Andorra (2008) | Christmas Island (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 14.5% (male 5,433/female 4,984)
15-64 years: 71.2% (male 26,775/female 24,354) 65 years and over: 14.3% (male 5,074/female 5,202) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep | NA |
Airports | - | 1 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 468 sq km
land: 468 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel). In 1993, 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. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. |
Birth rate | 8.45 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $333.5 million
expenditures: $386.6 million (2005) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
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 |
The Settlement |
Climate | temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 80 km |
Constitution | Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 28 April 1993 | NA |
Country name | conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
conventional short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra local short form: Andorra |
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
Currency | - | Australian dollar (AUD) |
Death rate | 6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $NA |
Dependency status | - | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
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 Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (3) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (3) 205-5206 | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630 |
none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $0 | $NA |
Economy - overview | Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for more than 80% of GDP. An estimated 11.6 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its partial "tax haven" status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products. | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, slated to begin operation in 2003. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | NA kWh | - |
Electricity - imports | NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower | - |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m
highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
- |
Ethnic groups | Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998) | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state: French Coprince Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002) and Spanish Coprince Bishop 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 Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA (since 27 May 2005) cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held in April-May 2009) election results: Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | $148.7 million f.o.b. (2005) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | tobacco products, furniture | phosphate |
Exports - partners | Spain 59.5%, France 17.0% (2006) | Australia, NZ |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat of arms features a quartered shield
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 |
the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.5% (2005 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 42 30 N, 1 30 E | 10 30 S, 105 40 E |
Geography - note | landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
Highways | - | total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $1.879 billion (2005) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods, food, electricity | consumer goods |
Imports - partners | Spain 53.2%, France 21.1% (2006) | principally Australia |
Independence | 1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgel) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking, tobacco, furniture | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
Infant mortality rate | total: 4.03 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
total: NA%
male: NA% female: NA% |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.2% (2005) | NA% |
International organization participation | CE, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer) | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
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; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | 42,420 (2005) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 20.3% services: 79.4% (2005) |
tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) |
Land boundaries | total: 120.3 km
border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.13%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.87% (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.) |
Languages | Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese | English (official), Chinese, Malay |
Legal system | based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
Legislative branch | unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Valls (28 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 24 April 2005 (next to be held in March-April 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 41.2%, PS 38.1%, CDA-S21 11%, other 9.7%; seats by party - PLA 14, PS 12, CDA-S21 2 |
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)
elections: last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 83.52 years
male: 80.62 years female: 86.62 years (2007 est.) |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% |
NA |
Location | Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
Map references | Europe | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | contiguous zone: 12 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France and Spain | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
Military branches | no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra | - |
National holiday | Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278) | NA |
Nationality | noun: Andorran(s)
adjective: Andorran |
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
Natural hazards | avalanches | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead | phosphate, beaches |
Net migration rate | 6.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Andorran Democratic Center Party or CDA (formerly Democratic Party or PD); Century 21 or S21 [Enric TARRADO]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA] (formerly Liberal Union or UL); Social Democratic Party or PS [Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY] (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND) | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 71,822 (July 2007 est.) | 433 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.842% (2007 est.) | -9% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Flying Fish Cove |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | - | 24 km to serve phosphate mines |
Religions | Roman Catholic (predominant) | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.099 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.975 male(s)/female total population: 1.079 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
NA (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain |
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 35,400 (2005) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 64,600 (2005) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (1997) | NA |
Terrain | rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
Total fertility rate | 1.31 children born/woman (2007 est.) | NA children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 0% (1996 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | - | none |