EUROPEAN COUNTRY: ANDORRA

The Principality of Andorra is a small country that could be attributed to the group of European diminutive states together with Liechtenstein, Monaco and San-Marino. Alongside with that, Andorra is the biggest out of this group. The area of Andorra makes up 468 km2.

Political system.

The official name of the country is the Principality of Andorra. Nowadays Andorra has got a status of legal, democratic and socially independent country. On May, 14 of 1933 the referendum over the first Constitution was held. That Constitution was approved by the majority of the citizens. In accordance to this document a parliamentary principality was considered to be the basis of the state political regime. Form of government is a Parliamentary Principality.

Historically, Co-princes of Andorra as well as the Head of the State possess general and inseparable power and can represent the Principality at the highest level. In accordance to different versions of “Pariatge” decree the title of co-Princes of the State is personal and inseparable and belongs to Urgell bishop and to the President of France. In accordance to the same decree Urgell bishop and the President of France guarantee the stability of political system of Andorra. Co-Princes are also in a position to solve controversial issues of the Principality and participate in the process of taking decisions by the governmental and constitutive power.

Taxation system

Together with Lichtenstein and Monaco Andorra can be attributed to the so called European “tax heavens”. There is no direct taxation in the Principality (there is no income tax, succession tax, or property levy, etc.). Business taxation is the most liberal in Europe. From 2010 the income tax for the companies makes up 10% with 2% of potential decrease.

Climate and weather

Due to the southern location of the country and its mountainous relief the climate may be considered mountainous sub-tropical, partially moderated by the Mediterranean Sea, located nearby. The temperature conditions of the country are more than comfortable for living. The temperature in January, the coldest month of the year, is -15C in the mountains and about 0C on the plain, ranging from -3C up to +3C. In summer the temperature may come up to +15C–+20C. Due to the mountainous terrain, relief diversity and abrupt elevation changes, the weather in Andorra is differentiated by zones and may notoriously differ within relatively small distances.

Relief and altitudes

The relief of Andorra may be considered typically mountainous with its swelling up peaks, escarping down cliffs, canyons, tumultuous mountain rivers, dodging through the mountains of the valley. The relief of this part of the Pyrenees goes back to Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras. As for manifold lakes, being sources for manifold Andorran rivers, in accordance to the scientific data, they have glacial origin.

State language

The state language of Andorra is Catalan (catala). Catalan is one of Romanic languages. It is spoken by the citizens of 4 countries: Andorra, Spain, France and Italy. On the territory of Spain it is Catalonia or Principate, a greater part of Valencia, Balearic Islands and a small stripe of land in the east of Aragon. In France it is Eastern Pyrenees department (Languedoc-Roussillon province), that is often called “Northern Catalonia”. Catalan is also spoken in Alger city (Sardinia, Italy). In Andorra Catalan has ever been a state language. The other languages in Andorra: Spanish, French, Portugues.