Holy See (Vatican City) (2001) | Andorra (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | - | 7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years:
15.29% (male 5,425; female 4,917) 15-64 years: 72.06% (male 25,654; female 23,078) 65 years and over: 12.65% (male 4,299; female 4,254) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep |
Airports | none | none (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
0.44 sq km land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
468 sq km land: 468 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Popes in their secular role ruled much of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Vatican and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include the failing health of Pope John Paul II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the adjustment of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith. | Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra has 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. |
Birth rate | - | 10.29 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$209.6 million expenditures: $198.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
revenues:
$385 million expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
Capital | Vatican City | Andorra la Vella |
Climate | temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) | temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968) | Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993 |
Country name | conventional long form:
The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) |
conventional long form:
Principality of Andorra conventional short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra local short form: Andorra |
Currency | Italian lira (ITL); euro (EUR) | French franc (FRF); Spanish peseta (ESP); euro (EUR) |
Death rate | - | 5.41 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $NA |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant) embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00162 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box F, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 5758346 |
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, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: (3493) 280-2227; FAX: (3493) 205-7705 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriele MONTALVO chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 |
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 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | none | none |
Economy - overview | This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. | Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 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 "tax haven" status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited by a scarcity of arable land, 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. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - imports | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy | NA kWh
note: most electricity supplied by Spain and France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m |
lowest point:
Riu Runer 840 m highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification |
party to:
Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Italians, Swiss, other | Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998) |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Vatican lire per US dollar - 2,099 (2000), 1817.2 (1999), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira; the Vatican will start using euros in 2002 in conjunction with Italy at a fixed rate of 1,936.17 lire per euro | euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996); Spanish pesetas per US dollar - 149.40 (1998), 146.41 (1997), 126.66 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978) head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 2 December 1990) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope |
chief of state:
French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Frederic de SAINT-SERNIN (since NA); Spanish Coprince Episcopal Monseigneur Joan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January 1971), represented by Nemesi MARQUES OSTE (since NA) head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne (since 21 December 1994) 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 16 February 1997 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - 64% |
Exports | - | $58 million (f.o.b., 1998) |
Exports - commodities | - | tobacco products, furniture |
Exports - partners | - | France 34%, Spain 58% (1998) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band | 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; 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 |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1996 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $18,000 (1996 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 41 54 N, 12 27 E | 42 30 N, 1 30 E |
Geography - note | urban; landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights | landlocked |
Heliports | 1 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | none; all city streets | total:
269 km paved: 198 km unpaved: 71 km (1994 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy | $1.077 billion (c.i.f., 1998) |
Imports - commodities | - | consumer goods, food, electricity |
Imports - partners | - | Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (1998) |
Independence | 11 February 1929 (from Italy) | 1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of France and Spain) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities | tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, tobacco, banking |
Infant mortality rate | - | 4.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 1.62% (1998) |
International organization participation | CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, Intelsat, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WHO (observer), WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer) | CCC, CE, ECE, ICAO, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 93 (Holy See and Italy) (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1993) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | none; normally handled by Italy | 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 |
Labor force | NA | 30,787 salaried employees (1998) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican | agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (1998) |
Land boundaries | total:
3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km |
total:
120.3 km border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (urban area) |
arable land:
4% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 45% forests and woodland: 35% other: 16% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Italian, Latin, French, various other languages | Catalan (official), French, Castilian |
Legal system | NA | based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Pontifical Commission | 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 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held NA February 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - UL 57%, AND 21%, IDN 7%, ND 7%, other 8%; seats by party - UL 16, AND 6, ND 2, IDN 2, UPO 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population:
83.47 years male: 80.57 years female: 86.57 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
NA total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition:
NA total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) | Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain |
Map references | Europe | Europe |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | none (landlocked) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope | defense is the responsibility of France and Spain |
National holiday | Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978) | Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278) |
Nationality | noun:
none adjective: none |
noun:
Andorran(s) adjective: Andorran |
Natural hazards | NA | snowslides, avalanches |
Natural resources | none | hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead |
Net migration rate | - | 6.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | Liberal Union or UL [Marc Forne MOLNE] (renamed Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA); National Democratic Group or AND [Ladislau BARO SOLA]; National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vincenc MATEU Zamora]; New Democracy or ND [Jaume BARTOMEU Cassany]; Union of the People of Ordino (Unio Parroquial d'Ordino) or UPO [Simo DURO Coma]
note: there are two other small parties |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) | NA |
Population | 890 (July 2001 est.) | 67,627 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.15% (2001 est.) | 1.17% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | NA | 16,000 (1997) |
Railways | total:
862 m; note - a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's Saint Peter's station standard gauge: 862 m 1.435-m gauge (1999) |
0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic | Roman Catholic (predominant) |
Sex ratio | - | at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | limited to cardinals less than 80 years old | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system international: uses Italian system |
general assessment:
NA domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: landline circuits to France and Spain |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 32,946 (December 1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 14,117 (December 1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1996) | 0 (1997) |
Terrain | low hill | rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.25 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 0% |
Waterways | none | none |