Andorra

Andorra

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Principat d'Andorra

Principality of Andorra

Flag Coat of arms

Motto: "Virtus Unita Fortior" (Latin)

"Strength United is Stronger"

Anthem: El Gran Carlemany, Mon Pare (Catalan)

The Great Charlemagne, my Father

Location of Andorra (circled in inset)

on the European continent (white) вЂ" [Legend]

Capital

(and largest city) Andorra la Vella

42Ð'o30′N, 1Ð'o31′E

Official languages Catalan

Demonym Andorran

Government Parliamentary democracy and Co-principality

- French Co-Prince Nicolas Sarkozy

- Episcopal Co-Prince Joan Enric Vives SicÐ"­lia

- Head of Government Albert Pintat SantolÐ" ria

Independence

- ParÐ"©age 1278

Area

- Total 468 kmÐ'І (193rd)

181 sq mi

- Water (%) 0

Population

- 2007 estimate 71,822 (194th)

- 2006 census 69,150

- Density 154/kmÐ'І (69th)

393/sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate

- Total $2.77 billion (177th)

- Per capita $38,800 (unranked)

Currency euro (€)1 (EUR)

Time zone CET (UTC+1)

- Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Internet TLD .adÐ'І

Calling code +376

1 Before 1999: French franc and Spanish peseta. Small amounts of Andorran diners (divided into 100 centim) were minted after 1982.

2 Also .cat, shared with Catalan-speaking territories.

Andorra, officially the Principality of Andorra (Catalan: Principat d'Andorra), is a small landlocked country in western Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. Once isolated, it is currently a prosperous country mainly because of tourism and its status as a tax haven. The people of Andorra are currently listed as having the highest human life expectancies on Earth, at an average of 83.5 years at birth (2007 est).[1]

Contents [hide]

1 Origin and history of the name

2 History

3 Politics

4 Parishes

5 Geography

6 Economy

7 Demographics

8 Religion

9 Culture

10 See also

11 References

12 External links

[edit]Origin and history of the name

The name "Andorra" is of unknown origin but, according to Joan Coromines, pre-Roman.[citation needed] The name Andorra may be derived from al-Darra (Ш§Ð©„ШЇЩ'Ш§Ð¨±Ð¨©), the Arabic word for forest.[citation needed] Many of the local toponyms are of Iberian origin.

[edit]History

Main article: History of Andorra

Tradition holds that Charles the Great (Charlemagne) granted a charter to Andorran people in return for fighting against the Moors. Overlordship of the territory passed to the local count of Urgell and eventually to the bishop of the diocese of Urgell. The Bishop then handed over the territory to the Lord of Caboet. The Caboet family married into the family of the French Count of Foix and through this marriage, the Count inherited all of the Spanish lord's land, including Andorra. In the eleventh century a dispute arose between the bishop and his northern neighbour over Andorra.

The conflict was resolved in 1278 by the signing of a parÐ"©age, which provided that Andorra's sovereignty be shared between the count of Foix (whose title would ultimately transfer to the French head of state) and the bishop of La Seu d'Urgell, in Catalonia, Spain. This gave the small principality its territory and political form.

Over the years the title passed to the kings of Navarre. After Henry of Navarre became King Henry IV of France, he issued an edict (1607) that established the head of the French state and the Bishop of Urgell as co-princes of Andorra.

In the period 1812вЂ"13, the First French Empire annexed Catalonia and divided it in four dÐ"©partements. Andorra was also annexed and made part of the district of PuigcerdÐ" (dÐ"©partement of SÐ"Ёgre).

Andorra declared war on Imperial Germany during World War I but did not actually take part in the fighting. It remained in an official state of belligerency until 1957 as it was not included in the Versailles Peace Treaty.

In 1933 France occupied Andorra as a result of social unrest before elections. On July 12, 1934, an adventurer named Boris Skossyreff issued a proclamation in Urgell, declaring himself Boris I, sovereign prince of Andorra, simultaneously declaring war on the bishop of Urgell. He was arrested by Spanish authorities on July 20 and ultimately expelled from Spain. From 1936 to 1940, a French detachment was garrisoned in Andorra to prevent influences of the Spanish Civil War and Franco's