Facts about Andorra Home / Andorra / Facts about Andorra Facts about Andorra Know Facts about World Countries Afghanistan Facts What is Andorra? The principality of Andorra (or the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra) is a parliamentary democracy with two coprinces : the President of France and the Bishop of Urgell, in Catalonia, Spain. This makes it a constitutional dyarchy. What type of government does Andorra have? Andorra’s political system has its origins in the time when the region was invaded by the Moors. Andorra served as a buffer between the Moors and France, until Charlemagne gave the region to Urgell nobility, in what is now Catalonia Spain. Andorra then became ruled by the Urgell Diocese. In the eleventh century, Andorra needed military protection and turned to Lord Caboet to create a partnership. This was the start of the shared ruling of the region. Conflicts arose, leading to an agreement in 1278 that stated the French head of state, Count of Foix and the Bishop of Urgell would share sovereignty, officially forming Andorra.

A 1607 edict by King Henry IV of France declared that the head of the French state and the Bishop of Urgell would be coprinces of Andorra. Since March 1993, Andorra ha been a parliamentary democracy, but retaining its heads of state. It was then allowed to join the United Nations, but is still not a member of the European Union. Its defense continues to be a shared responsibility of France of Spain. What is the capital of Andorrra? Andorra la Vella is the capital of Andorra, the highest capital in Europe, sitting 1023 meters above sea level. Where is Andorra located? Andorra is located in the Pyrenees mountains, between Spain and France, in Europe. How big is Andorra? Andorra has an area of 468 square miles. What is the population of Andorra? Andorra’s population is about 84,000. Andorra’s population has the fourth highest life expectancy in the world. What are the ethnic groups living in Andorra? Spanish, followed by Andorran, Portuguese, and French are the main ethnic groups in the nation. What religions are practiced in Andorra?

Andorra is an overwhelmingly Roman Catholic nation, with about 90% of the population practicing. What languages are spoken in Andorra? Andorra’s official language is Catalan. Other languages spoken in Andorra are French, Castilian (Spanish), and Portuguese. English is not widely spoken in Andorra, except in tourist areas. How is Andorra divided? Andorra is divided into seven parishes, called parroquies: Andorra la Vella Sant Julia de Loria When is Andorra’s national holiday? Andorra celebrates Our Lady of Meritxell Day on September 8, which honors the Patron Saint of Andorra. Who are Andorra’s political leaders? Coprinces: French Coprince Nicolas Sarkozy, who is represented in Andorra by Christian Fremont Spanish Coprince Archbishop Joan-Enric Vives Sicilia, represented by Nemesi Marques Oste Prime Minister: Antoni Marti What is the climate of Andorra like? The climate of Andorra is predominately cool and mountainous. Snow fall is a common phenomenon in winter and the summer is generally cool and pleasant. What are the important cities of Andorra?

Important cities of Andorra are Andorra La Vella, the capital city, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Les Escalde, Ordino and Sant Jullia de Lorria. These cities also major cities of the seven parishes and are important tourist destinations. What are the prominent festivals of Andorra? Most of the prominent festivals of Andorra are religious festivals. Christmas, St. George’s day, Easter, St. Lucia Fair, and St. John’s Day are celebrated in the country. On St. George Day books and roses are gifted to friends and family. In the St. Lucia fair typical Christmas goods are sold in the markets. On St. John’s Day bonfires are made in every city. This day also marks the beginning of summer solstice. In Andorra many festivals are related to art and music as well, like the ‘Festival of Classic Music, which is held every September and International Jazz Festival organized every July. Several dance and music exhibitions are held between November and May every year. What are the main features of Andorra’s economy? Andorra’s biggest industry is tourism, with its tax haven status and ski resorts in the Pyrenees Mountains.

Other large industries in Andorra are finance and agriculture, especially raising sheep. What form of currency is used in Andorra? The euro is the currency used in Andorra, even though the nation is not a member of the European Union. Interesting facts about Andorra Fact 1 The Catalan Language: Official Language of Andorra The Catalan Language: Official Language of Andorra official language andorra The Catalan language is one of the romance languages of Europe; like Spanish, French and Italian, the Catalan language is spoken by millions of people. However, the population of Catalan language speakers is not as widespread as Spanish language speakers, and the majority of Catalan language speakers are concentrated in a relatively small area of Europe. Most Andorrans also speak Spanish, French or both. Andorra is one of only four European countries (together with France, Monaco, and Turkey) that have never signed the Council of Europe Framework Convention on National Minorities Which Countries Officially Speak the Catalan Language? The Catalan language is spoken in many areas of Spain and some other parts of Europe.

Today, the Catalan language is the official language of: •the Catalonia region of Spain, radiating outwards from Barcelona and including Valencia and part of Aragon •the Balearic Islands •Andorra (where it is the only one to be the official language) •the south of France •Alghero in Italy. The Origin of the Catalan Language Like many of the romance languages of Europe, the Catalan language is derived from vulgar Latin, the language spoken by Roman soldiers, traders and peasants. The Catalan language begin its formation between the 8th and 10th centuries and by the 10th century the Catalan language was a separate language to Latin. The Catalan language was first known to appear in written form in the 12th century, most notably in Les Homilies d'Organya. The Rise and Decline in Popularity of the Catalan Language The Catalan language experienced a rise in popularity throughout the 13th and 14th centuries when it became a common spoken language, through war victories, in many areas of the Mediterranean; at this time, the Catalan language was spoken in Majorca, Sicily, Valencia, Sardinia, Athens, Naples and Neopatria in the Peloponnese region.

