Andorra
Excerpted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Map of Andorra
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)
Coordinates: 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.
In the period 1812–13, the French Empire annexed
Catalonia and divided it in four departments. Andorra
was also annexed and made part of
the district of Puigcerdà
(département of Sègre).
In 1933 France occupied Andorra as a result of social
unrest before elections. From 1936 to 1940, there was
a French detachment in Andorra to prevent influences
of the Spanish Civil War and Franco's Spain.
In 1958, Andorra declared peace with Germany, having
been forgotten on the Treaty of Versailles and remaining
legally at war.
Given its relative isolation, Andorra has existed
outside the mainstream of European history, with few
ties to countries other than France and Spain. In recent
times, however, its thriving tourist industry along
with developments in transportation and communications
have removed the country from its isolation and its
political system was thoroughly
made modern in 1993.
Politics
Until very recently, Andorra's political system had
no clear division of powers into executive, legislative,
and judicial branches. Ratified and approved in 1993,
the constitution establishes Andorra as a sovereign
parliamentary democracy that retains the co-princes
as heads of state, but the head of government retains
executive power. The two co-princes serve coequally
with limited powers that do not
include veto over government
acts. They are represented in
Andorra by a delegate.
The way in which the two princes are chosen makes Andorra
one of the most politically distinct nations on earth.
One co-Prince is the man or woman who is currently serving
as President of France, currently Jacques Chirac (it
has historically been any Head of State of France, including
Kings and Emperors of France). The other is the current
Catholic bishop of the Spanish city of La Seu d'Urgell,
currently Joan Enric Vives i Sicilia. As neither prince
lives in Andorra their role is
almost entirely ceremonial.
Andorra's main legislative body is the unicameral
General Council of the Valleys (Consell General de les
Valls), a parliament of 28 seats; members are elected
by direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency
and 14 to represent each of the 7 parishes, with members
serving four-year terms. The Andorran government is
formed by the General Council electing the Head of Government
(Cap de Govern), who then appoints ministers to the
cabinet, the Executive Council (Govern). Defense of
the country is the responsibility
of France and Spain.
Administrative Divisions
Andorra consists of seven
communities, known as parròquies
(singular parròquia Engl.: parish)
Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp,
Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana,
Ordino, Sant Julià de Lòria,
Geography
Befitting its location in the eastern Pyrenees mountain
range, Andorra consists predominantly of rugged mountains
of an average height of 1,996 m with the highest being
the Coma Pedrosa at 2,946 m. These are dissected by
three narrow valleys in a Y shape that combine into
one as the main stream, the Valira river, leaves the
country for Spain (at Andorra's lowest point of 870
m).
Andorra's climate is similar to its neighbours' temperate
climate, but its higher altitude means there is on average
more snow in winter and it is
slightly cooler in summer.
Economy
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 adjoining 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 – only 2% of the land is
arable – and most food has to be imported. The
principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing
output consists mainly of
cigarettes, cigars, and furniture.
Andorra is not a full member of the European Union,
but enjoys a special relationship with it, for example
it is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured
goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural
products. Andorra lacks a currency of its own and uses
that of its two surrounding nations. Prior to 1999 these
were the French franc and the Spanish peseta, which
have since been replaced by a single currency, the euro.
Unlike other small European states that use the euro,
Andorra does not yet mint its own euro coins; in October
2004, negotiations between Andorra and the EU began
on an agreement which would allow Andorra to mint their
own coins.
Demographics
Andorrans constitute a minority in their own country;
only 33% of inhabitants hold Andorran nationality. The
largest group of foreign nationals is that of Spaniards
(43%), with Portuguese (11%) and French (7%) nationals
the other main groups. The remaining 6% belong to several
other nationalities.
The only official language is Catalan, the language
of the Catalan Countries it is part of, including the
nearby Spanish autonomous region of Catalonia, with
which Andorra shares many cultural traits, though Spanish,
Portuguese and French are also commonly spoken. The
predominant religion is Roman Catholicism.
Folklore
Andorra's long history has provided it with a rich mythology
and an abundance of folk tales, with roots originating
in as far as Andalusia in the south and Netherlands
in the north.
External links
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).
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