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Country Name

Conventional long form: Principality of Andorra

Conventional short form: Andorra

Local long form: Principat d'Andorra

Local short form: Andorra

Administrative Divisions

7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria

Independence

1278 (formed under the joint sovereignty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Seu d'Urgel)

National Holiday

Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

Constitution

Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; effective 28 April 1993

Legal System

mixed legal system of civil and customary law with canon (religious) law influences

International Law Organization Participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: French Coprince Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Christian FREMONT (since September 2008) and Spanish Coprince Archbishop Joan-Enric VIVES i Sicilia (since 12 May 2003); represented by Nemesi MARQUES i Oste (since 30 July 2003)

Head of government: Executive Council President (or Cap de Govern) Antoni MARTI PETIT (since 12 May 2011)

Cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president

Elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council (Andorran Parliament) and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held on 3 April 2011 (next to be held in April 2015)

Election results: Antoni MARTI PETIT was elected Executive Council president; percent of General Council vote - NA; note - the leader of the party which wins a majority of seats in the General Council is usually elected president

Legislative Branch

Unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Valls (28-42 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the seven parishes; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 3 April 2011 (next to be held in April 2015) election results: percent of vote by party - DA 55%, PS 35%, Andorra for Change 7%, Andorran Green 3%; seats by party - DA 20, PS 6, Lauredian Union 2 note: under usual circumstances, the next election would have been held in 2013, but because the General Council was unable to pass important laws such as the budget, it was dissolved and an election was held

Judicial Branch

Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice or Consell Superior de la Justicia (coprinces appoint the members); Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional (coprinces appoint the members) note: all judges elected for a 6-year term renewable term

Political Parties and Leaders

There are four political parties at the national level: Andorra for Change or ApC [Eusebio NOMEN CALVET]; Democrats for Andorra or DA [Antoni MARTI PETIT], coalition including Liberal Party (PRA) and Reformist Coalition; Greens of Andorra [Isabel LOZANO MUNOZ]; Social Democratic Party or PS [Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY]; note - there are also several smaller parties at the Parish level (one is Lauredian Union)

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

Flag Description

Three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red, with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the latter band is slightly wider than the other two so that the ratio of band widths is 8:9:8; the coat of arms features a quartered shield with the emblems of (starting in the upper left and proceeding clockwise): Urgell, Foix, Bearn, and Catalonia; the motto reads VIRTUS UNITA FORTIOR (Strength United is Stronger); the flag combines the blue and red French colors with the red and yellow of Spain to show Franco-Spanish protection note: similar to the flags of Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem

National Anthem

Lyrics:

Note: adopted 1921; the anthem provides a brief history of Andorra in a first person narrative

Year	2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Government Type

Parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its chiefs of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seu d'Urgell, Spain, who are represented in Andorra by the coprinces' representatives

Capital

Name
Andorra la Vella
Geographic Coordinates
42 30 N, 1 31 E
Time Difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Daylight Saving Time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Chief Of Mission
Ambassador Narcis CASAL de Fonsdeviela
Chancery
2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017
Telephone
[1] (212) 750-8064
FAX
[1] (212) 750-6630

Diplomatic Representation from the US

The US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the US Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (93) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (93) 280-6175

International Organization Participation

CE
FAO
ICAO
ICRM
IFRCS
Interpol
IOC
IPU
ITU
OIF
OPCW

OSCE
UN
UNCTAD
UNESCO
Union Latina
UNWTO
WCO
WHO
WIPO
WTO (observer)

Andorra