The Catalan language began to decline in popularity in the 15th century when the Castilian and Aragonese crowns merged; furthermore, after the War of Spanish Succession (1705–1715), Spanish laws were imposed and all Catalan government organizations ceased to exist. It wasn't until the late 19th century, during the Catalan renaissance, that the Catalan language once again began to flourish in literary works. Sponsored links 8 Things You Might Not Have Known About Andorra 8 Things You Might Not Have Known About Andorra Posted: June 30, 2011 Categories: 8 Things , Andorra 2.4k Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Google Pinterest Stumbleupon Yesterday I arrived in my 100th country: the tiny Principality of Andorra! As most people have no knowledge of this nation sandwitched between France and Spain, I figured it was a good time for another installment of “8 Things You Might Not Have Known…” 1) Andorra is a country OK, maybe most of you probably know this, but there are a lot of people out there that have no clue that Andorra is actually a country.

One woman I spoke with today visited the US and people didn’t believe there was a country called Andorra. Yes, it does exists and has been around in some form for almost 1,000 years. It has a seat in the United Nations, an Olympic team and diplomatic relations with other countries. It is a real country. 2) Andorra is small It is the 16th smallest country in the world by land and the 11th smallest by population. It is only about 40km to drive from one side of the country to the other. Total population of Andorra is about 85,000 which includes citizens and residents. What is even more shocking is that despite its small size, the vast majority of the buildings are located at the bottom of the valleys because so much of the land is mountainous. 3) Andorra produces a lot of Tobacco One thing that surprised me here is how much tobacco is produced in Andorra. It takes up a lot of what little farming space exists here. There used to be a cigarette factory in Andorra and because of its status as a tax haven, you can purchase cigarettes here much cheaper than you can in Spain or France.

Cigarette smuggling has been a long problem (tradition) in Andorra where people would head up to the mountain tops to take smokes into Spain or France. Andorra is also one of the few places in Europe where you can still smoke indoors in public places. 4) Andorra is the world’s only co-principality A principality is a place ruled by a prince. Monaco is an example of a principality. Andorra, however, is a co-principality. They have two princes who jointly share the position of prince. Neither of the two are from Andorra, however. One is the President of France, who is currently Nicolas Sarkozy. The other co-prince is the Bishop of Urgell who is currently Joan Enric Vives Sicília. The position is a constitutional one similar to the British Monarchy and holds no real power. Except for limited things, the two princes must exercise their authority together, not separately. They are the only country where one of their heads of state (the President of France) is democratically elected by another country. The other prince (the bishop) is appointed by the head of state of another country (the Pope).

5) Andorra is the only country in the world with Catalan as its official language Catalan is spoken in Spain, bits of France and a even smaller hunk of Sardinia. However, the only country where it is the official language is in Andorra. I’m sure there are many people in Catalonia, however, who would like there to be at least one more country :) 6) Andorra has never been in a war in almost 1,000 years Given its non-strategic location in the Pyrenees Mountains and lack of natural resources, Andorra has been without conflict almost since Charlemagne came through to fight the Moors. Technically, Andorra did declare war on Germany in WWI but never sent anyone into the conflict. Given Andorra’s lack of participation in WWI they were forgotten about in the Treaty of Versailles and didn’t officially declare peace with Germany until 1957! 7) Andorra has no national bank and has never had its own currency Andorra currently used the Euro as its currency. Before that it primarily used the Spanish Peseta and sometimes the French Franc. There is no national bank in Andorra so it has to go to private banks if it wants to incur debt.

8) Andorra is not part of the EU, EFTA or the Euro zone Andorra is not a member of most of the major European associations. Even though they use the Euro, they are not technically part of the Eurozone. They have a special relationship with the EU which they follow their trade rules for industry but not for agriculture. They are also not a party to the Schengen Treaty, however, you can only access Andorra via Spain and France which are party to the treaty and they don’t have an airport, so no one worries about them. Get My FREE 100 Page Travel Photography eBook! 42 Responses to "8 Things You Might Not Have Known About Andorra" By Basil De Cruz November 21, 2016 - 11:50 pm Thanks for the information.

Do you have links to photos of your country Reply By Ernest November 13, 2016 - 4:47 pm I never knew Andorra is a country,now that I know I want to know their culture,way of life and what They love to do,the best way of conversation and greeting and some commonly used terms Reply By kenex Bernard September 19, 2016 - 2:19 pm Quite a long time i’ve heard about Andorra but all along my thinking was that it is a country in Carribea. so having visited France, spain and italy in the past, how do i get there without touching down in any other part of europe? Do they have embassies in any Africa country? Would i be the first black african to visit there? Thanks! By Rebecca June 13, 2016 - 10:23 am We are doing school project and we need some more info if you know more please contact Reply By Ray July 15, 2016 - 9:23 am Andorra has no post offices of its own.

