Andorra. English. |
Andorra.
| The World Factbook 2002 | ||
| Andorra | 
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| Introduction | Andorra |
| Background: |
For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by 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 | Andorra |
| Location: |
Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
42 30 N, 1 30 E |
| Map
references: |
Europe |
| Area: |
total: 468 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 468 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 120.3 km border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km |
| Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime
claims: |
none (landlocked) |
| Climate: |
temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers |
| Terrain: |
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point: Riu
Runer 840 m highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m |
| Natural
resources: |
hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 2.22%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.78% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
NA sq km |
| Natural
hazards: |
avalanches |
| 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: Hazardous
Wastes signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography
- note: |
landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees |
| People | Andorra |
| Population: |
68,403 (July 2002 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 15.2%
(male 5,456; female 4,951) 15-64 years: 71.9% (male 25,855; female 23,311) 65 years and over: 12.9% (male 4,425; female 4,405) (2002 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.11% (2002 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
9.97 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
5.57 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
6.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
4.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
83.48 years female: 86.58 years (2002 est.) male: 80.58 years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.26 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
NA% |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
NA |
| Nationality: |
noun: Andorran(s)
adjective: Andorran |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998) |
| Religions: |
Roman Catholic (predominant) |
| Languages: |
Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese |
| Literacy: |
definition: NA total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Government | Andorra |
| Country
name: |
conventional long form:
Principality of Andorra conventional short form: Andorra local short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra |
| Government
type: |
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its heads 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 |
| Capital: |
Andorra la Vella |
| Administrative
divisions: |
7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria |
| Independence: |
1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel) |
| National
holiday: |
Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278) |
| Constitution: |
Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993 |
| Legal
system: |
based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state: French
Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Frederic de
SAINT-SERNIN (since NA); Spanish Coprince Episcopal Monseigneur Joan Marti
ALANIS (since 31 January 1971), represented by Nemesi MARQUES OSTE (since
NA) elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA% cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne (since 21 December 1994) |
| 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 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 46.1%, PSD 30%, PD 23.8%, other 0.1%; seats by party - PLA 15, PSD 6, PD 5, independents 2 |
| 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 |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Democratic Party or PD (formerly
part of National Democratic Group or AND) [leader NA]; Liberal Party of
Andorra or PLA [Marc Forne MOLNE] (used to be Liberal Union or UL); National
Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vincenc MATEU Zamora]; New Democracy or
ND [Jaume BARTOMEU Cassany]; Social Democratic Party or PSD (formerly
part of National Democratic Group of AND) [leader NA]; Union of the People
of Ordino (Unio Parroquial d'Ordino) or UPO [Simo DURO Coma] note: there are two other small parties |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
CCC, CE, ECE, ICAO, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jelena V. PIA-COMELLA chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064 |
| 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, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: (3493) 280-2227; FAX: (3493) 205-7705 |
| 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; 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 |
| Economy | Andorra |
| Economy
- overview: |
Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 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 "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. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
3.8% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
4.3% (2000) |
| Labor
force: |
33,000 (2001 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (2000 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
0% |
| Budget: |
revenues: $385 million
expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
| Industries: |
tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, tobacco, banking |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: NA%
other: NA% nuclear: NA% hydro: NA% |
| 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 |
| Agriculture
- products: |
small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep |
| Exports: |
$58 million f.o.b. (1998) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
tobacco products, furniture |
| Exports
- partners: |
France 34%, Spain 58% (1998) |
| Imports: |
$1.077 billion (1998) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
consumer goods, food, electricity |
| Imports
- partners: |
Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (1998) |
| Debt
- external: |
$NA |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
none |
| Currency: |
euro (EUR); French franc (FRF); Spanish peseta (ESP) |
| Currency
code: |
EUR; FRF; ESP |
| Exchange
rates: |
euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997); Spanish pesetas per US dollar - 149.40 (1998), 146.41 (1997) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Communications | Andorra |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
32,946 (December 1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
14,117 (December 1998) |
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
NA domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: landline circuits to France and Spain |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: |
16,000 (1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
0 (1997) |
| Televisions: |
27,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.ad |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
24,500 (2001) |
| Transportation | Andorra |
| Railways: |
0 km |
| Highways: |
total: 269 km paved: 198 km unpaved: 71 km (1994 est.) |
| Waterways: |
none |
| Ports
and harbors: |
none |
| Airports: |
none (2001) |
| Military | Andorra |
| Military
branches: |
no regular military forces, but there is a police force |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the responsibility of France and Spain |
| Transnational Issues | Andorra |
| Disputes
- international: |
border is undemarcated in sections |
Source:
The World Factbook 2002
Last Updated: 19 March 2003
2000-2007
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