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| Country name: |
conventional long form:
Principality of Andorra
conventional short form:
Andorra
local long form:
Principat d'Andorra
local short form:
Andorra
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| Government type: |
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented locally by coprinces' representatives
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| Capital: |
Andorra la Vella
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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
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| Independence: |
1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of France and Spain)
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| National holiday: |
Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)
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| Constitution: |
Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993
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| Legal system: |
based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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| 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 16 February 1997 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results:
Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - 64%
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| 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 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
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| 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
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| Political parties and leaders: |
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
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| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA
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| International organization participation: |
CCC, CE, ECE, ICAO, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
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| 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
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| 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
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| 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
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