These are run by the French Post Office (La Poste) and Spanish Post office (Correos espanyol) independently. The Capital Andorra La Vella, (Andorra the City – not Andorra the Old as is often misquoted) has a Spanish and French Post Office which are only about 200 metres apart. Reply By Stefan May 15, 2016 - 5:14 pm Stumbled upon this researching for my first ever trip to Andorra next weekend. What a fascinating little country eh? Reply By Tom April 14, 2016 - 1:21 am Another fact to add to the list is that the country is also the base for the biggest sex webcam site (Imlive) to avoid taxes and prosecutions Reply By Ray January 27, 2016 - 7:34 pm ENJOYED YOUR 10 THINGS BUT YOU MISSED OUT THAT THEY HAVE NO POST OFFICES OF THEIR OWN EITHER. Postal requirements are looked after by the Spanish and French Postal Administrations. Andorra La Vella has both a French and a Spanish Post Office.

The Spanish Post Office opened in Andorra on 1st January 1928 and French Post offices opened on the 16th June 1931. Most large towns have both post offices but not all. Both countries use the Catalan term of Principat D’ Andorra and the French Andorra Stamps normally have La Poste inscribed on the Stamp. Spanish Andorra stamps currently have Correus Espanyol. Reply By a reid November 23, 2015 - 10:22 am In Davinci Code, Brown describes Andorra as as a nasty, dreary place and home of the villain. Obviously, he has never been there.Actually it is a charming place with lots of intermediate skiing but just a bit icy at times and five hours by coach from Toulouse. By Mimi November 21, 2015 - 4:23 pm I am an EU citizen. Can I just go live there without a Visa? Reply By jerry agba November 18, 2015 - 2:24 pm lovely country. Andorra remains one of the best places I have been to on earth. A trial will convince you..

Quite hilly. cute people. if I wasn’t married yet I would have settled there as the first black person. My 4 year old was 2 when we went there. His memories remains very fresh Reply By Frza October 28, 2015 - 1:47 am Actually we did have our own currency a long ago. The were called “diners” but they didn’t last long. And before the euro we accepted al!most any currency like dollars, pesetas, francs… By felipe palmer September 15, 2015 - 10:25 pm I understand that there is a good size Mexican community. By blaine barger May 15, 2015 - 11:13 am all I want to know is the history of Andorra’s language By Jan Mayoral August 24, 2015 - 3:24 pm Our language’s history, is that we speak catalan, the same as Catalonia (in Spain). Reply By Norma April 1, 2015 - 4:08 pm Seen the abbreviation on a picture. Didn’t know what it stood for.

Typed in the town name on google earth. Couldn’t tell if it was a country or not so went to the web and found your site. Glad you are there. Sounds like it’s a nice country. The picture I was looking at was beautiful. Reply By Jeff March 9, 2015 - 8:26 am Truly a hidden gem. Spent 2 weeks there teaching skiing, had never heard of it prior & it was an exceptional experience. Everyone’s so laid back, kind & approachable Reply By Julie January 10, 2015 - 2:30 am Thank you for this very interesting information, looked it up as my brother has just gone there skiing and I didn’t know much about it. This is very informative would love to visit one day. Thank you. By Escape Hunter June 14, 2014 - 3:27 am They produce of a lot of tobacco? Really? I hear the population of Andorra is growing due to migration – because they have very high life standards, high salaries.

By Jan Mayoral August 24, 2015 - 3:26 pm Not now :( now, the one who migrates are the andorrans :s Reply By Enrique Dozo-Moreno October 7, 2015 - 9:03 am I’ll be around that area in Novenber, do I need a Visa to get into the Country? Reply By Mohamed ibrahim jabbie October 24, 2013 - 6:46 am I wish i can visit you natural Andorra. A Sierra Leonean by the above name. My only problem is that i did not see English language as one of their official laguage. By uci October 2, 2013 - 11:20 am I’m so interesting about andorra… A country that I never know before. Reply By Bette Horishige February 6, 2014 - 2:54 pm I saw this beautiful country on a recent International House Hunters episode. Didn’t even know about this country so happy to see your website.

We are going to France to visit the Bordeaux region and wanted to find out the best route to take to get here. We would have a rental car. Trying to squeeze in a visit. Thank you. Reply By Mack Reynolds July 21, 2011 - 10:42 am this is crazy. who’d have thought a civilization could endure almost a thousand years of peace? sadly, it seems as though it’s virtually impossible. good for them. i’d very much like to go to andorra, especially since my birthplace is spain. i’d like to go back to spain and take a trip to andorra while there. Reply By Jan Mayoral August 24, 2015 - 3:28 pm Because we are the 8th smalles country in Europa (16th in the world i think), and we have no army at all. We’re a very peacefull people too :) By Lourdes July 11, 2011 - 2:31 am very interesting info. thanks, Gary.

