Spratly Islands (2008) | Andorra (2002) | |
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: 15.2% (male 5,456; female 4,951)
15-64 years: 71.9% (male 25,855; female 23,311) 65 years and over: 12.9% (male 4,425; female 4,405) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep |
Airports | 3 (2007) | none (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
- |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
- |
Area | total: less than 5 sq km
land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea |
total: 468 sq km
land: 468 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim. | For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by 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. |
Birth rate | - | 9.97 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $385 million
expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
Capital | - | Andorra la Vella |
Climate | tropical | temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers |
Coastline | 926 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | - | 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: none
conventional short form: Spratly Islands |
conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
conventional short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra local short form: Andorra |
Currency | - | euro (EUR); French franc (FRF); Spanish peseta (ESP) |
Death rate | - | 5.57 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $NA |
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, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: (3493) 280-2227; FAX: (3493) 205-7705 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jelena V. PIA-COMELLA
chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630 |
Disputes - international | all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands | border is undemarcated in sections |
Economic aid - recipient | - | none |
Economy - overview | Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. | 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 - 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 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 by source | - | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 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: Hazardous Wastes
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | - | Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998) |
Exchange rates | - | euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997); Spanish pesetas per US dollar - 149.40 (1998), 146.41 (1997) |
Executive branch | - | 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 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA% |
Exports | - | $58 million f.o.b. (1998) |
Exports - commodities | - | tobacco products, furniture |
Exports - partners | - | France 34%, Spain 58% (1998) |
Fiscal 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; 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 - $1.3 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 3.8% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 8 38 N, 111 55 E | 42 30 N, 1 30 E |
Geography - note | strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs | landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees |
Heliports | 3 (2007) | - |
Highways | - | total: 269 km
paved: 198 km unpaved: 71 km (1994 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | $1.077 billion (1998) |
Imports - commodities | - | consumer goods, food, electricity |
Imports - partners | - | Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (1998) |
Independence | - | 1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, tobacco, banking |
Infant mortality rate | - | 4.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 4.3% (2000) |
International organization participation | - | CCC, CE, ECE, ICAO, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | 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 |
Labor force | - | 33,000 (2001 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 120.3 km
border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land: 2.22%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.78% (1998 est.) |
Languages | - | Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese |
Legal system | - | based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; 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 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 46.1%, PSD 30%, PD 23.8%, other 0.1%; seats by party - PLA 15, PSD 6, PD 5, independents 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 83.48 years
male: 80.58 years female: 86.58 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: NA
total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines | Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | NA | none (landlocked) |
Military - note | Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam | defense is the responsibility of France and Spain |
Military branches | - | no regular military forces, but there is a police force |
National holiday | - | Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278) |
Nationality | - | noun: Andorran(s)
adjective: Andorran |
Natural hazards | typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard | avalanches |
Natural resources | fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential | hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead |
Net migration rate | - | 6.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Democratic Party or PD (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND) [leader NA]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Marc Forne MOLNE] (used to be Liberal Union or UL); National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vincenc MATEU Zamora]; New Democracy or ND [Jaume BARTOMEU Cassany]; Social Democratic Party or PSD (formerly part of National Democratic Group of AND) [leader NA]; 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 | - | NA |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states |
68,403 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 1.11% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 16,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | - | 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 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone 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 | - | 32,946 (December 1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 14,117 (December 1998) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 0 (1997) |
Terrain | flat | rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.26 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 0% |
Waterways | - | none |