Andorra (2008) | Oman (2002) | |
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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 | 6 regions (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah) and 2 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam*, Zufar*; note - the US Embassy in Oman reports that Masqat is a governorate, but this has not been confirmed by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN) |
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: 41.9% (male 579,065; female 556,923)
15-64 years: 55.7% (male 914,494; female 597,948) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 34,555; female 30,477) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep | dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish |
Airports | - | 143 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 6
over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 133
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 55 914 to 1,523 m: 37 under 914 m: 32 (2002) |
Area | total: 468 sq km
land: 468 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 212,460 sq km
land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Kansas |
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. | In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing political and military relationship with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries. |
Birth rate | 8.45 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 37.76 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $333.5 million
expenditures: $386.6 million (2005) |
revenues: $9.2 billion
expenditures: $6.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
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 |
Muscat |
Climate | temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers | dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 2,092 km |
Constitution | Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 28 April 1993 | none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens |
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: Sultanate of Oman
conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman former: Muscat and Oman |
Currency | - | Omani rial (OMR) |
Death rate | 6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 4.03 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $5.3 billion (2000 est.) |
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 | chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III
embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: international: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 698989, extension 203 FAX: [968] 699771 |
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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Ali AL KHUSAIBY
chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933 |
Disputes - international | none | Oman signed a boundary treaty with the UAE in 1999, but the completed boundary is not expected until the end of 2002; undefined segments of the Oman-UAE boundary remain with Ra's al-Khaymah and Ash Shariqah (Sharjah) emirates, including the Musandam Peninsula, where an administrative boundary substitutes for an international boundary |
Economic aid - recipient | $0 | $76.4 million (1995) (1995) |
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. | Oman's economic performance improved significantly in 2000 due largely to the upturn in oil prices. The government is moving ahead with privatization of its utilities, the development of a body of commercial law to facilitate foreign investment, and increased budgetary outlays. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in November 2000. GDP growth improved in 2001 despite the global slowdown. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 7.533 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | NA kWh | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 8.1 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m
highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m |
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal | rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998) | Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) | Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986) |
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: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary |
Exports | $148.7 million f.o.b. (2005) | $10.9 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Exports - commodities | tobacco products, furniture | petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles |
Exports - partners | Spain 59.5%, France 17.0% (2006) | Japan 21%, Thailand 18%, China 16%, South Korea 12%, UAE 12%, US 3% (2001) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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 |
three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $21.5 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 3%
industry: 40% services: 57% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $8,200 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.5% (2005 est.) | 7.4% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 42 30 N, 1 30 E | 21 00 N, 57 00 E |
Geography - note | landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees | strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil |
Heliports | - | 1 (2002) |
Highways | - | total: 32,800 km
paved: 9,840 km (including 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 22,960 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $1.879 billion (2005) | $5.4 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods, food, electricity | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants |
Imports - partners | Spain 53.2%, France 21.1% (2006) | UAE 23% (largely reexports), Japan 16%, UK 13%, Italy 7%, Germany 5%, US 5% (2001) |
Independence | 1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgel) | 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 4% (2000 est.) |
Industries | tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking, tobacco, furniture | crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper |
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.) |
21.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.2% (2005) | 1% (2001 est.) |
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) | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | 620 sq km (1998 est.) |
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
note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has non-Islamic judges as well as traditional Islamic judges |
Labor force | 42,420 (2005) | 920,000 |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 20.3% services: 79.4% (2005) |
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
Land boundaries | total: 120.3 km
border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km |
total: 1,374 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.13%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.87% (2005) |
arable land: 0.08%
permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.7% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese | Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects |
Legal system | based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 |
bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (48 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats; members elected by limited suffrage for three-year term, however, the monarch makes final selections and can negate election results; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers)
elections: last held NA September 2000 (next to be held NA September 2003) election results: NA; note - two women were elected for the first time to the Majlis al-Shura, about 100,000 people voted |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 83.52 years
male: 80.62 years female: 86.62 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 72.31 years
male: 70.15 years female: 74.57 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% |
definition: NA
total population: approaching 80% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain | Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE |
Map references | Europe | Middle East |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,291 GRT/9,457 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France and Spain | - |
Military branches | no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra | Royal Omani Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Royal Omani Police |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $2,424.4 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 12.2% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 780,292 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 434,026 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 14 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 26,470 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278) | Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940) |
Nationality | noun: Andorran(s)
adjective: Andorran |
noun: Omani(s)
adjective: Omani |
Natural hazards | avalanches | summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts |
Natural resources | hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead | petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas |
Net migration rate | 6.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas 1,030 km |
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.) | 2,713,462
note: includes 527,078 non-nationals (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.842% (2007 est.) | 3.41% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) |
Radios | - | 1.4 million (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic (predominant) | Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu |
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.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.53 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.29 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | in Oman's most recent elections in 2000, limited to approximately 175,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis ash-Shura |
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: modern system consisting of open wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable
domestic: open wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat |
Telephones - main lines in use | 35,400 (2005) | 201,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 64,600 (2005) | 59,822 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (1997) | 13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999) |
Terrain | rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys | central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south |
Total fertility rate | 1.31 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 5.99 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 0% (1996 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | - | none |