Official name: Principality of Andorra
Capital: Andorra la Vella
population: 70,549 (July 2005 est.)
Language; Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese
Time Zone: Gmt + 1 hr in winter and GMT+2 in summer
Independence in 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
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Summer Temp: 15º C / 25º C
Winter Temp: -7º C /8º C
Ethnic groups; Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French
7%, other 6%
Religion; Roman Catholic (predominant)
Location: South-western Europe, between France and Spain
Area:
total: 468 sq km
land: 468 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Land boundaries:
total: 120.3 km
border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
Terrain: rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Elevation extremes:
lowest: Riu Runer 840 m
highest: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
Natural resources: hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Natural hazards: snow-slides, avalanches
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.
Parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) retains as its chiefs of state a
co-principality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seo
de Urgel, Spain, who are represented locally by co-princes' representatives.
Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny 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 neighbouring 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 is sheep farming. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.
Until the 1950s, Andorra's population hovered around 6000. Today, only about a quarter of the population - almost two-thirds of whom live in Andorra la Vella and its suburbs - are Andorran nationals. The rest are mainly Spanish, French and Portuguese. The official language is Catalan (Català), a Romance language most closely related to Provençal but with roots in Castilian and French. English is not widely spoken. Andorran cuisine is mainly Catalan, with strong French and Italian influences. Sauces are typically served with meat and fish. Pasta is also common. Local dishes include cunillo (rabbit cooked in tomato sauce), xai (roast lamb), trinxat (bacon, potatoes and cabbage) and escudella (a stew of chicken, sausage and meatballs).
Places to see
As recently as 1960, Andorra was virtually cut off from the rest of the world,
a semi-autonomous principality conceived late in the thirteenth century to resolve
a quarrel between the counts of Foix in France and the bishops of La Seu. There
are no airports or train tracks, but Andorra's main attraction is the duty-free
supermarkets: the main road through the country is summer is always busy with
French and Spanish tourists after duty-free products.
Many people just pass through Andorra. In summertime, there are plenty of good hiking opportunities in the high, remote parts of the country, away from the over-development and heavy traffic that plague Andorra's towns. There's relatively little of cultural or historical interest, unless you consider duty-free shopping a form of artistic expression.
But you should visit Andorra la Vella, the capital of the principality and its largest town. These days, the town itself is given over almost entirely to the retailing of duty-free electronics and luxury goods.
The Barri Antic (Old Quarter) which was the heart of Andorra
la Vella when it was little more than a small Pyrenean village. The narrow cobblestone
streets are still lined with stone houses. The pride of the Barri Antic is the
Casa de la Vall (1580)(House of the Valley), bought by the General Council in
1702 and is now the seat of the Andorran Parliament. Cultural events take place
at Plaça la Poble, a large public square that is bordered by a theatre
and music academy. It's also a popular gathering spot for locals in the evening.
In the Les Escaldes, suburb east of Andorra la Vella, Caldea Health Spa, one
of Europe’s largest health spas, is an enormous complex of pools, hot
tubs and saunas enclosed in what looks like a futuristic cathedral.
Visit La Seu, named after its imposing twelfth-century cathedral, is a small
town with also a compact but atmospheric old quarter. The Cathedral has been
restored over the years but retains some graceful interior decoration and an
exceptional cloister.
The Bridge at La Margineda, situated near the village of Santa Coloma, crosses the Valira and is part of the medieval road which linked the two most important population centres of the Principality of Andorra. The church in Santa Coloma is one of the oldest in Andorra.
Ordino is a big village with recent development (vacation homes and English speakers abound) but despite this it remains peaceful and traditional in character. The highlight of the town itself is the Museu d'Areny i Plandolit, ancestral home to one of the most illustrious families, the Areny Plandolits. The typically rugged design of the house and its interior furnishings are as Andorran as they come.
Though it is tiny, the area contains some of the most dramatic scenery - and the best skiing - in the Pyrenees. Encamp's local resorts, Soldeu-El Tarter, Pas de la Casa-Grau Roig and the Ordino-Arcalís ski area offer skiing and snowboarding and most rewarding hikes when the sun comes back. A number of peaks in the area top 2800m (9200ft).
Encamp has one of Andorra's few museums, the Museu Nacional
de l'Automòbil and a short walk north of town is the Església
Sant Romà de les Bons, which dates from the 12th century.
The ski season tends to begin around December and last through March, though
many resorts buffer nature's contributions with manmade snow that prolongs the
season well into springtime. Hiking season begins when the snowfall lets up
and continues through until October. Hotels are at their fullest in July and
August and from December to March.
Food
Catalan cuisine, consisting mainly of grilled & barbecued meats, is the
local food in Andorra. There are many good restaurants and bordas serving international
and Catalan dishes at reasonable prices. Lunch is usually served from 1.00pm
to 3.00pm and dinner from 8.00p.m to 10.00pm. Eating out is reasonable with
a 3 course meal costing anything from €9 upwards.
Drink
While Andorra is a Duty Free Haven, all alcoholic drinks are cheaper when purchased
in supermarkets. While partaking in après ski, prices are relatively
cheap for local spirits & beers but watch out there is no such thing as
a small measure!
Getting There
The only way into Andorra is by road. Andorra has only three major roads, of
which the CG1 runs to the Spanish border and the CG2 to the frontier with France.
If you take the latter, you'll go over or under the impressive Port d'Envalira,
the highest pass in the Pyrenees (2410m/7900ft). Nowadays, you can plunge through
the short vehicle tunnel. Better, however, to haul your way over the pass and
savour the views. The nearest Spanish airport is Barcelona's; the nearest French
airport is Toulouse-Blagnac. Daily buses and minibuses run from Andorra to each
of them.
The French railway station closest to Andorra is L'Hospitalet,
two hours south of Toulouse by train. From there, daily buses make the two-hour
trip to Andorra la Vella. Trains run from Barcelona to La Tour de Carol, on
the Franco-Spanish border, from where you can catch an onward bus to Andorra.
Buses between France and Andorra run as far as Toulouse. Buses from Spain leave
from Barcelona, Madrid, Zaragoza and Lleida, which is served by fast trains
to/from Madrid.