Background: Andorra, a mountainous country long isolated and impoverished, has experienced remarkable prosperity since the Second World War thanks to tourism. A prosperous economy and no income tax attracts many immigrants (legal and illegal). See areacodesexplorer.com to know more about Andorra History.
Geography
Location: Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain.
Geographical coordinates: 42° 30′ N. sh., D 30’v.
Reference map: Europe.
Area: total: 468 km2; land surface area: 468 km2; water surface area: 0 km2
Comparative area: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC.
Land borders: total: 120.3 km; with neighboring states: with France 56.6 km, with Spain 63.7 km.
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked).
Maritime claims: none (landlocked).
Climate: temperate; winters are snowy and cold, summers are warm and dry.
Relief: rocky mountains cut by narrow intermountain valleys.
Maximum and minimum heights: lowest point: Rio Runer River 840 m; highest point: Mount Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m.
Natural resources: hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead.
Land use: arable land: 4%; cultivated land: 0%; pastures: 45%; forests and plantations: 35%; others: 16% (1998 est.).
Irrigated land: no data.
Natural hazards: snow avalanches and avalanches.
Current environmental issues: deforestation; overgrowth of grazing in mountain meadows, contributing to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and disposal of solid waste.
International agreements on environmental protection: participant: Hazardous waste; signed but not ratified: no.
Note to the section “Geography”: has no access to the sea.
Population
Population: 67,627 (July 2001 est.).
Age structure: under 14: 15.29% (men 5,425; women 4,917); 15 to 64 years old: 72.06% (male 25,654; female 23,078); over 65: 12.65% (male 4,299; female 4,254) (2001 est.).
Population growth: 1.17% (2001 est.).
Birth rate: 10.29 newborns / 1000 people. (2001 est.).
Mortality: 5.41 deaths / 1000 people. (2001 est.).
Migration: 6.82 people / 1000 people (2001 est.).
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male/female; up to 15 years: 1.1 male/female; 15 to 64 years old: 1.11 male/female; over 65: 1.01 male/female; for the general population: 1.1 male/female (2001 est.);
Child mortality: 4.08 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.).
Life expectancy: for the general population: 83.47 years; men: 80.57 years; women: 86.57 years (2001 est.);
General birth rate: 1.25 children/wives. (2001 est.).
Proportion of the adult population infected with HIV: no data available.
Number of people infected with HIV: no data.
AIDS mortality: no data available.
Nationality: noun: Andorran; adjective: Andorran.
Ethnic groups: Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998).
Believers: Catholics (Catholicism is the dominant religion).
Languages): Catalan (official), French, Spanish.
Literacy: definition: no data; for the general population: 100%; men: no data; women: no data.
Politics
Common long form: Principality of Andorra;
conventional short form: Andorra; local long form: Principat a “Andorra; local short form: Andorra.
State structure: parliamentary democracy (since March 1993), retaining the status of a jointly administered principality; co-rulers are the President of France and the Bishop of Urgell, from Seo de Urgell (Spain ) represented by princely representatives
Capital: Andorra la Vepia
Administrative division: 7 communities (raggo quia): Andorra la Vepia, Canillo, La Masana, Ordino, Sant Giulia de Loria, Encamp, Escal des Engordany
Independence: 1278 (Joint suzerainty of France and Spain was formalized).
National holiday: Nativity of the Virgin, September 8 (since 1278).
Constitution: Andorra’s first written constitution was drafted in 1991; was approved by referendum on March 14, 1993 and entered into force on May 4, 1993.
Legal system: based on French and Spanish civil codes; judicial revision of legislative acts is not allowed; does not accept the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice.
Suffrage: from 18 years old; universal.
head of state: French co-ruler Jacques CHIRAC (since May 17, 1995), represented by Frederic de SAINT-SERNIN (date of inauguration unknown); Spanish Co-Prince Monseigneur Bishop Joan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January 1971), represented by Mr. Nemesi MARQUES OSTE (date of inauguration unknown);
head of government: President of the Executive Council Marc FORNE Molne (since 21 December 1994);
Government: the executive board (Govern), appointed by the president of the executive board; elections: the president of the executive council is elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; elections last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held in 2001); election results: Marc FORNET MOLNE elected president of the executive board; the percentage of votes in the General Council is 64%.
Legislature: unicameral General Council of the Andorran Valleys (Consell General de las Vails) (28 seats; members of the council are elected by direct universal suffrage, 14 from a single national constituency, and 14 represent 7 parishes; members of the chamber are elected for a four-year term); elections: elections last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held in February 2001); election results: distribution of votes between parties – UL 57%, AND 21%, IDN 7%, ND 7%, other 8%; seats – UL 16, AND 6, ND 2, IDN 2, UPO 2.
Judiciary: Tribunal of Judges (Tribunal de Batlles); Tribunal of Courts (Tribunal de Corts); Supreme Court of Andorra (Tribunal Superior de Justicia d’Andorra); Supreme Council of Justice (Consell Superior de la Justicia); the Ministry of Taxes (Mi-nisteri Fiscal); Constitutional Tribunal.
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Union (UL, renamed Andorran Liberal Party) (Marc FORNET); National Democratic Group (AND) (Ladislau BARO SOLA); National Democratic Initiative (IDN) (Vincenc MATEU Zamora); New Democracy (ND) (Jaume BARTOMEU Cassany); Ordino People’s Union (UPO) (Simo DURO Coma); note: there are two more small batches.
Political influence groups and their leaders:
Participation in international organizations: CCC, CE, ECE, ICAO, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer).
Diplomatic representation in the United States: head of mission: ambassador (also a permanent representative to the UN) – the place is vacant; office: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, New York 10017; phone: [1] (212) 750-8064; fax:\C (212) 750-6630.
US Diplomatic Representation: The US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to Spain is accredited in Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate General in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; phone: (3493) 280-2227; fax: (3493) 205-7705.
Flag Description: three equally sized vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow and red with the national emblem in the center of the yellow band; the coat of arms is a shield divided into quarters; the flag resembles the flags of Chad and Romania, which do not have a national emblem in the center, and the flag of Moldova, where the national emblem is represented.