Reply By Tess July 6, 2011 - 10:19 am I visited Andorra in the fall of 2008 when I was studying in southern Spain. I took a long weekend trip to Barcelona and – on a whim – decided to take a bus to Andorra for a day. Hadn’t even heard of the country before then, but it was one of the best things I did! Spent the day in a beautiful park in Andorra la Vella. Reply By Steve July 2, 2011 - 2:18 pm Amazing that a place this old has no national bank or currency of its own… I guess it doesn’t pay to reinvent the wheel. By Dave and Deb July 1, 2011 - 10:00 am Great post Gary. We loved this little country when we were there last year. Another little known fact is that there is no income tax in Andorra. It is a European tax haven. Who knew?? By Donna Hull July 1, 2011 - 6:54 am Interesting facts about a little know country. So what did you do in Andorra?

Reply By Gary July 1, 2011 - 9:57 am I went hiking in the World Heritage zone (which is really beautiful) and visited many of the villages scattered around the country. Reply By Dean July 1, 2011 - 2:21 am Thanks for the facts. I knew Andorra existed as a country and where it is located geographically, but I knew absolutely nothing else about it. By Barbara Weibel July 1, 2011 - 12:55 am Fascinating Gary! By Nathan - As We Travel June 30, 2011 - 11:36 pm We are heading there in a few months, thanks sharing Gary. Reply By Michael Hodson June 30, 2011 - 11:19 pm Hoping to find my way through her for the first time during the train challenge — would be fun to knock it out doing that.

Reply By Gary June 30, 2011 - 11:27 pm There are no trains that go through Andorra, so you will have a problem doing that :) The closest train is about 10k from the border in France. Reply By Pol June 30, 2011 - 8:05 pm Very well informed, as always! The Andorra tourism eslogan is “The country of the pyrenees” and has some really nice sky stations By Pol June 30, 2011 - 8:06 pm Ski station, sorry! heheh By Alouise June 30, 2011 - 7:28 pm Very cool fact. I knew about the first two, but I didn’t know about the others. Reply By Tony June 30, 2011 - 4:35 pm That would be the first eight things I have learned about Andorra… Well, I guess if I had to wager a guess, I would have guessed small! Reply By Ricardo June 30, 2011 - 4:12 pm Very odd place but in a nice way.

I’ve never been to Andorra and loved to learn more about it. Thanks. BBC - Languages - Languages Languages Contact Us Andorra Andorra has a population of approximately 67,000. The official language is Andorran Catalan , although 60% of the population also speak Spanish and 6% speak French . The 4 Languages of Spain and Where They’re Spoken | Spain Travel Guide WhyGo » Spain » About Spain » The 4 Languages of Spain and Where They’re Spoken The 4 Languages of Spain and Where They’re Spoken by Nellie on July 12, 2010 by Nellie | July 12th, 2010 Tweet Surprised to find that Spanish is not the only language spoken in Spain? You’re probably not the only one. Besides the main language, Spanish or Castellano, there are a series of dialects and languages spoken in various corners of the country, out of which three are considered official languages. Granted, you can get by with Spanish almost anywhere in Spain. It is after all the national language, taught in schools all over the country.

But language diversity is evident in Spain, especially in far-flung corners of Catalonia and Basque Country. An even more surprising fact is that over 25% of Spaniards uses other languages other than Spanish as their mother tongue! It’s a mind-boggling fact especially for a country of this size. For decades, the language issue has been a topic of discussion and disparity in Spain. Here’s a look at the four official languages of Spain and where they are spoken: 1. Spanish or Castilian The national language of Castilian is official through out the country, and is one of the most spoken languages in the world. Besides Spain, it is also used in Gibraltar, Andorra, Latin America and North America. In Spain, the language is usually referred to as Castellano (Castilian in English), rather than Espanñol (Spanish). The latin language originated from the ancient Castilla Kingdom that makes up part of present-day Spain. To distinguish the Spanish language from the other official languages, it is thus called Castellano (Castilian). The Spanish language as compared to other European languages is relatively easy to learn, especially for English native speakers. Many Americans tend to have learned Spanish back in high school, although the Latin American version.

There are slight differences between the Latin American Spanish and Spain’s Spanish: in terms of coloquial words used and certain verbs. 2. Basque Language or Euskara Spoken by 600,000 people in the Basque Country , Northern Spain, Euskara or Basque is an intriguing language that does not belong to any group of languages. Considered older than Castilian, Basque is considered a language isolate. It is the only remaining pre-Indo-European language in Western Europe. As the only language in this list that is strangely different from the Spanish language, Basque is distinctive with verbs and phrases of its own. Even Spaniards from other regions of Spain cannot understand the language. 3. Catalan Almost 4 million people speak Catalan as their first language. This major language is spoken by in the Catalonia region, Arragon and Balearic islands of Spain, as well as parts of Andorra, France and Italy . If you speak Spanish, it is not difficult to understand Catalan. A mix between French and Spanish, Catalan is quite an interesting language to learn and use.

