Andorra facts & history
in brief
Andorra
Excerpted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Principality of Andorra (Catalan: Principat
d'Andorra, French: Principauté d'Andorre) is
a small, landlocked principality in south-western Europe,
located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered
by France and Spain. Once isolated, it is currently
a prosperous country mainly because of tourism and its
status as a tax haven. Andorra is also part of the Catalan
Countries and is one of the European microstates. Andorra
is not to be confused with the Comune di Andora.
The name "Andorra" probably originates from
a Navarrese word andurrial, which translates as shrub-covered
land.
Official name: Principat d'Andorra
National motto: Virtus Unita Fortior, (Latin:
Virtue united is stronger)
Official language: Catalan
Capital: Andorra la Vella
Population: 70,787 (2001)
Co-ordinates: 42°30' N 1°31' E
French Co-Prince: Jacques Chirac
Episcopal Co-Prince: Joan Enric Vives Sicília
Head of Government: Albert Pintat
Area: 468 km²
Independence: 1278
National Day: 8 September
Religions: Roman Catholic (established religion)
Currency: Euro (€)¹ = 100 cents
Time zone: CEST (UTC+2), in summer CET (UTC+1)
National anthem: El Gran Carlemany, Mon Pare
Internet TLD: .ad
Calling Code: +376
1 Prior to 1999: French franc and Spanish peseta. Some
of their own currency, 1 diner of 100 centim was minted
after 1982.
History
Tradition holds that Charlemagne granted a charter to
the Andorran people in return for their fighting the
Moors. Overlordship over the territory was passed to
the local count of Urgell and eventually to the bishop
of the diocese of Urgell. In the 11th century a dispute
arose between the bishop and his northern French neighbour
over Andorra.
In 1278, the conflict was resolved by the signing of
a parage, which provided that Andorra's sovereignty
be shared between the French count of Foix (whose title
would ultimately transfer to the French head of state)
and the bishop of La Seu d'Urgell, in the Catalonia
region of Spain. This gave the small principality its
territory and political form.
Over the years the title passed to the kings of Navarre,
and under the king of France Henry IV, an edict in 1607
established the head of the French state and the Bishop
of Urgell as co-princes of Andorra.
This page was retrieved and condensed from
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andorra) August 2005
All text is available under the terms of the
GNU Free Documentation License (see
Copyrights for details).
Sarolta, my daughter and I spent
about 3 months travelling
around Europe on a Eurail ticket, the experience was
awesome and enjoyable.
During our roaming all over Europe we visited the small
principality of Andorra. We have enjoyed it.
You can click on
these photos for an enlargement.
2005
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