change 19%, Andorran Green 4%; seats by party - PS 14, Reformist Coalition 11, Andorra for Change 3

elections

last held on 26 April 2009 (next to be held in March-April 2013)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Joan BENLLOCH i VIVO/Enric Marfany BONS note: adopted 1921; the anthem provides a brief history of Andorra in a first person narrative

name

"El Gran Carlemany" (The Great Charlemagne)

National holiday

Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

Political parties and leaders

Andorra for Change [Juan Eusebio NOMEN CALVET]; Greens of Andorra [Isabel LOZANO MUNOZ]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Joan GABRIEL i ESTANY] (formerly Liberal Union or UL); New Center [Vicenc MATEU] (formerly Andorran Democratic Center Party); Reformist Coalition [Joan GABRIEL i ESTANY] (includes the Liberal Party and New Center); 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

Agriculture - products

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

Debt - external

$NA

Economy - overview

Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for more than 80% of GDP. An estimated 11 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status for some products and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage eroded when the borders of neighboring France and Spain opened, 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

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7179 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7306 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)

Exports

$89.5 million (2008) $117.1 million (2007)

Exports - commodities

tobacco products, furniture

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$44,900 (2008) $42,500 (2007) $38,800 (2005)

GDP - real growth rate

2.6% (2008 est.) 2% (2007 est.) 3.5% (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$4.22 billion (2008) $3.66 billion (2007) $3.588 billion (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$1.801 billion (2008) $1.789 billion (2007)

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)

2.3% (2008) 3.9% (2007)

Labor force

42,220 (2008)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

0.5%

industry

18.5%

services

81% (2008)

Population below poverty line

8% (2008)

Unemployment rate

7% (2008) 0% (2007)

Broadcast media

1 public television station and 2 public radio stations; a few commercial radio stations operating; good reception of radio and TV broadcasts from stations in France and Spain (2008)

Internet country code

.ad

Internet hosts

26,773 (2010)

Internet users

67,100 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges

general assessment

NA

international

country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain

Telephones - main lines in use

37,900 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

64,500 (2009)

Roadways

total

320 km (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 22,776 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 18,338 females age 16-49: 17,395 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

350 (2010 est.)

male

396

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Military branches

no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra (2010)

Disputes - international

none page last updated on January 12, 2011 ======================================================================