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| Introduction | Andorra |
| Background: | For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel. In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes. |
| People | Andorra |
| Population: | 69,865 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 15% (male 5,478; female 4,988) 15-64 years: 71.6% (male 26,268; female 23,766) 65 years and over: 13.4% (male 4,659; female 4,706) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 39.7 years male: 40 years female: 39.4 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 9.32 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 4.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 83.5 years male: 80.59 years female: 86.59 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.28 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| 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, Portuguese |
| Literacy: | definition: NA total population: 100% male: NA female: NA |
| Government | Andorra |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Principality of Andorra conventional short form: Andorra local short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra |
| Government type: | parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its chiefs of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented locally by coprinces' representatives |
| Capital: | Andorra la Vella |
| Administrative divisions: | 7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria |
| Independence: | 1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel) |
| National holiday: | Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278) |
| Constitution: | Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993 |
| Legal system: | based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003), represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since NA) elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: Marc FORNE MOLNE elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE MOLNE (since 21 December 1994) |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 46.1%, PSD 30%, PD 23.8%, other 0.1%; seats by party - PLA 15, PSD 6, PD 5, independents 2 |
| Judicial branch: | Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional |
| Political parties and leaders: | Democratic Party or PD (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND) [Ladislau BARO SOLO]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Marc FORNE MOLNE] (used to be Liberal Union or UL); Liberal Union or UL [Francesc CERQUEDA]; National Democratic Group or AND [Ladislau BARO SOLO]; National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vicenc MATEU ZAMORA]; New Democracy or ND [Jaume BARTOMEU CASSANY]; Social Democratic Party or PSD (formerly part of National Democratic Group of AND) [leader NA]; Union of the People of Ordino (Unio Parroquial d'Ordino) or UPO [Simo DURO COMA] note: there are two other small parties |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | CE, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jelena V. PIA-COMELLA chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to Spain is accredited to 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: [34] (93) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (93) 280-6175 |
| 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 |
| Communications | Andorra |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 35,000 (2001) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 23,500 (2001) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: NA domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: | 16,000 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 0 (1997) |
| Televisions: | 27,000 (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .ad |
| Internet hosts: | 4,144 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 24,500 (2001) |
| Transportation | Andorra |
| Highways: | total: 269 km paved: 198 km unpaved: 71 km (1994) |
| Ports and harbors: | none |
| Airports: | none |
| Military | Andorra |
| Military branches: | no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra |
| Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of France and Spain |
| Transnational Issues | Andorra |
| Disputes - international: | none |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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