With its roots originating from the Pyrenee Mountains, Catalan reached its peak during the Valencian Golden Age in the 15th century. Today, it is the second most spoken language in Spain, next to Castilian. Catalan can also be split into various dialects – with Mallorquin (spoken on the Mallorca island) and Valenciano (spoken in the Valencia region) most widely spoken. 4. Galician Galician (Gallego in Spanish) is spoken mainly in Galicia , as well as Asturias and Castilla y Leon in Northern Spain. Out of the 4 million people who speak Galician, 3 million are in Spain, with the rest in Portugal and parts of Latin America. Resembling Portugese, Galician is similar in terms of pronunciation and usage. Most Galicians find it easy to understand Portugese, and vice versa. The Galician language is also split into three different dialects, according to geographical divisions – eastern, central and western Galician. Interested in learning the Spanish language? Look out for more articles on common Spanish phrases, Spanish swear words and useful coloquial slangs.

Culture of Andorra - history, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social Culture of Andorra Principality of Andorra; Andorranos Orientation Identification. The first reference to Andorra appears in the writings of the Greek historian Polybius (c. 200–118 B ), who tells of the military encounter between Andorrans and Carthaginian troops as Hannibal (247–183 B . E .) passed through the Pyrenees Mountains en route to Rome. Andorra, historically, was a rural microstate whose population oscillated between four thousand and six thousand inhabitants. In the second half of the twentieth century, as it became a large international commercial center, the nation received larger migratory populations and developed into a multicultural society. Location and Geography. Andorra has a total land surface of 181 square miles (468 square kilometers) making it slightly less than five times the size of the city of Barcelona. It is situated in the Pyrenees Mountains, bordered by Spain and France.

The capital of the nation, Andorra la Vella (Old Andorra), lies in the geographic center of the country, where the two tributaries of the Valira River merge. Demography. According to the 1998 census, the population stands at 65,877 of whom only 21.7 percent have Andorran citizenship. The rest of the inhabitants are Spanish (42.9 percent), Portuguese (10.7 percent), French (6.7 percent) or other nationalities (6.5 percent). Moreover, more than 7,589 persons, generally children or youth of immigrant families, have no formal citizenship. According to current legislation, foreigners can acquire citizenship after twenty years of residence in the country. Their children, born in Andorra, acquire citizenship at age eighteen. Linguistic Affiliation. Catalan is the official language of Andorra. It is used throughout public administration, is taught in all schools, and is the language of all road signs. It is also the dominant language in communications media and is the language spoken by the national elites. In commercial signage, Catalan alternates with Spanish and French. Nevertheless, the dominant language of the street is Spanish.

The Spanish population represents the largest immigrant community in Andorra and, in addition, the majority of visitors and merchants who come to Andorra are also Spanish. The use of French is limited to populations in the extreme southwest of the country. Portuguese and other languages are limited to private settings. Symbolism. The Sanctuary of the Virgin of Meritxell, patron of the nation, constitutes the most important religious symbol for Andorrans and is also an attractive spot for tourist visits in the summer. Its thirty Romanesque churches and other treasures of medieval art serve as historical referents as well as emblems of identity. History and Ethnic Relations Emergence of the Nation. The origins of Andorra can be situated between the Mesolithic and the Neolithic periods. The archaeological site of Balma Margineda dates back eight thousand years, although full territorial occupation was not achieved until 2000 B . E . During the Roman era, Andorra had a stable population. Until the epoch of Arab occupation in the eighth century, Iberian populations mixed with peoples arriving from central Europe. At the beginning of the ninth century, the area was repopulated.

The first document that refers to Andorra is the Act of Consecration of the Cathedral of Urgel (839 C . E .). In the eighth and ninth centuries, Andorra belonged to the County of Barcelona, which ceded sovereignty over the valleys of Andorra in 988 to the Episcopal see of Urgel (Spain). Andorra At the end of the thirteenth century, after conflicts between the bishop of Urgel and the count of Foix, a Judicial Decision ( Pareatge ) was signed in 1278 that established the regime of coprinces that remains today. Currently, the two coprinces of Andorra are the president of the French Republic and the bishop of Urgel. Medieval rights over Andorra passed from the count of Foix to the king of Navarre in the fifteenth century, and then to the king of France in the sixteenth century; in the nineteenth century, they passed to the president of the republic. National Identity. Historically, Andorra has been a protectorate of France and Spain.

This is manifest in several ways: (1) the currencies of the nation are the franc and the peseta; (2) the two systems of public education were, until 1982, the French and the Spanish; and (3) the two languages most commonly spoken are French and Spanish, in addition to Catalan. This dualism has been expressed in multiple ways in recent centuries; Andorran factionalism also always has a pro-Spanish front and a pro-French front. Today, however, both state political powers and Andorran civil society have endeavored to consolidate a national identity that takes as its symbolic referents its medieval past, mythologizing the political peculiarity of the Pareatges. Andorrans also identify themselves as a mountain society and have a special interest in leading sociopolitical and economic movements of the Pyrenean regions. The third pillar of identity is "Catalanness" ( catalanitat ), which it shares with 11 million persons in the northeast of Spain and the southeast of France. Ethnic Relations.

