Andorra

unique coprincipality under formal sovereignty of president of France and Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are represented locally by officials called verguersIndependence 1278

Andorra as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 61 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalAndorra la Vella
Area450 km2
1990

Every edition of Andorra

Populationas each edition published it
51,895 people July 1990 · 85,370 in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 3.27% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 39.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 78.22 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.3 children per woman 1990 · 1.47 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 3.3 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $14,000 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 3.8% in 2002

Geography

11 fields

Land useshare of 450 km2

arable land 2%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 56%forest and woodland 22%other 20%
Total area
450km2
land area: 450 km2Comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
125km total
France 60 km, Spain 65 km

Coastline

none--landlocked

Climate

temperate; snowy, cold winters and cool, dry summers

Terrain

rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Natural resources

hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Environment

deforestation, overgrazing

Note

landlocked

People

14 fields
Population
51,895
(July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
12Death
4Net migration
18

Infant mortality rate

7 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

74 years male, 81 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

1.3 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

noun--Andorran(s); adjective--Andorran

Ethnic divisions

Catalan stock; 61% Spanish, 30% Andorran, 6% French, 3% other

Religion

virtually all Roman Catholic

Language

Catalan (official); many also speak some French and Castilian

Government

Unique coprincipality under formal sovereignty of president of France and Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are represented locally by officials called verguers

17 fields

Long-form name

Principality of Andorra

Type

unique coprincipality under formal sovereignty of president of France and Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are represented locally by officials called verguers

Capital

Andorra la Vella

Administrative divisions

7 parishes (parroquies, singular--parroquia); Andorra, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Les Escaldes, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria

Constitution

none; some pareatges and decrees, mostly custom and usage

National holiday

Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September

Executive branch

two co-princes (president of France, bishop of Seo de Urgel in Spain), two designated representatives (French veguer, Episcopal veguer), two permanent delegates (French prefect for the department of Pyrenees-Orientales, Spanish vicar general for the Seo de Urgel diocese), president of government, Executive Council

Legislative branch

unicameral General Council of the Valleys (Consell General de las Valls)

Judicial branch

civil cases--Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan (France) or the Ecclesiastical Court of the bishop of Seo de Urgel (Spain); criminal cases--Tribunal of the Courts (Tribunal des Cortes) Chiefs of State--French Co-Prince Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981), represented by Veguer de Franca Louis DEBLE;

Spanish Episcopal Co-Prince Mgr. Joan MARTI y Alanis (since 31 January 1971), represented by Veguer Episcopal Francesc BADIA Batalla; Head of Government--Josep PINTAT Solans (since NA 1984)

Political parties and leaders

  • political parties not yet legally recognized;
  • traditionally no political parties but partisans for particular independent candidates for the General Council on the basis of competence, personality, and orientation toward Spain or France;
  • various small pressure groups developed in 1972;
  • first formal political party, Andorran Democratic Association, was formed in 1976 and reorganized in 1979 as Andorran Democratic Party

Suffrage

  • universal at age 18 General Council of the Valleys--last held 11 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993);
  • results--percent of vote NA;
  • seats--(28 total) number of seats by party NA

Communists

negligible

Member of

CCC, UNESCO

Diplomatic representation

  • Andorra has no mission in the US;
  • US--includes Andorra within the Barcelona (Spain) Consular District and the US Consul General visits Andorra periodically;
  • Consul General Ruth A. DAVIS;
  • Consulate General at Via Layetana 33, Barcelona 3, Spain (mailing address APO NY 09286);
  • telephone [34] (3) 319-9550

Flag

  • 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 flag of Chad which does not have a national coat of arms in the center;
  • also similar to the flag of Romania which has a national coat of arms featuring a mountain landscape below a red five-pointed star and the words REPUBLICA SOCIALISTA ROMANIA at the bottom

Economy

The mainstay of Andorra's economy is tourism.

16 fields

Overview

The mainstay of Andorra's economy is tourism. An estimated 12 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Agricultural production is limited by a scarcity of arable land, and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising.

Manufacturing consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. The rapid pace of European economic integration is a potential threat to Andorra's advantages from its duty-free status.

GNP

$NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%

Budget

revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exports

  • $0.017 million (f.o.b., 1986);
  • commodities--electricity;
  • partners--France, Spain

Imports

  • $531 million (f.o.b., 1986);
  • commodities--NA;
  • partners--France, Spain

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Electricity

35,000 kW capacity; 140 million kWh produced, 2,800 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

tourism (particularly skiing), sheep, timber, tobacco, smuggling, banking

Agriculture

sheep raising; small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, and some vegetables

Aid

none

Currency

French franc (plural--francs) and Spanish peseta (plural--pesetas); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes and 1 Spanish peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos

Exchange rates

  • French francs (F) per US$1--5.7598 (January 1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985);
  • Spanish pesetas (Ptas) per US$1--109.69 (January 1990), 118.38 (1989), 116.49 (1988), 123.48 (1987), 140.05 (1986), 170.04 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

2 fields

Telecommunications

  • international digital microwave network;
  • international landline circuits to France and Spain;
  • stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV;
  • 17,700 telephones

Defense Forces

1 field

Note

defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Central Intelligence Agency. “Andorra.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/andorra/1990.

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