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Europe
Page last updated: July 25, 2023
The Moorish invasion of Spain in the 8th century and subsequent incursions into France were finally stemmed at the Pyrenees by Frankish King Charlemagne, who in 795 created the Hispanic March, a series of buffer states to keep the Muslim Moors from advancing into Christian France. The landlocked Principality of Andorra, one of the smallest states in Europe and nestled high in the Pyrenees between the French and Spanish borders, is the last independent survivor of these March states. For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique coprincipality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Bishop of Urgell). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the introduction of a modern constitution; the co-princes remained as titular heads of state, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy.
Andorra has become a popular tourist destination visited by approximately 8 million people each year drawn by the winter sports, summer climate, and duty-free shopping. Andorra has also become a wealthy international commercial center because of its mature banking sector and low taxes. As part of its effort to modernize its economy, Andorra has opened to foreign investment, and engaged in other reforms, such as advancing tax initiatives aimed at supporting a broader infrastructure. Although not a member of the EU, Andorra enjoys a special relationship with the bloc that is governed by various customs and cooperation agreements and uses the euro as its national currency.
Southwestern Europe, Pyrenees mountains, on the border between France and Spain
42 30 N, 1 30 E
Europe
Total: 468 sq km
Land: 468 sq km
Water: 0 sq km
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Area comparison map:
Total: 118 km
Border countries (2): France 55 km; Spain 63 km
0 km (landlocked)
None (landlocked)
Temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
Rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Highest point: Pic de Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
Lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m
Mean elevation: 1,996 m
Hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Agricultural land: 40% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 1.7% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 38.3% (2018 est.)
Forest: 34% (2018 est.)
Other: 26% (2018 est.)
0 sq km (2022)
Population is unevenly distributed and is concentrated in the seven urbanized valleys that make up the country's parishes (political administrative divisions)
Avalanches
Landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees
85,468 (2023 est.)
Noun: Andorran(s)
Adjective: Andorran
Andorran 48.3%, Spanish 24.8%, Portuguese 11.2%, French 4.5%, Argentine 1.4%, other 9.8% (2021 est.)
Note: data represent population by nationality
Catalan (official) 35.7%, Castilian 43.2%, Portuguese 17.1%, French 8.9%, English 1.8%, other 5% (2018 est.)
Note: data represent mother tongue
Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 89.5, other 8.8%, unaffiliated 1.7% (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 12.31% (male 5,426/female 5,096)
15-64 years: 68.17% (male 29,845/female 28,419)
65 years and over: 19.52% (2023 est.) (male 8,471/female 8,211)
2023 population pyramid:
Total dependency ratio: 38.1
Youth dependency ratio: 18.1
Elderly dependency ratio: 20.1
Potential support ratio: 5 (2021)
Total: 46.2 years
Male: 46.3 years
Female: 46.1 years (2020 est.)
-0.11% (2023 est.)
6.87 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
7.98 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Population is unevenly distributed and is concentrated in the seven urbanized valleys that make up the country's parishes (political administrative divisions)
Urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
23,000 ANDORRA LA VELLA (capital) (2018)
At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
32.8 years (2019)
Total: 3.39 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 3.49 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 3.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Total population: 83.61 years
Male: 81.4 years
Female: 85.97 years (2023 est.)
1.46 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.7 (2023 est.)
NA
Improved: urban: 100% of population
Rural: 100% of population
Total: 100% of population
Unimproved: urban: 0% of population
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
9.1% of GDP (2020)
3.63 physicians/1,000 population (2015)
2.5 beds/1,000 population
Improved: urban: 100% of population
Rural: 100% of population
Total: 100% of population
Unimproved: urban: 0% of population
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
25.6% (2016)
Total: 10.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Beer: 3.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 4.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 2.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 31.8% (2020 est.)
Male: 35.3% (2020 est.)
Female: 28.3% (2020 est.)
