2020 Edition

Background

The landlocked Principality of Andorra -- one of the smallest states in Europe and nestled high in the Pyrenees between the French and Spanish borders -- is the last independent survivor of the Hispanic March states created by Frankish King Charlemagne in 795 after he halted the Moorish invasion of Spain. The March states were a series of buffer states to keep the Muslim Moors from advancing into Christian France. 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 Bishop of Urgell). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the introduction of a modern constitution; the co-princes remained as titular heads of state, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Andorra's winter sports, summer climate, and duty-free shopping attract approximately 8 million people each year. Andorra has also become a wealthy international commercial center because of its mature banking sector and low taxes. As part of the effort to modernize its economy, Andorra has opened to foreign investment and engaged in other reforms, such as tax initiatives aimed at supporting broader infrastructure. Although not a member of the EU, Andorra enjoys a special relationship with the bloc that is governed by various customs and cooperation agreements, and Andorra uses the euro as its national currency.

Area

land

468 sq km

total

468 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

highest point

Pic de Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

lowest point

Riu Runer 840 m

mean elevation

1,996 m

Geographic coordinates

42 30 N, 1 30 E

Geography - note

landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

border countries

France 55 km; Spain 63 km

total

118 km

Land use

agricultural land

39.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 38.3% (2023 est.)

forest

38.7% (2023 est.)

other

21.4% (2023 est.)

Location

Southwestern Europe, Pyrenees mountains, on the border between France and Spain

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

avalanches

Natural resources

hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Population distribution

population is unevenly distributed and is concentrated in the seven urbanized valleys that make up the country's parishes (political administrative divisions)

Terrain

rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Age structure

0-14 years

12% (male 5,276/female 4,954)

15-64 years

67.7% (male 29,562/female 28,201)

65 years and over

20.4% (2024 est.) (male 8,814/female 8,563)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

10.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

4.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

6.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

8.14 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

30.1 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

3.3 (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio

47.8 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

17.7 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

1.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

12.1% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

Spanish 34.3%, Andorran 32.1%, Portuguese 10%, French 5.6%, other 18% (2024 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.71 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

8.3% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

15.9% of national budget (2022 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

3.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Catalan (official) 44.1%, Castilian 40.3%, Portuguese 13.5%, French 10%, English 3%, other 6.8% (2022 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

86.2 years

male

81.6 years

total population

83.8 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

23,000 ANDORRA LA VELLA (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

11 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

48.8 years

male

48.7 years

total

49.4 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

32.8 years (2019)

Nationality

adjective

Andorran

noun

Andorran(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

25.6% (2016)

Physician density

5.07 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

female

41,718

male

43,652

total

85,370 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.12% (2025 est.)

Religions

Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 89.5, other 8.8%, unaffiliated 1.7% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2023 est.)

male

14 years (2023 est.)

total

14 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over

1.03 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

34.4% (2025 est.)

male

31.7% (2025 est.)

total

33% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.47 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

87.8% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

translates as "Andorra the Old" in Catalan

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)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the mother must be an Andorran citizen or the father must have been born in Andorra and both parents maintain permanent residence in Andorra

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

25 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by the co-princes jointly or by the General Council; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the General Council, ratification in a referendum, and sanctioning by the co-princes

history

drafted 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 28 April 1993

Country name

conventional long form

Principality of Andorra

conventional short form

Andorra

etymology

the origin of the country's name is obscure; may originate from the Navarrese word andurrial, meaning "shrub-covered land;" alternatively, may derive from the Arabic ad-darra meaning "the forest," a reference to its location; many other theories exist

local long form

Principat d'Andorra

local short form

Andorra

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

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, Espana; telephone: [34] (93) 280-22-27; FAX: [34] (93) 280-61-75; email address: Barcelonaacs@state.gov

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Joan FORNER ROVIRA (since 13 January 2025); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN

email address and website

contact@andorraun.org https://www.exteriors.ad/en/embassies-of-andorra/andorra-usa-embassy

