Andorra
Principality of AndorraPrincipat d'Andorra
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) thatIndependence 1278
Andorra as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 94 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain
18 fieldsLand useshare of 450 sq km
Environment--current issues
deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion
Environment--international agreements
- party to:
- none of the selected agreements
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1999 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 14% (male 4,880; female 4,527)
- 15-64 years:
- 73% (male 25,811; female 22,444)
- 65 years and over:
- 13% (male 4,196; female 4,081) (1999 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.08 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.15 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.12 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Government
Parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that; French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) represented by Veguer Jean-Pierre COURTOIS (since NA); Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne (since 21 December 1994)
19 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Legislature, 28 seats, elected 16 February 1997one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Principality of Andorra
- conventional short form:
- Andorra
- local long form:
- Principat d'Andorra
- local short form:
- 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 officials called veguers
Administrative divisions
7 parishes (parroquies, singular--parroquia); Andorra, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Les Escaldes, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
Legal system
- based on French and Spanish civil codes;
- no judicial review of legislative acts;
- has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) represented by Veguer Jean-Pierre COURTOIS (since NA);
- and Spanish Coprince Episcopal Monseigneur Joan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January 1971) represented by Veguer Francesc BADIA Battalla (since NA)
- head of government:
- Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne (since 21 December 1994)
- cabinet:
- Executive Council designated by the Executive Council president
- elections:
- Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces;
- election last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held NA 2001)
- election results:
- Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote--NA
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 16 February 1997 (next to be held NA February 2001)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party--UL 57%, AND 21%, IDN 7%, ND 7%, other 8%; seats by party--UL 16, AND 6, ND 2, IDN 2, UPO 2
Judicial branch
- Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan, France, (two civil judges appointed by the veguers, one appeals judge appointed by the coprinces alternately);
- Ecclesiastical Court of the Bishop of Seo de Urgel (Spain);
- Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal des Cortes, (presided over by the two civil judges, one appeals judge, the veguers, and two members of the General Council)
Political parties and leaders
National Democratic Group or AND note: there are two other small parties
International organization participation
CE, ECE, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Juli MINOVES-TRIQUELL (also Permanent Representative to the UN)
- chancery:
- 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017
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: ;
- telephone: (3493) 280-2227;
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 that do not have a national coat of arms in the center
Economy
30 fieldsEconomy--overview
Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 10 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 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.
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.
Currency
- 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes;
- 1 peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos;
- the French and Spanish currencies are used
Exchange rates
- French francs (F) per US$1--5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994);
- Spanish pesetas (Ptas) per US$1--143.39 (January 1999), 149.40 (1998), 146.41 (1997), 126.66 (1996), 124.69 (1995), 133.96 (1994)
Communications
6 fieldsTelephone system
- domestic:
- modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges
- international:
- landline circuits to France and Spain
Transportation
4 fieldsNetworkskm
Military
1 fieldTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Andorra.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/andorra/1999.