Andorra

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

10,000 (1993 est.)

Telephone system

domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: landline circuits to France and Spain

Telephones

21,258 (1983 est.)

Television broadcast stations

0

Televisions

7,000 (1991 est.) Defense

Agriculture

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

Budget

revenues: $138 million expenditures: $177 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993)

Currency

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes; 1 peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos; the French and Spanish currencies are used

Economic aid

none

Economic overview

Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do 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. 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.

Electricity

capacity: 35,000 kW production: 140 million kWh consumption per capita: 2,570 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.0056 (January 1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991); Spanish pesetas (Ptas) per US$1 - 123.19 (January 1996), 124.69 (1995), 133.96 (1994), 127.26 (1993), 102.38 (1992), 103.91 (1991)

Exports

$46.2 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: electricity, tobacco products, furniture partners: France 35%, Spain 59%

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1993 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP per capita

$16,200 (1993 est.)

GDP real growth rate

NA%

Imports

$920.2 million (1993) commodities: consumer goods, food partners: France, Spain, US 2.6% (1992)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

NA

Unemployment rate

0%

Area

total area: 450 sq km land area: 450 sq km comparative area: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Environment

current issues: deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion natural hazards: snowslides, avalanches international agreements: NA

Geographic coordinates

42 30 N, 1 30 E

Geographic note

landlocked

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

total: 125 km border countries: France 60 km, Spain 65 km

Land use

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

Location

Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Terrain

rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys lowest point: Riu Valira 840 m highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Andorra la Vella

Constitution

Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; adopted 14 March 1993

Data code

AN

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Juli MINOVES-TRIQUELL (also Permanent Representative to the UN) embassy: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: (212) 750-8064

Executive branch

chiefs of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) and Spanish Episcopal Coprince Monseigneur Juan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January 1971); each coprince is represented by a veguer (current names NA) head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne (since 21 December 1994) was elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces cabinet: Executive Council was designated by the executive council president

FAX

(212) 750-6630

FAX

(343) 205-7705; note - Consul General Maurice S. PARKER makes periodic visits to Andorra

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

General Council of the Valleys (Consell General de las Valls

elections last held 12 December 1993 (next to be held NA 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (28 total) AND 8, UL 5, ND 5, CNA 2, IDN 2, other 6

Independence

1,278

International organization participation

CE, ECE, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, WIPO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan (France) for civil cases, two civil judges appointed by the veguers, one appeals judge appointed by the co-princes alternately; Ecclesiastical Court of the Bishop of Seo de Urgel (Spain) for civil cases; Tribunal of the Courts (Tribunal des Cortes) for criminal cases, presided over by the two civil judges, one appeals judge, the veguers, and two members of the General Council

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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

National holiday

Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September

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), Marc FORNE note: there are two other small parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are represented locally by officials called veguers

US diplomatic representation

the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: (343) 280-2227;

Age structure

0-14 years: 16% (male 5,829; female 5,851) 15-64 years: 73% (male 28,724; female 24,757) 65 years and over: 11% (male 3,718; female 3,887) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

10.2 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

2.9 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Spanish 61%, Andorran 30%, French 6%, other 3%

Infant mortality rate

2.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Catalan (official), French, Castilian

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 90.94 years male: 86.47 years female: 95.2 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

noun: Andorran(s) adjective: Andorran

Net migration rate

22.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

72,766 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.96% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic (predominant)

Sex ratio

at birth: 0.96 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female all ages: 1.11 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.14 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

none

Highways

total: 269 km paved: 198 km unpaved: 71 km (1991 est.)

Ports

none

Railways

0 km