NA
2.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 100% (2016)
Deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal
Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
Agricultural land: 40% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 1.7% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 38.3% (2018 est.)
Forest: 34% (2018 est.)
Other: 26% (2018 est.)
Urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 9.95 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 0.47 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 0.05 megatons (2020 est.)
Municipal solid waste generated annually: 43,000 tons (2012 est.)
320 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
Conventional short form: Andorra
Local long form: Principat d'Andorra
Local short form: Andorra
Etymology: the origin of the country's name is obscure; the name may derive from the Arabic "ad-darra" meaning "the forest," a reference to its location as part of the Spanish March (defensive buffer zone) against the invading Moors in the 8th century; an alternate explanation is that the name originates from a Navarrese word "andurrial" meaning "shrub-covered land"
Parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains its chiefs of state in the form of a co-principality; the two princes are the President of France and Bishop of Seu d'Urgell, Spain
Name: Andorra la Vella
Geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 31 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Etymology: translates as "Andorra the Old" in Catalan
7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
1278 (formed under the joint sovereignty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgell)
Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)
History: drafted 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 28 April 1993
Amendments: proposed by the coprinces jointly or by the General Council; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the General Council, ratification in a referendum, and sanctioning by the coprinces
Mixed legal system of civil and customary law with the influence of canon (religious) law
Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: the mother must be an Andorran citizen or the father must have been born in Andorra and both parents maintain permanent residence in Andorra
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 25 years
18 years of age; universal
Chief of state: Co-prince Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Patrick STROZDA (since 14 May 2017); and Co-prince Archbishop Joan-Enric VIVES i Sicilia (since 12 May 2003); represented by Josep Maria MAURI (since 20 July 2012)
Head of government: Xavier Espot ZAMORA (since 16 May 2019)
Cabinet: Executive Council of 12 ministers designated by the head of government
Elections/appointments: head of government indirectly elected by the General Council (Andorran parliament), formally appointed by the co-princes for a 4-year term; election last held on 2 April 2023 (next to be held in April 2027); the leader of the majority party in the General Council is usually elected head of government
Election results:
2023: Xaviar Espot ZAMORA (DA) re-elected head of government; percent of General Council vote - 57.1%
2019: Xaviar Espot ZAMORA (DA) elected head of government; percent of General Council vote - 60.7
Description: unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de les Valls (a minimum of 28 seats; 14 members directly elected in two-seat constituencies (7 parishes) by simple majority vote and 14 directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms); note - voters cast two separate ballots - one for a national list and one for a parish list
Elections: last held on 2 April 2023 (next to be held in April 2027)
Election results: percent of vote by party - DA 57.1%, Concord 17.8%, Forward 10.7%, SDP 10.7%, L'A 3.6%; seats by party - DA 16, Concord 5, Forward 3, SDP 3, L'A 1; composition - men 15, women 13, percent of women 46.4%
Highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de la Justicia d'Andorra (consists of the court president and 8 judges organized into civil, criminal, and administrative chambers); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 4 magistrates)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president and judges appointed by the Supreme Council of Justice, a 5-member judicial policy and administrative body appointed 1 each by the coprinces, 1 by the General Council, 1 by the executive council president, and 1 by the courts; judges serve 6-year renewable terms; Constitutional magistrates - 2 appointed by the coprinces and 2 by the General Council; magistrates' appointments limited to 2 consecutive 8-year terms
Subordinate courts: Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts
Concord [Cerni ESCALE Cabre]
Democrats for Andorra or DA [Xaviar ESPOT ZAMORA]
Forward Andorra [Carine Montaner RAYNAUD]
Liberals of Andorra or L'A [Joseph Maria CABANES]
Social Democracy and Progress or SDP [Pere Lopez AGRAS]
Note: Andorra has several smaller parties at the parish level (one is Lauredian Union)
CE, FAO, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)
Three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red, with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the latter band is slightly wider than the other 2 so that the ratio of band widths is 8:9:8; the coat of arms features a quartered shield with the emblems of (starting in the upper left and proceeding clockwise): Urgell, Foix, Bearn, and Catalonia; the motto reads VIRTUS UNITA FORTIOR (Strength United is Stronger); the flag combines the blue and red French colors with the red and yellow of Spain to show Franco-Spanish protection
Note: 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
Red cow (breed unspecified); national colors: blue, yellow, red
Name: "El Gran Carlemany" (The Great Charlemagne)
Lyrics/music: Joan BENLLOCH i VIVO/Enric MARFANY BONS
Note: adopted 1921; the anthem provides a brief history of Andorra in a first person narrative
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales: Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley
High GDP; low unemployment; non-EU Euro user; co-principality duty-free area between Spain and France; tourist hub but hit hard by COVID-19; modern, non-tax haven financial sector; looking for big tech investments; new member of SEPA and IMF
$3.327 billion (2015 est.)
