Andorra




                                 Geography


Location:
     Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain
Map references:
     Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
     450 sq km
land area:
     450 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
     total 125 km, France 60 km, Spain 65 km
Coastline:
     0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
     none; landlocked
International disputes:
     none
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
Land use:
arable land:
     2%
permanent crops:
     0%
meadows and pastures:
     56%
forest and woodland:
     22%
other:
     20%
Irrigated land:
     NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
     deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion
natural hazards:
     NA
international agreements:
     NA
Note:
     landlocked


                                  People


Population:
     63,930 (July 1994 est.)




Population growth rate:
     2.99% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     13.34 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     7.12 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     23.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     78.37 years
male:
     75.5 years
female:
     81.5 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     1.73 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Andorran(s)
adjective:
     Andorran
Ethnic divisions:
     Spanish 61%, Andorran 30%, French 6%, other 3%
Religions:
     Roman Catholic (predominant)
Languages:
     Catalan (official), French, Castilian
Literacy:
total population:
     NA%
male:
     NA%
female:
     NA%
Labor force:
     NA


                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
     Principality of Andorra
conventional short form:
local long form:
     Principat d'Andorra
local short form:
Digraph:
     AN




Type:
     parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its heads
     of state a co-principality; the two princes are the president of
     France and Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are represented locally
     by officials called veguers
Capital:
     Andorra la Vella
Administrative divisions:
     7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra, Canillo,
     Encamp, La Massana, Les Escaldes, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
Independence:
     1278
National holiday:
     Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September
Constitution:
     Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; adopted 14
     March 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:
chiefs of state:
     French Co-Prince Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981), represented
     by Veguer de Franca Jean Pierre COURTOIS (since NA); Spanish Episcopal
     Co-Prince Mgr. Juan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January 1971), represented
     by Veguer Episcopal Francesc BADIA Bata - two co-princes (President
     Francois MITTERRAND of France, since 21 May 1981, and Bishop of Seo de
     Urgel Juan MARTI Alanis in Spain, since 31 January 1971), two
     designated representatives (France - Veguer de Franca Jean Pierre
     COURTOIS, since NA, and Spain - Veguer Episcopal Francesc BADIA Bata,
     since NA), two permanent delegates (French Prefect Pierre STEINMETZ
     for the department of Pyrenees-Orientales, since NA, and Spanish Vicar
     General Nemesi MARQUES Oste for the Seo de Urgel diocese, since NA)
head of government:
     Executive Council President Oscar RIBAS Reig (since 10 December 1993)
     elected by Parliament
cabinet:
     Executive Council; designated by the executive council president
Legislative branch:
     unicameral
General Council of the Valleys:
     (Consell General de las Valls); elections last held 12 December 1993
     (next to be held NA); yielded no clear winner; results - percent of
     vote by party NA; seats - (28 total) number of seats by party NA
Judicial branch:
     Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan (France) for civil cases, the
     Ecclesiastical Court of the bishop of Seo de Urgel (Spain) for civil
     cases, Tribunal of the Courts (Tribunal des Cortes) for criminal cases




Political parties and leaders:
     National Democratic Group (AND), Oscar RIBAS Reig and Jordi FARRAS;
     Liberal Union (UL), Francesc CERQUEDA; New Democracy (ND), Jaume
     BARTOMEU; Andorran National Coalition (CNA), Antoni CERQUEDA; National
     Democratic Initiative (IDN), Vincenc MATEU; Liberal Union (UL),
     Francesc CERQUEDA
note:
     there are two other small parties
Member of:
     ECE, INTERPOL, IOC, UN
Diplomatic representation in US:
     Andorra has no mission in the US
US diplomatic representation:
     Andorra is included within the Barcelona (Spain) Consular District,
     and the US Consul General visits Andorra periodically
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 flags of Chad and
     Romania that do not have a national coat of arms in the center


                                  Economy


Overview:
     Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's economy, accounts for roughly 80%
     of GDP. An estimated 13 million tourists visit annually, attracted by
     Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. 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; it is unclear what effect the European Single
     Market will have on the advantages Andorra obtains from its duty-free
     status.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $760 million (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     NA%
National product per capita:
     $14,000 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     NA%
Unemployment rate:
     0%
Budget:
revenues:
     $138 million
expenditures:
     $177 million, Including capital expenditures of $NA (1993)
Exports:
     $30 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
     electricity, tobacco products, furniture




partners:
     France, Spain
Imports:
     $NA
commodities:
     consumer goods, food
partners:
     France, Spain
External debt:
     $NA
Industrial production:
     growth rate NA%
Electricity:
capacity:
     35,000 kW
production:
     140 million kWh
consumption per capita:
     2,570 kWh (1992)
Industries:
     tourism (particularly skiing), sheep, timber, tobacco, banking
Agriculture:
     sheep raising; small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats,
     and some vegetables
Economic aid:
     none
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 - 5.9205 (January 1994), 5.6632 (1993),
     5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989); Spanish
     pesetas (Ptas) per US$1 - 143.04 (January 1994), 127.26 (1993), 102.38
     (1992), 103.91 (1991), 101.93 (1990), 118.38 (1989)
Fiscal year:
     calendar year


                              Communications


Highways:
total:
     96 km
paved:
     NA
unpaved:
     NA
Telecommunications:
     international digital microwave network; international landline
     circuits to France and Spain; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV;
     17,700 telephones


                              Defense Forces


Note:
     defense is the responsibility of France and Spain