Andorra

Andorra:: Population: 85,082

Background

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 Seu d'Urgell). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. For decades Andorra enjoyed its status as a small refuge of fiscal and banking freedom and benefitted from Spanish and French tourists attracted to the country's duty-free shopping. The situation has changed in recent years as Andorra started to tax foreign investment and other sectors. Tourism accounts for over 80% of Andorra's gross domestic product.

Geography
Landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees
Location:	Southwestern Europe, Pyrenees mountains, on the border between France and Spain
Geographic coordinates:	42 30 N, 1 30 E
Area:	total: 468 sq km land: 468 sq km water: 0 sq km Size comparison: 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: Pic de Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
Natural resources:	hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Land use:	arable land: 2.13% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:	NA
Natural hazards:	avalanches
Current Environment Issues:	deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal
International Environment Agreements:	party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population:	85,082 (July 2012 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 15.6% (male 6,799/female 6,440) 15-64 years: 71.4% (male 31,545/female 29,037) 65 years and over: 13% (male 5,502/female 5,502) (2011 est.)
Median age:	total: 41.2 years male: 41.4 years female: 40.9 years (2012 est.)
Population growth rate:	0.274% (2012 est.)
Birth rate:	9.26 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
Death rate:	6.52 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
Net migration rate:	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Infant mortality rate:	total: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 82.5 years male: 80.4 years female: 84.74 years (2012 est.)
Total fertility rate:	1.36 children born/woman (2012 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: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
Government
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 chiefs of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seu d'Urgell, Spain, who are represented in Andorra by the coprinces' representatives
Capital:	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:	7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
Independence:	1278 (formed under the joint sovereignty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Seu d'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; effective 28 April 1993
Legal system:	mixed legal system of civil and customary law with canon (religious) law influences
Suffrage:	18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:	chief of state: French Coprince Francois HOLLANDE (since 15 May 2012); represented by Christian FREMONT (since September 2008) and Spanish Coprince Archbishop 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 (or Cap de Govern) Antoni MARTI PETIT (since 12 May 2011) cabinet: Executive Council of seven ministers designated by the Executive Council president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council (Andorran Parliament) and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held on 3 April 2011 (next to be held in April 2015) election results: Antoni MARTI PETIT was elected Executive Council president; percent of General Council vote - NA; note - the leader of the party which wins a majority of seats in the General Council is usually elected president
Legislative branch:	unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Valls (a minimum of 28 and maximum of 42 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); note - each voter cast two separate ballots - one for the national list, one for the parish list elections: last held on 3 April 2011 (next to be held in April 2015) election results: percent of vote by party - DA 55%, PS 35%, Andorra for Change 7%, Andorran Green 3%; seats by party - DA 20, PS 6, Lauredian Union 2; note - numbers of votes and percentages are for the respective national list; number of seats include seats won by the parish lists
Judicial branch:	higher judicial bodies: Supreme Council of Justice or Consell Superior de la Justicia (coprinces appoint the members); oversees and administers the entire justice system; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra (5 members) three lower courts: Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional (coprinces appoint the members) note: all judges elected for a 6-year term renewable term
Political parties and leaders:	there are four political parties at the national level: Andorra for Change or ApC [Eusebio NOMEN CALVET]; Democrats for Andorra or DA [Antoni MARTI PETIT], coalition including Liberal Party (PRA) and Reformist Coalition; Greens of Andorra [Isabel LOZANO MUNOZ]; Social Democratic Party or PS [Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY]; note - there are also several smaller parties at the Parish level (one is Lauredian Union)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:	CE, FAO, ICAO, 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:	chief of mission: Ambassador Narcis CASAL de Fonsdeviela 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:	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 US Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (93) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (93) 280-6175
Economy
Tourism, retail sales, and finance are the mainstays of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounting for more than three-quarters of GDP. About 9 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status for some products and by its summer and winter resorts. The banking sector also contributes substantially to the economy. Andorra's comparative advantage as a tax haven eroded when the borders of neighboring France and Spain opened; its bank secrecy laws have been relaxed under pressure from the EU and OECD. Agricultural production is limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most food has to be imported, making the economy vulnerable to changes in fuel and food prices. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing output and exports consist mainly of perfumes and cosmetic products, products of the printing industry, electrical machinery and equipment, clothing, tobacco products, 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. Andorra uses the euro and is effectively subject to the monetary policy of the European Central Bank. Slower growth in Spain and France has dimmed Andorra's prospects. In 2010 and 2011 a drop in tourism contributed to a contraction in GDP and a deterioration of public finances, prompting the government to implement several austerity measures.
GDP (purchasing power parity):	GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.169 billion (2011 est.) $3.227 billion (2010 est.) $3.3 billion (2009 est.) note: data are in 2011 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):	GDP (official exchange rate): $NA
GDP - real growth rate:	-1.8% (2011 est.) -2.2% (2010 est.) 3.8% (2009 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):	GDP - per capita (PPP): $37,200 (2011 est.) $37,700 (2010 est.) $38,500 (2009 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:	38,220 (2010)
Labor force - by occupation:	agriculture: 0.4% industry: 4.7% services: 94.9% (2010)
Unemployment rate:	2.9% (2009) 2.7% (2008)
Population below poverty line:	NA (2008)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):	Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (2010) 0% (2009)
Budget:	revenues: $872 million expenditures: $868.4 million (2009)
Agriculture - products:	small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep
Industries:	tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking, tobacco, furniture
Industrial production growth rate:	NA%
Electricity - production:	101 million kWh (2009)
Electricity - consumption:	598.7 million kWh (2009)
Electricity - exports:	9 million kWh (2009)
Electricity - imports:	497.7 million kWh note: most electricity supplied by Spain and France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower (2009)
Exports:	$64 million (2009) $89.5 million (2008)
Exports - commodities:	tobacco products, furniture
Imports:	$1.474 billion (2009) $1.801 billion (2008)
Imports - commodities:	consumer goods, food, electricity
Debt - external:	$NA
Exchange rates:	euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7107 (2011 est.) 0.755 (2010 est.) 0.7198 (2009 est.) 0.6827 (2008 est.) 0.7345 (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:	calendar year
Communications
Telephones in use:	38,200 (2009) country comparison to the world: 174
Cellular Phones in use:	65,500 (2009)
Telephone system:	general assessment: modern automatic telephone system domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain
Radio broadcast stations:
Television broadcast stations:
Internet country code:	.ad
Internet hosts:	28,131 (2010)
Internet users:	67,100 (2009)
Transportation
Roadways:	total: 320 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 203
Military
Defense is the responsibility of France and Spain
Military branches:	no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra (2010)
Manpower available for military service:	males age 16-49: 22,390 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:	males age 16-49: 17,977 females age 16-49: 17,069 (2010 est.)