Andorra is a small landlocked country in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain. It has a thriving economy and a high life expectancy. Andorra was created by Charlemagne to protect France from Spain and became semi-autonomous in 1200. It remained a co-principality until 1993 when a constitution was adopted. Andorra is primarily a tourist destination with a tax-free status and beautiful scenery.
Andorra is a small country that sits in the middle of the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain. Although just over twice the size of Washington DC, the country has a thriving economy and is a popular destination for people from all over the world, both tourists and new residents.
The official language of Andorra is Catalan, a Romance language with ancient roots, although both Spanish and French are widely spoken unofficially. The nation is landlocked, with a fairly temperate climate all year round. There are just over seventy thousand residents, and the country has the distinction of having the highest life expectancy of any nation on earth, at 83.5 years.
This country began more than 1200 years ago, as one of the small states created by the emperor Charlemagne to protect France from a perceived threat from Spain, which at that time was ruled by the Islamic Moors. It remained in a state of relative flux until 1200, when it became semi-autonomous and adopted a form of government in which it was ruled by both the king of France and the king of Spain. The borders drawn at this time remain to this day, making it one of the most stable border nations in Europe.
Andorra remained in this form of co-principality until 1993, when, after more than 700 years, a constitution was finally adopted. While both the French head of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel remain co-princes in the new parliamentary system, the division of power is now much clearer, with an elected prime minister at the head of government.
The country has remained neutral throughout most of its history, including during World War II. During the war, Andorra served as an important transport route for the smuggling of goods from the resistance government in France to Spain. He did not remain neutral during World War I and was inadvertently barred from signing the Treaty of Versailles, resulting in him technically remaining at war with Germany until the mistake was finally corrected in 1958.
Andorra is primarily a tourist destination, with the tourism industry accounting for more than 75% of the $2 billion US Dollar (USD) economy. Tourists appreciate the country’s beautiful scenery, its tax-free status and numerous elegant hotels and bed and breakfasts. Traveling there is easy enough, with regular land transit from many points in both France and Spain, and commercial air travel. The cost of travel to the country is comparable to most of Western Europe.
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