Andorra Guide
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Population:
71,000
Capital of Andorra:
Andorra La Vella
Airports:
None
Area:
468km²
Official languages:
Catalan - Spanish - (Castellano) and French widely spoken
Government:
Constitutional co-principality
Parishes (Districts):
Ordino, Canillo, La Massana, Encamp, Andorra La Vella, Escaldes-Engordany, Sant Julià de Lòria
Orientation:
Pyrenean municipality sandwiched between France and ‘Spanish’ Catalunya.
Hotels in Andorra
General Overview
As a tiny, landlocked country, situated between two relative giants, it will come as no surprise that Andorra has been fought over, and had numerous claims and counter claims on it, throughout its history. The first written constitution was only put in place as recently as 1993 giving Andorra its own law and with it full democracy. Being a ‘co-principality’ means that it’s in the fairly unique position of having two heads of state or ‘co-princes’ who are Joan Enric Vives Sicília, the bishop of Urgell, and Jacques Chirac, president of France.
Its status as a tax haven has not only brought money in the form of wealthy immigration and ‘offshore’ banking but has also encouraged tourism which now accounts for about 80% of its GDP. In 2005 Andorra received nearly 11 million tourists either as holidaymakers or economic tourists in the form of day trippers, an amazing feat for a country so small.
But tax free shopping isn’t the sole reason people come here, with spectacular mountain scenery (its lowest point is its border with Catalunya at 838m, its highest the peak of Coma Pedrosa at 2,942 m) and a dry, sunny climate it’s a great place to visit any time of year.
Andorra highlights
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Cities and Towns of interest
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Natural parks
Climate
A dry mountain climate with Mediterranean influences. Cold winters and mild to warm summers with high proportion of sunny days. Rainfall most prevalent in Autumn or winter precipitation in the form of snow.