$3.363 billion (2014 est.)
$3.273 billion (2013 est.)
Note: data are in 2012 US dollars
8.95% (2021 est.)
-11.18% (2020 est.)
2.02% (2019 est.)
$49,900 (2015 est.)
$51,300 (2014 est.)
$50,300 (2013 est.)
$2.712 billion (2016 est.)
-0.9% (2015 est.)
-0.1% (2014 est.)
Fitch rating: BBB+ (2018)
Standard & Poors rating: BBB (2017)
Note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Agriculture: 11.9% (2015 est.)
Industry: 33.6% (2015 est.)
Services: 54.5% (2015 est.)
Comparison rankings: agriculture 80; industry 52; services 159
Small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables, tobacco, sheep, cattle
Tourism (particularly skiing), banking, timber, furniture
-3.9% (2020 est.) NA
39,750 (2016)
Agriculture: 0.5%
Industry: 4.4%
Services: 95.1% (2015)
3.7% (2016 est.)
4.1% (2015 est.)
Lowest 10%: NA
Highest 10%: NA
Revenues: $1.872 billion (2016)
Expenditures: $2.06 billion (2016)
-6.9% (of GDP) (2016)
41% of GDP (2014 est.)
41.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
69% (of GDP) (2016)
Calendar year
$448.869 million (2020 est.)
$568.257 million (2019 est.)
$1.842 billion (2020 est.)
$2.335 billion (2019 est.)
Note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Spain 40%, France 19%, United States 11%, Mauritania 5% (2019)
Integrated circuits, dental fitting supplies, cars, gold, essential oils (2021)
$1.727 billion (2020 est.)
$2.032 billion (2019 est.)
Spain 71%, France 17% (2019)
Cars, refined petroleum, perfumes, shaving products, liquors (2019)
$0 (2016)
Euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.885 (2017 est.)
0.903 (2016 est.)
0.921 (2015 est.)
0.885 (2014 est.)
Electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
0 bbl/day (2016)
Total subscriptions: 50,000 (2021 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 63 (2021 est.)
Total subscriptions: 89,000 (2021 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2021 est.)
General assessment: Andorra has a modern telecommunications system with microwave radio relay connections between the exchanges and land line circuits to France and Spain (2020)
Domestic: about 63 per 100 fixed-line, 110 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)
International: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain; modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges (2019)
1 public TV station and 2 public radio stations; about 10 commercial radio stations; good reception of radio and TV broadcasts from stations in France and Spain; upgraded to terrestrial digital TV broadcasting in 2007; roughly 25 international TV channels available (2019)
.ad
Total: 74,260 (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 94% (2021 est.)
Total: 37,000 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 48 (2020 est.)
C3
Total: 320 km (2019)
No regular military forces; Police Corps of Andorra (under the Ministry of Justice and Interior)
Defense is the responsibility of France and Spain
Andorra-France: none identified
Andorra-Spain: none identified