Global View: Andorra

Officially known as the Principality of Andorra, this mountainous European state encompasses only about 180 square miles of territory. It's population of just over 80,000 is comprised of Catalan, Spanish, French and Portuguese ethnic groups that are predominantly Roman Catholic. The Andorran national language is Catalan, while both French and Spanish are also spoken.

Government

Andorra has a parliamentary democracy with two co-princes as heads of state, the president of France and the Bishop of Seu d'Urgell in Spain. Other elements of the government include a head of government and eleven ministers in the executive, a parliament in the legislative, and a judiciary capped by a five-member Superior Council of Justice. The judiciary applies Andorran law, supplemented with Roman and Catalan law.

Andorra is divided into seven parishes that are represented in the parliament, which was founded in 1419. Political groups include the Andorran Liberal Party, the Democratic Center of Andorra, and the Social Democratic Party. Suffrage is universal for all citizens at least 18 years of age.

Economy

Andorra relies primarily on tourism, tobacco products, and furniture for its economic well-being. As a member of the European Union, Andorra uses the Euro as its unit of currency and had a Gross Domestic Product last year of more than $3.5 billion.

Loaded with resorts, lots of shopping and dining, and duty free status, Andorra has become a tourism hot-spot. With very little arable land, Andorra has to rely on tourism for its prosperity, although tobacco and sheep farming do make up part of the Andorran economy.

History

Andorra was created by Charlemagne as a buffer against the Muslim Moors moving into France. The country went back and forth under French and Spanish rule until the early 1600s, when the head of France and the Bishop of Urgell were designated as co-heads of state.

People

Just over one-third of those living in Andorra are legal Andorran citizens. If a person is not born in Andorra, of natural-born Andorran parents, it takes 25 years of residence to be able to apply for citizenship, although children of residents can apply at 18 years of age if they have lived their lives in the principality.

Andorra Abroad

Andorra has taken measures to reach out beyond its borders, becoming a member of the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the International Monetary Fund.

Andorra and the United States did not establish diplomatic relations until 1995, even though Andorra has been an independent state since long before the United States even came into being.