Andorra

source : World Fact Book 2008 (October 2008)

SEE UPDATED INFORMATION HERE

   Introduction    Andorra
Background:
Definition Field Listing 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 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:
Definition Field Listing Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing 42 30 N, 1 30 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing Europe
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order total: 468 sq km
land: 468 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing total: 120.3 km
border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing none (landlocked)
Climate:
Definition Field Listing temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m
highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Land use:
Definition Field Listing arable land: 2.13%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing NA
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing avalanches
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees
   People    Andorra
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 82,627 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing 0-14 years: 15.5% (male 6,606/female 6,192)
15-64 years: 72.5% (male 31,313/female 28,563)
65 years and over: 12% (male 4,906/female 5,047) (2008 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing total: 38.9 years
male: 39.2 years
female: 38.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing 1.899% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 10.59 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 5.59 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 13.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order total: 3.68 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order total population: 82.67 years
male: 80.35 years
female: 85.14 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 1.32 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing noun: Andorran(s)
adjective: Andorran
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing Roman Catholic (predominant)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing definition: NA
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Definition Field Listing total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 2.3% of GDP (2006)
   Government    Andorra
Country name:
Definition Field Listing conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
conventional short form: Andorra
local long form: Principat d'Andorra
local short form: Andorra
Government type:
Definition Field Listing 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 Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented locally by coprinces' representatives
Capital:
Definition Field Listing name: Andorra la Vella
geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 31 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing 7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
Independence:
Definition Field Listing 1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgel)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 28 April 1993
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing chief of state: French Coprince Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002) and Spanish Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003); represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since 30 July 2003)
head of government: Executive Council President Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA (since 27 May 2005)
cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president
elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held in April-May 2009)
election results: Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing 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)
elections: last held on 24 April 2005 (next to be held in March-April 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 41.2%, PS 38.1%, CDA-S21 11%, other 9.7%; seats by party - PLA 14, PS 12, CDA-S21 2
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing 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:
Definition Field Listing Andorran Democratic Center Party (formerly Democratic Party or PD) and Century 21 or CDA and S21 [Enric TARRADO]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA] (formerly Liberal Union or UL); Social Democratic Party or PS [Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY] (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing CE, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing chief of mission: Ambassador Carles FONT-ROSSELL
chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064
FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing 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 de Montcada, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (3) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (3) 205-5206
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing 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
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
   Economy    Andorra
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for more than 80% of GDP. An estimated 11.6 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 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order $2.77 billion (2005)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing $NA
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 3.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order $38,800 (2005)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 42,420 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 20.3%
services: 79.4% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 0% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 3.2% (2005)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing revenues: $333.5 million
expenditures: $386.6 million (2005)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep
Industries:
Definition Field Listing tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking, tobacco, furniture
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order NA%
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order NA kWh
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing NA kWh
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order $148.7 million f.o.b. (2005)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing tobacco products, furniture
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order $1.879 billion (2005)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing consumer goods, food, electricity
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing $0
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order $NA
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing euro (EUR)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing calendar year
   Communications    Andorra
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 37,200 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 68,500 (2007)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges
international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing 0 (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing .ad
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 15,486 (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order 58,900 (2007)
   Transportation    Andorra
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order total: 270 km
   Military    Andorra
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing males age 16-49: 18,685 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing males age 16-49: 14,976 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field Listing male: 412
female: 395 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing defense is the responsibility of France and Spain
   Transnational Issues    Andorra
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing none



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Source : CIA's World Fact Book 2008

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