As a culture shaped by transhumant (seasonally transient) shepherds in the past and international merchants in the present, Andorrans are open in character and interethnic relations are not conflictive. Moreover, almost all immigrants come from European nations; hence, cultural differences are not strident. Urbanism, Architecture, and the Use of Space Urbanism in the nation reflects both its rural past and its commercial and urban present. While some municipalities such as Canillo and Ordino demonstrate an urbanism typical of any village of the Pyrenean or Alpine high mountains, the urban center formed by Andorra la Vella and Escaldes-Engordany has the face and structure of any typical Western urban commercial center. Other settlements, such as Sant Julia de Loria and Encamp, show a hybrid rural-urban style. An urban rule also fixes the invented tradition of the "mountain style." This demands that 30 percent of any facade be constructed of stone masonry. Hence large commercial buildings and the majority of urban public buildings show an amalgam of invented tradition and modernity, combining stone with iron and large surfaces of glass. Nevertheless, the building of the national government is of modern design, constructed in concrete and glass.

Meanwhile the seat of the Andorran parliament (the General Council) is a noteworthy sixteenth-century edifice, a kind of palace-fortress constructed totally of stone masonry. The most notable elements of the Andorran patrimony are its thirty Romanesque churches, almost all of them small, built between the ninth and the thirteenth centuries. Some of them conserve frescoes and wood carvings of great value, such as the Virgin of Canolic (which dates to the twelfth century). There are also remains of old castles and medieval fortifications and magnificent examples of rural homesteads. The small Romanesque sanctuary A tobacco plantation in Andorra. Tobacco is the only surviving agricultural crop in the country. of Santa Maria de Meritxell, patroness of Andorra, caught fire in 1972. While it was restored, the famous Barcelona architect Ricard Bofill was commissioned to build a new one. A large building, the new sanctuary uses traditional materials such as stone and black slate despite its modern, functional concepts. Almost 60 percent of the Andorran population resides in the capital center. Here, the style of life and uses of space are similar to any other European city.

Some immigrant communities (such as the Portuguese and Galicians) have taken over certain public spaces (such as cafés and restaurants) as centers for informal reunions, which convert the spaces into semipublic spaces. Yet, there is no pattern of spatial segregation on the basis of ethnicity, even if there exists a clear territorial division of social class: while workers live in small apartments in center city blocks, elites inhabit luxurious mansions on adjoining hills. Food and Economy Food in Daily Life. The diet in Andorra is based on consumption of meat, garden vegetables, and some fish. The most common winter dish, in rural and urban zones, is escudella, a soup of veal, chicken, potatoes, and vegetables. Some immigrant communities have different customs: Portuguese eat more cod and Indians, more vegetarian food. Normally, the midday meal is eaten near the workplace in a restaurant. Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions. Many Catholic families still avoid eating meat on Fridays. At the feast of the Virgin of Meritxell, Andorran families often eat outdoors after the solemn midday mass: they consume cold cuts, chicken, and rabbit. The Christmas cycle is also an occasion for the organization of family meals. Basic Economy.

Until about the middle of the twentieth century, the Andorran economy was based on transhumant shepherding and the breeding of cattle and horses. Andorrans also grew some tobacco, while agriculture was oriented to the production of cereals, potatoes, and garden vegetables. Because of the climate, the rocky relief, and the small size of its territory, the country always ran a deficit in agricultural production. Today, due to the commercial orientation of its economy, agriculture has disappeared. Only tobacco survives, with its production tripling since the early 1970s. Coupled with enormous quantities of imported tobacco, this production feeds a strong tobacco industry serving visitors to the country (as well as smuggling). Almost all that Andorrans consume and sell to millions of visitors comes from importation, principally from Spain and France but also from Japan and other countries of the Far East. Yet another extremely important economic activity for the Andorran economy is the banking sector, because of the nation's condition as a "fiscal paradise." Land Tenure and Property. Most Andorran land is of communal ownership, including the woods and alpine meadows that occupy more than 80 percent of the territory.

This situation recurs throughout the Pyrenees, originating in medieval local codes. Private property is found near villages, constituted by homes, rural structures, cultivated fields, and gardens. The exploitation of goods is managed by local administrations ( comuns ) which, in addition, also exercise many functions typical of city halls. The benefits of the exploitation of these goods revert to citizens in the form of infrastructure, equipment, creation of work, scholarships for students, and social service endeavors. Today, four of the seven municipal units ( parroquies ) that form the country have one or more winter resorts, from which they also gain great benefits. The only properties of the state are the courses and banks of the rivers, and roads and highways. Commercial Activities. Andorra has always had fluid commercial relations with France and Spain, including smuggling. During the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) and the World War II (1939–1945), the volume of exchanges increased, since Andorra was a platform through which to supply belligerent nations.

In addition, the economic isolation of Spain during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, from 1939 to 1975, favored the commercial activity of Andorra, which supplied equipment, machine parts, vehicles, and other consumer goods. The foundation of the new Andorran economy, however, is retail commerce in major consumer goods, oriented toward buyers in nearby regions of Spain and France. Major Industries. Andorra's industrial development is extremely limited. Apart from tobacco, the most important industry is construction along with its derivative industries, hospitality industries, and semi-artisanal activities such as jewelry. Trade. Commerce and tourism are based on the importation of all goods and services from third countries. There are sixty import-export companies handling such goods as gasoline, automobiles, beverages, tobacco, machinery, optical and electronic products, food, clothing, and shoes. Electronic goods come from Japan and other Asian sources, while the rest come from Europe. Division of Labor. Large Andorran firms belong almost exclusively to Andorran citizens, although there are also some enterprises founded by Spaniards and Frenchmen who have acquired citizenship through their years of residence.

