Member States · Andorra Fact Sheet

Background

Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra has achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants are attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.

Geography

Location: Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain
Geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 30 E
Map references: Europe

Area

Total: 468 sq km
Land: 468 sq km
Water: 0 sq km
Area comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km
Climate: temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
Terrain: rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Natural resources: hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Land use

Arable land: 4%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 45%
Forests and woodland: 35%
Other: 16% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km

People

Population: 66,824 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 15% (male 5,382; female 4,883)
15-64 years: 72% (male 25,463; female 22,837)
65 years and over: 13% (male 4,160; female 4,099) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.22% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 10.58 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 5.27 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 6.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

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

Country name:

Conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
Local long form: Principat d'Andorra
Local short form: Andorra
Data code: AN
Government 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 bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented locally by co princes' representatives.
Capital: Andorra la Vella.
Independence: 1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of France and Spain).
National holiday: Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September (1278).

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, which do not have a national coat of arms in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem.

Economy

Overview: Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 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 a EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

Labor force:

30,787 salaried employees (1998).
By occupation: agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 72%, other 6% (1998). Unemployment rate: 0%
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes; 1 peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos; the French and Spanish currencies are used.

Communications

Telephones: 31,980 (1997). Mobile cellular: 8,618 (1997).
Telephone system - Domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges.
International: landline circuits to France and Spain.
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 15, short-wave 0 (1998).
Radios: 16,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997).
Televisions: 27,000 (1997).
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Transportation

Railways: 0 km Highways: Total: 269 km Paved: 198 km Unpaved: 71 km (1994 est.) Ports and harbors: none
Airports: none.

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