Category:Andorra





For 715 years, from 1278 A.D. to 1993 A.D., Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 A.D. onward, the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel). In 1993 A.D., 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. Catalan is the official language; French, Castilian, and Portuguese are also spoken.

Geography
Location: Geographic coordinates: Map references: Area: Area - comparative: Land boundaries: border countries: Coastline: Maritime claims: Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes: Natural resources: Land use: Irrigated land: Natural hazards:
 * Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain
 * 42 30 N, 1 30 E
 * Europe
 * total: 468 sq km
 * land: 468 sq km
 * water: 0 sq km
 * 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
 * total: 120.3 km
 * France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km
 * 0 km (landlocked)
 * none (landlocked)
 * temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
 * rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
 * lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m
 * highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
 * hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
 * arable land: 2.13%
 * permanent crops: 0%
 * other: 97.87% (2005)
 * NA
 * avalanches