FAX

[1] (212) 750-6630

telephone

[1] (212) 750-8064

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Council composed of head of government and 11 ministers designated by the head of government

chief of state

Co-prince Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Patrick STROZDA (since 14 May 2017); and Co-prince Archbishop Joan-Enric VIVES i Sicilia (since 12 May 2003); represented by Eduard Ibanez PULIDO (since 27 November 2023)

election results

2023: Xaviar Espot ZAMORA (DA) reelected head of government; percent of General Council vote - 57.1% 2019: Xaviar Espot ZAMORA (DA) elected head of government; percent of General Council vote - 60.7

election/appointment process

head of government indirectly elected by the General Council (Andorran parliament), formally appointed by the co-princes for a 4-year term; the leader of the majority party in the General Council is usually elected head of government

expected date of next election

April 2027

head of government

Prime Minister Xavier Espot ZAMORA (since 16 May 2019)

most recent election date

2 April 2023

Flag

description: three vertical bands of blue (left side), yellow, and red, with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band, which is slightly wider than the other two; the coat of arms features a quartered shield with the emblems of Urgell, Foix, Bearn, and Catalonia; the motto reads VIRTUS UNITA FORTIOR (Strength United is Stronger) meaning: the flag combines the blue and red French colors with the red and yellow of Spain to symbolize Franco-Spanish protection

Government type

parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains its chiefs of state in the form of a co-principality; the two princes are the President of France and Bishop of Seu d'Urgell, Spain

Independence

1278 (formed under the joint sovereignty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgell)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

CE, FAO, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de la Justicia d'Andorra (consists of the court president and 8 judges organized into civil, criminal, and administrative chambers); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 4 magistrates)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court president and judges appointed by the Supreme Council of Justice, a 5-member judicial policy and administrative body appointed 1 each by the co-princes, 1 by the General Council, 1 by the executive council president, and 1 by the courts; judges serve 6-year renewable terms; Constitutional magistrates - 2 appointed by the co-princes and 2 by the General Council; magistrates' appointments limited to 2 consecutive 8-year terms

subordinate courts

Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil and customary law with the influence of canon (religious) law

Legislative branch

electoral system

mixed system

expected date of next election

April 2027

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

General Council (Consell General)

most recent election date

4/2/2023

number of seats

28 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Democrats for Andorra (DA) and its allies (17); Concordia (Concòrdia) and its allies (5); Andorra Forward (Andorra Endavant) (3); Social Democrat Party (PS) - Social Democracy and Progress (SDP) (3)

percentage of women in chamber

50%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1921; the anthem provides a brief history of Andorra in a first-person narrative

lyrics/music

Joan BENLLOCH i VIVO/Enric MARFANY BONS

title

"El Gran Carlemany" (The Great Charlemagne)

National color(s)

blue, yellow, red

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

National holiday

Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

National symbol(s)

red cow (breed unspecified)

Political parties

Concordia or C Democrats for Andorra or DA  Forward Andorra or AE  Liberals of Andorra or L'A  Social Democratic Party or PS  Social Democracy and Progress or SDP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

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

Budget

expenditures

$989.38 million (2023 est.)

revenues

$1.054 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$499.422 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$393.62 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$538.287 million (2023 est.)

Economic overview

high GDP; low unemployment; non-EU Euro user; co-principality duty-free area between Spain and France; tourist hub but hit hard by COVID-19; modern, non-tax haven financial sector; looking for big tech investments; new member of SEPA and IMF

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.951 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.924 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$2.446 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$2.736 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$3.169 billion (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

paintings, integrated circuits, cars, orthopedic appliances, garments (2023)

Exports - partners

Spain 39%, USA 21%, France 11%, UK 5%, UAE 3% (2023)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

0.5% (2024 est.)

industry

12.8% (2024 est.)

services

77.6% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.04 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$2.143 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$2.44 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$2.716 billion (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

cars, refined petroleum, garments, perfumes, electricity (2023)

Imports - partners

Spain 65%, France 11%, Germany 4%, China 3%, Italy 3% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

6% (2024 est.)

Industries

tourism (particularly skiing), banking, timber, furniture

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

0.1% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.7% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

6.2% (2022 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2013

41.4% of GDP (2013 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$5.094 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$5.226 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$5.402 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

9.6% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

2.6% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

3.4% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$63,900 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$64,600 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$65,900 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

1.6% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

1.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

52 (2023 est.)

total

42,000 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

the media scene is partly shaped by the proximity to France and Spain; Andorrans have access to broadcasts from both countries (2023)

Internet country code

.ad

Internet users

percent of population

95% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

64 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

52,000 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

156 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

126,214 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

C3

Heliports

2 (2025)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Police Corps of Andorra (under the Ministry of Justice and Interior)

Environmental issues

deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Particulate matter emissions

8.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

315.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

43,000 tons (2024 est.)