The Principality of Andorra, squeezed between the territories of Spain and France, is located in the northeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula. The small size of the state does not allow it to independently protect its sovereignty, which forces the government of the country to be in associated relations with neighboring, larger powers.
Where is Andorra?
The area of the country is 468 square kilometers, and its name in Basque means "wasteland". However, despite the name of the country, most of it is occupied by mountains covered with coniferous and mixed forests. Subalpine and alpine meadows stretch at a considerable height, and valleys cross mountain rivers with a rapid current, overflowing during rains and snowmelt.
In the west of the country, in close proximity to the borders with Spain and France, is the highest point of the state - Mount Coma Pedrosa, reaching a height of 2942 meters above sea level. The geography of Andorra is of great interest to lovers of virgin nature and climatic resorts, as well as active athletes. In turn, the lowest point of the country is located at an altitude of 840 meters, at the confluence of the rivers Valira and RioRuner.
Because of the mountainous nature of the area, rivers tend to be rather short and rarely exceed a few kilometers in length. Most of them flow into Spanish or French rivers.
Because the climate of the region where Andorra is located belongs to the Pyrenean ecoregion, the winters are snowy and mild, which makes the country suitable for the development of ski tourism.
History of the Principality
The first mention of the community of the country of Andorra occurs in 778, however, the most reliable information not only about existence, but also about sovereignty is dated 805, when Charlemagne granted the inhabitants of Andorra the Great Charter of Freedom.
Subsequently, power in the valley was divided between the local prince and the bishop of the diocese of Urgell. However, despite the fact that the rulers of neighboring states regularly interfered in the internal affairs of the principality, the borders of which changed at a fantastic speed, the country of Andorra retained not only its sovereignty, but also its administrative structure and management system. The two neighboring states jointly administered the territory for the benefit of local residents.
It is worth noting that already in 1419 the first Council of the Land was convened in the country of Andorra, which actually had parliamentary powers. Later, this governing body will be transformed into the General Council. However, the prince will still be at the head of the state. This feudal form of government in Andorra will last until 1866, when an administrative reform will be carried out in the country.
Politicaldevice
The principality's political system and its place on the European political map are worthy of special mention. Today, Andorra is a dwarf state, ranked sixteenth in the list of the smallest countries in the world.
Traditions are of great importance for the political system of Andorra, because its ancient parliament has never stopped working, and international treaties with neighboring countries provide the very possibility of the existence of the state.
Up until 1993, the country paid an annual tribute to its neighbors. For France, 960 francs were intended, and for the Bishop of Urgell - 12 heads of cheese, 12 partridges and twelve capons, as well as 460 pesetas and even six hams.
According to the constitution adopted in 1993, the Principality of Andorra is governed by two co-princes and a unicameral parliament called the General Council of the Valleys.
Judicial system of the country
Whatever the form of government of Andorra, the state would not be able to function effectively without a reasonably organized judicial system based on deep traditions of respect for law and law.
The structure of the judicial system has been worked out with great care. It consists of the Magistrates' Court, the Criminal Court, and the Supreme and Constitutional Courts. The structure of the Supreme Court deserves special consideration, the complexity of which reflects the entire history of state building in the country of Andorra.
The highest court in the country consists of five judges. One judge is appointedBy the executive council of the state, two more judges are chosen by the princes. The Council of the Dales appoints another judge. The sixth judge is appointed at the behest of the Magistrates' Court.
Capital of the country
In administrative terms, the country consists of seven communities, which are called parishes there. One of these communities is the capital of the state - Andorra la Vella. Despite the fact that the entire population of the country is 77,000 people, more than twenty-two thousand live in the country's largest city - its capital.
According to local legend, the city at the confluence of two rivers was founded at the beginning of the 10th century by the personal order of Charlemagne, who also became the founder of the Carolingian dynasty, one of the greatest royal dynasties of the last thousand years.
