Andorra

Highways

96 km

Telecommunications

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

Note

defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Agriculture

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

Aid

none

Budget

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

Currency

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

Electricity

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

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)

Exports

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

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

calendar year

GNP

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

Imports

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

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

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.

Unemployment rate

NA%

Climate

temperate; snowy, cold winters and cool, dry summers

Coastline

none--landlocked

Comparative area

slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Environment

deforestation, overgrazing

Land boundaries

125 km total; France 60 km, Spain 65 km

Land use

2% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 56% meadows and pastures; 22% forest and woodland; 20% other

Maritime claims

none--landlocked

Natural resources

hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Note

landlocked

Terrain

rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Total area

450 km2; land area: 450 km2

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Andorra la Vella

Communists

negligible

Constitution

none; some pareatges and decrees, mostly custom and usage

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

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

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

Independence

1278

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)

Legal system

based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

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

Long-form name

Principality of Andorra

Member of

CCC, UNESCO

National holiday

Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September

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

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

Birth rate

12 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

4 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

7 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

NA

Language

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

Life expectancy at birth

74 years male, 81 years female (1990)

Literacy

100%

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

18 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

none

Population

51,895 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)

Religion

virtually all Roman Catholic

Total fertility rate

1.3 children born/woman (1990)