Andorra is a European microstate characterized by a strong socioeconomic dynamism and the stability of its political and institutional system. With an area of 468 km2, the Principality of Andorra is one of the largest small states of Europe. Andorra’s terrain is steep and mountainous, with 85 peaks over 2,000 meters tall. The distance between the Spanish and French borders is 45 km.
In the middle of the 20th century, Andorra transitioned from a traditional farming-based economy to a modern society with a service-based economy. This economic and demographic transformation has derived from tourism, which has become the motor of the Andorran economy and has noticeably changed the landscape.
A country with its own official political and judicial system
The political system in Andorra is a parliamentary co-principality. Andorra is the only country in the world with a political system based on co-princes, which means it has two heads of state. Its Constitution dates from 1993; it has been a member of the United Nations since 1993 and a member of the Council of Europe since 1994.
Administratively, it is comprised of a total of seven parishes or administrative divisions: Canillo, Encamp, Ordino, la Massana, Andorra la Vella, Sant Julià de Lòria, and Escaldes-Engordany. Its capital is Andorra la Vella and the official language is Catalan. Its currency is the euro.