However, Andorra la Vella became the center of the Principality in 1278, and all public authorities, such as parliament, courts and government, moved to the capital in 1993, when a new constitution was adopted that transformed the Principality into a parliamentary monarchy.
Economy of the capital
Andorra la Vella is not only the political but also the financial center of the Principality. Despite the fact that the favorable mountain climate and the high quality of infrastructure allow the country to occupy a leading position in the tourism services market, its status as an international offshore brings significant income to the country's economy.
It is for this reason that Andorra houses the offices of large international corporations, banks and international organizations. The capital hosts internationalsports competitions attracting thousands of participants and spectators. Once Andorra la Vella even claimed to host the Olympic Games, but her application was not accepted.
Economy of the country
Some economists believe that in recent years, the government of Andorra, whose area and population do not allow specializing in heavy and raw materials industries, is doing everything possible to get rid of dependence on bank capital.
According to some reports, the tourism sector provides up to eighty percent of the national product. It is worth noting that this refers not only to resort tourism, but also to business tourism.
Several factors contribute to the rapid development of the entire economy of Andorra and tourism. First, government intervention in the economy is minimal, which creates a much-needed business climate and sense of security.
Secondly, the banking sector, which finances major infrastructure and tourism projects, enjoys significant tax breaks and can therefore afford to spend more on projects with deferred benefits.
Mineral resources
Despite its small territory, Andorra boasts significant reserves of iron ore and lead. However, these deposits are not developed, as Andorrans are extremely careful about the ecology of their country and prefer the development of the service sector.
As for agriculture, it is developedin the principality is extremely weak, since only two percent of the land is suitable for cultivation, which means that most of the food has to be exported. On the other hand, woolen sheep breeding is traditionally well developed in the country, since the slopes of the mountains are rich in alpine meadows, where it is convenient to grow sheep that give wool of the highest quality.
Transport network
The total length of all roads in the Principality is 279 kilometers, but seventy-six kilometers are unpaved. Considering the geographical position of the country, it can be assumed that the maintenance of roads in winter is quite expensive and requires very careful attention.
However, the main roads leading to Spain and France are kept in perfect condition and, in the absence of cataclysms, are usually accessible in winter. Only one area, located, however, in France, is cleaned less frequently and it happens that avalanches block it.
Since the country does not have its own airport or railways, Andorran residents have to use the transport capabilities of neighboring countries. For example, with Barcelona and its airport, Andorra is connected by a regular bus service. The nearest airport in the region where Andorra is located is located in Perpignac.
Education in Andorra
In the Principality, all children and adolescents from six to sixteen years of age are required to attend secondary school, which is free for all citizens. History and geographical position determine the multilingualism of the country,therefore, schools for speakers of Andorran, Spanish and French are officially functioning in the Principality.
The school system has one feature: despite the fact that all schools are built and maintained by the authorities of the principality, the salaries of teachers in Spanish and French schools are paid by Spain and France. At the same time, parents of students can choose the language of instruction at their discretion.
In terms of higher education, there is only one university in the country, founded in 1997. This situation is not typical for Europe, where university traditions go back to the depths of the Middle Ages, and large universities operate in almost every major city.
Besides the university, there are two higher schools in the country. One trains nurses, while the other teaches computer science and awards doctoral degrees in this discipline.
The difficulty with the development of university education lies in the fact that the region where Andorra is located is located at a considerable distance from major scientific centers, and the internal resources of the principality and a small number of students do not allow to support significant academic research.
Collection Institute
According to the established tradition, for several centuries the principality was jointly ruled by the Bishop of Urgell, now located in Spanish Catalonia, and a representative of the Occitan family of Fua, who was subsequently succeeded by the kings of Navarre.
From 1589, the king of France and his heirs began to act as the French co-ruler. Line of successionIt was interrupted only for the time of the First French Republic, but was subsequently restored, and since then the heads of the French state have invariably come into control of Andorra on a par with the bishops of Urgell. Since 2017, the representative of France in Andorra has been Emmanuel Macron.