Foreigners, Spanish and French, dominated professional positions until recently; high enrollments of university students have fostered a process of nationalization in this occupational level. Employment in construction, transport, commerce, and public services (police and sanitation), like work in hotels, tend to employ resident alien workers depending on their ability and level of instruction. Social Stratification Classes and Castes. Class differences in Andorra are quite clear and possess marked characteristics, such as residence. Practically all the original Andorran population belongs to the high or medium-high stratum of society as the first group to arrive in the nation. The rest of the Spanish population is basically salaried, although there are executive groups and small entrepreneurs among them. Most Portuguese are found in less-skilled labor positions, especially in hostelry and construction. The French population comprises bureaucrats and small-scale entrepreneurs in hostelry or commerce. Symbols of Social Stratification. Apart from evocative differences of residence, other indicators of class difference include fashion. The Andorran elite sport well-known international brands, which contrast with the sobriety of the rest of the society. Automobiles are also a highly visible indicator of consumption.

Even though the entire society is motorized, only a minority has access to such luxury cars as Rolls-Royce, Mercedes, Audi, and BMW. Political Life Government. Following the 1993 constitution, Andorra is a parliamentary coprincipality, headed by the president of France and the bishop of Urgel. The Andorran parliament (the General Council) includes twenty-eight members, half elected by local constituencies and half by national votes. This system seeks an equilibrium between territory and demography. Elections are held every four years. The winning parliamentary group forms the government. Leadership and Political Officials. For decades, access to political power in Andorra was linked to two great entrepreneurial families. In the last decade, however, important transformations have emerged from the application of the constitution. There are no real national parties differentiated by ideology and/or in the function of their program of government. Andorran politics are constructed on the basis of influence groups, who defend local and family interests. The elaboration of electoral lists is the result of a complex process of compromise and alliance among client groups.

Given the small size of the electorate (some fifteen thousand voters), electoral processes presuppose a face-to-face relation between candidates and electors that is maintained after the election. Social Problems and Control. The judicial system is constituted at three levels: the Tribunal de Batlles, the Tribunal de Corts, and the Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra. While all three handle civil and labor affairs, only the first two deal with criminal matters. One might also appeal to a fourth jurisdiction, the Tribunal Constitutional. A corps of judiciary police, distinct from ordinary police, also serves the government. Crime in Andorra is very low. Foreign defendants tend to be extradited to their country of origin. The most frequent crimes are robbery, fraud, and drug trafficking. Labor conflicts, Lakes and steep hills dot the landscape of Andorra. The principality has a total land surface of 181 square miles. for unjustified firing, are the most frequent incidents of judicial action. Social Welfare and Change Programs Since there is no direct taxation in Andorra, the state has limited resources to maintain the level of opulence that characterizes the country. This means its capacity to implement welfare programs is limited.

The principal demands of foreign workers, the most fragile and needy social sector, focus on housing and child care in order to secure the position of female workers. Recently, the government attempted a low-interest credit system through Andorran banks to encourage home ownership, but the results were below expectations. The number of child care centers has grown, but still fails to meet demand. Nongovernmental Organizations and Other Associations Andorran organizations are undeveloped, despite the presence of associations in sports, culture, the arts, and business. Unions are not legally accepted, although they exist in clandestine form. All civil associations must be run, legally, by an Andorran citizen. Thus the foreign population has enormous difficulties in constituting associations. The Spanish Embassy helps the Council of Spanish Residents, an association that looks after the needs and interests of that group. Given Andorra's status as a developed nation, foreign nongovernmental organizations are absent. Gender Roles and Statuses The Relative Status of Women and Men. Andorran society, with its strong rural origins, maintained a marked segregation on the basis of gender roles until the late twentieth century. All public activity was exercised by men, representing the family.

Rapid urbanization, changes in lifestyle, and the commercial orientation of the economy have forced a rapid modification in the economic and work roles of women. Today, their public visibility is total, even if their presence in political spheres remains inferior to that of men, despite consistent progress. Marriage, Family, and Kinship Marriage. Marriage is not controlled by any limits except class (and not always by that). Marriages between Andorrans and Spaniards or French are normal. Domestic Unit. The family remains the basic social unit, more important than the individual, despite the accelerated evolution of Andorran society. Most enterprises and business are organized through the family, distributing functions according to capacities and the level of study of each member. These family groups, following the institution of the familia troncal (stem family), incorporate a married pair and their children. Inheritance. Formerly, the inheritance system passed nearly all the patrimony to one of the sons: the hereu (heir). Today, this tendency is maintained only at a symbolic level through the transmission of the family home. In the case of rural holdings, only the inheriting son can marry and reside with his wife and children on the family land; however, current family businesses are different.

