2023 Edition

Background

The Moorish invasion of Spain in the 8th century and subsequent incursions into France were finally stemmed at the Pyrenees by Frankish King Charlemagne, who in 795 created the Hispanic March, a series of buffer states to keep the Muslim Moors from advancing into Christian France. 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 these March states. For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique coprincipality, 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 has become a popular tourist destination visited by approximately 8 million people each year drawn by the winter sports, summer climate, and duty-free shopping. Andorra has also become a wealthy international commercial center because of its mature banking sector and low taxes. As part of its effort to modernize its economy, Andorra has opened to foreign investment, and engaged in other reforms, such as advancing tax initiatives aimed at supporting a 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 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, DC

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

40% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 38.3% (2018 est.)

forest

34% (2018 est.)

other

26% (2018 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

12.31% (male 5,426/female 5,096)

15-64 years

68.17% (male 29,845/female 28,419)

65 years and over

19.52% (2023 est.) (male 8,471/female 8,211)

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

6.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

9.1% of GDP (2020)

Death rate

8 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

20.1

potential support ratio

5 (2021)

total dependency ratio

38.1

youth dependency ratio

18.1

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

2.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

Andorran 47.6%, Spanish 24.8%, Portuguese 10.8%, French 4.5%, Argentine 1.7%, British, 1%, other 9.7% (2022 est.)

note

note: data represent population by nationality

Gross reproduction rate

0.7 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.5 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

3.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Catalan (official) 35.7%, Castilian 43.2%, Portuguese 17.1%, French 8.9%, English 1.8%, other 5% (2018 est.)

note

note: data represent mother tongue

Life expectancy at birth

female

86 years

male

81.4 years

total population

83.6 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

100% (2016)

male

100%

total population

100%

Major urban areas - population

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

Median age

female

48.1 years

male

48.1 years

total

48.1 years (2023 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 (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

25.6% (2016)

Physicians density

3.63 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

85,468 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

-0.11% (2023 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

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

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

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

28.3% (2020 est.)

male

35.3% (2020 est.)

total

31.8% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.46 children born/woman (2023 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

amendments

proposed by the coprinces 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 coprinces

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; the name may derive from the Arabic "ad-darra" meaning "the forest," a reference to its location as part of the Spanish March (defensive buffer zone) against the invading Moors in the 8th century; an alternate explanation is that the name originates from a Navarrese word "andurrial" meaning "shrub-covered land"

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 Elisenda VIVES BALMANA (since 2 March 2016)

email address and website

contact@andorraun.orghttps://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 of 12 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 Josep Maria MAURI (since 20 July 2012)

election results

2023: Xaviar Espot ZAMORA (DA) re-elected 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

elections/appointments

head of government indirectly elected by the General Council (Andorran parliament), formally appointed by the co-princes for a 4-year term; election last held on 2 April 2023 (next to be held in April 2027); the leader of the majority party in the General Council is usually elected head of government

head of government

Prime Minister Xavier Espot ZAMORA (since 16 May 2019)

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 2 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

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 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 coprinces, 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 coprinces 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

description

unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de les Valls (a minimum of 28 seats; 14 members directly elected in two-seat constituencies (7 parishes) by simple majority vote and 14 directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms); note - voters cast two separate ballots - one for national and one for their parish

election results

percent of vote by party - DA 57.1%, Concord 17.8%, Forward 10.7%, SDP 10.7%, L'A 3.6%; seats by party - DA 16, Concord 5, Forward 3, SDP 3, L'A 1; composition as of August 2023 - men 14, women 14, percent of women 50%

elections

last held on 2 April 2023 (next to be held in April 2027)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Joan BENLLOCH i VIVO/Enric MARFANY BONS

name

"El Gran Carlemany" (The Great Charlemagne)

note

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

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); national colors: blue, yellow, red

Political parties and leaders

Concord [Cerni ESCALE Cabre]Democrats for Andorra or DA [Xaviar ESPOT ZAMORA]Forward Andorra [Carine Montaner RAYNAUD]Liberals of Andorra or L'A [Joseph Maria CABANES]Social Democracy and Progress or SDP [Pere Lopez AGRAS]

note

note: Andorra has several smaller parties at the parish level (one is Lauredian Union)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

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

Budget

expenditures

$2.06 billion (2016)

revenues

$1.872 billion (2016)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-6.9% (of GDP) (2016)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

A- (2022)

Moody's rating

Baa2 (2022)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BBB+ (2023)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

$568.257 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$448.869 million (2020 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2016

$0 (2016)

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 2014

0.885 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

0.921 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

0.903 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

0.885 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

note

note: while not an EU member state, Andorra has a 2011 monetary agreement with the EU to produce limited euro coinage—but not banknotes—that began enforcement in April 2012

Exports

Exports 2019

$2.335 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$1.842 billion (2020 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

integrated circuits, dental fitting supplies, cars, gold, essential oils (2021)

Exports - partners

Spain 40%, France 19%, United States 11%, Mauritania 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

11.9% (2015 est.)

industry

33.6% (2015 est.)

services

54.5% (2015 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.712 billion (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2019

$2.032 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$1.727 billion (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

cars, refined petroleum, perfumes, shaving products, liquors (2019)

Imports - partners

Spain 71%, France 17% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

-3.9% (2020 est.) NA

Industries

tourism (particularly skiing), banking, timber, furniture

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2014

-0.1% (2014 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015

-0.9% (2015 est.)

Labor force

39,750 (2016)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

0.5%

industry

4.4%

services

95.1% (2015)

Public debt

Public debt 2013

41.4% of GDP (2013 est.)

Public debt 2014

41% of GDP (2014 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2012 US dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2013

$3.273 billion (2013 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014

$3.363 billion (2014 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015

$3.327 billion (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

2.02% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-11.18% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

8.95% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2013

$50,300 (2013 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2014

$51,300 (2014 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2015

$49,900 (2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

69% (of GDP) (2016)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2015

4.1% (2015 est.)

Unemployment rate 2016

3.7% (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2016)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

48 (2020 est.)

total

37,000 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

1 public TV station and 2 public radio stations; about 10 commercial radio stations; good reception of radio and TV broadcasts from stations in France and Spain; upgraded to terrestrial digital TV broadcasting in 2007; roughly 25 international TV channels available (2019)

Internet country code

.ad

Internet users

percent of population

94% (2021 est.)

total

74,260 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

about 63 per 100 fixed-line, 110 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)

general assessment

Andorra has a modern telecommunications system with microwave radio relay connections between the exchanges and land line circuits to France and Spain (2020)

international

country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain; modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

63 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

50,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

110 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

89,000 (2021 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

C3

Roadways

total

320 km (2019)

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)

Disputes - international

Andorra-France: none identifiedAndorra-Spain: none identified

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.47 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.05 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

8.52 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

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, 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

Land use

agricultural land

40% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 38.3% (2018 est.)

forest

34% (2018 est.)

other

26% (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

320 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

87.8% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

43,000 tons (2012 est.)