Any child can remain tied to the family business after marriage, although there remains a tendency towards an heir who will follow the father in the operation of the business. Kin Groups. Networks of kinship are only activated through rituals of sociability for reasons of alliance or political patronage. Socialization Child Rearing and Education. Andorran children, as in many other European nations, are placed in child care settings before three years of age, and much of the care and instruction of these children thereafter is done by scholastic institutions. Insufficient relationships between parents and children are noticeable at times. The extended work hours of parents, who often do not return home until 8:30 P.M. , aggravate this tendency. Cases of youth maladjustment, quite frequent in Andorra and affecting all social sectors, are explained by psychologists as stemming from this relationship deficit. Until 1982, when an Andorran public school system was created, there were only French and Spanish schools. Each parroquia (municipal unit) had a primary school in each system. There were also seven intermediate educational institutions.

According to official data, 63 percent of the juvenile population was enrolled in intermediate education in 1999–2000. Higher Education. Roughly 11 percent of the population between eighteen and twenty-four attends university, especially in Spain and France. A stone church in a village near Andorra La Vella. Even though Andorra has no formal religion, Roman Catholicism is predominantly practiced. Religion Religious Beliefs. Even though Andorra lacks a formal religion, Roman Catholicism is hegemonic. One fundamental element of this presence rests on the role of the bishop of Urgel as coprince and, at the same time, head of the Andorran Church. Apart from the Jehovah's Witnesses, there are no public religious alternatives in Andorra. Rituals and Holy Places. All public ceremonies, including some sessions of the parliament, are accompanied by a Catholic mass. The Andorran festive calendar adapts to the Catholic liturgical calendar, and the nation, like every parroquia, has a patron saint and a collection of religious and lay celebrations.

Medicine and Health Care The Andorran medical system is guaranteed through a general hospital, situated in the capital, as well as various clinics and private medical centers. Every population center has a family medical service. Alongside official medicine, traditional curing practices based on herbal knowledge also survive. There are no shamanistic practices of curing ( curanderismo ) in Andorra. Secular Celebrations In addition to the national festival of the Virgin of Meritxell (8 September), each parroquia has its own patronal festival. Given the commercial orientation of the nation (which remains open for business especially when neighboring nations have holidays), the only formal holidays are Christmas and New Year's Day. The Arts and Humanities Support for the Arts. Both the state and communal administrations support artistic formation and creativity. Conservatories of music and art schools are scattered around the nation. Literature. Andorran literary production does not cross the frontiers of the small country, except in the case of writer A. Morell. There are nonetheless groups of historians and folklorists interested in recovering oral traditions and studying and teaching the nation's history. Performance Arts.

In music, the two great figures of classical music, the Claret brothers, who play violoncello and violin, have gained great prestige throughout Europe. Bibliography Armengol, Lídia. Approach to the History of Andorra , 1989. Baudon de Mony, Charles. "La Vallée d'Andorre et les Êveques d'Urgel au Moyen Age". Revue des Pyrenees et de la France Meridionale , 4: 551–571, 1892. Bladé, Jean François. The Valley of Andorr , 1882. Bricall, Josep M., et al. Estructura i perspectives de l'economia andorrana , 1974. Comas d'Argemir, Dolors, Joan J. Pujadas. Aladradas y guellas; Trabajo, sociedad, y cultura en el Pirineo Aragonés , 1985. ——. Andorra; Un país de frontera , 1997. De los Ríos, Fernando.

Vida e instituciones del pueblo de Andorra. Una supervivencia señorial, 1920. Deverell, F. H. All Round Spain by Road and Train, with a Short Account of a Visit to Andorra , 1884. Eyre, Mary. Over the Pyrenees into Spain , 1865. Llobet, Salvador. El medi i la vida a Andorra , 1986. Lluelles, M0 Jesús. La transformació econòmica d'Andorra , 1991. López, E.J., Peruga, and C. Tudel. L'Andorra del segle XIX , 1998. Newman, B. Round about Andorra , 1928. Riberaygua, B. Les Valls d'Andorra:. Recull documental , 1946. Riera, Manel. La llengua catalana a Andorra. Estudi dialectolo`gic dels seus parlars rurals , 1992. Sacotte, Jean-Charles.

"Les Vallées d'Andorre." Notes et Etudes Documentaires , 4087, 2-V-1974. Sáez, Xavier. "Informe sobre l'economia andorrana, 1995." Andorra, anuari socio-economic, 1996 , 10–67, 1996. Sandy, Isabelle. Andorre: ou les hommes d'airain , 1923. Sermet, Jean. Problemas de la frontera hispano-francesa en los Pirineos , 1985. Taillefer, François. L'Ariège et l'Andorre , 1985. Viñas, Ramón. Nacionalitat i drets polítics al Principat d'Andorra , 1989. Violant i Simorra, Ramón. El Pirineo Español , 1949. —J Official language | Tourism Andorra la Vella Official language Catalan is the official language of Andorra.

However, due to the diversity of nationalities among the resident population, other languages such as Spanish, French and Portuguese are also very widespread.

Question: What is the principal official language of Andorra?
Answer: Catalan