Andorra is one of the oldest nations in Europe, originally established by Charlemagne as a buffer state against the Iberian muslims. As a result of the Paretages of 1278 and 1288, control of the country was split between the Spanish Bishop of Urgell and a nominee appointed by the King of France (initially the Count de Foix) and subsequently by the French emperors and presidents. The country was therefore a co-principality, with two heads of state jointly sharing power – the readiness of both sides to compromise allowed this unique arrangement to last intact until the late 20th century. Although the inhabitants of Andorra were not consulted, they were prepared to accept a deal that guaranteed their security and national integrity. With the exception of a brief period during the Napoleonic Wars, Andorra retained its independence ever since.
Andorra is the highest inhabited state in Europe, with the Spanish accounting for 43% of the population, the Andorran 33%, the Portuguese 11%, the French 7% and others 6%. Due to the large number of immigrants and high birth rate, the Andorran population has always been on the rise. Today, 20.46% of inhabitants are under 20 years of age. The official language is Catalan, although most inhabitants also speak French and Spanish due to the many economic and social links to the neighbouring states.
Apart from the natural beauty that has been endowed on it, Andorra can boast of a rich architectural heritage and ancestral traditions, which have been preserved for more than thousands of years now. It is this rich heritage that contributes to its sense of identity and provides evidence of its origins.
Fairs and Festivals
Andorra can definitely get in to a festive mood with most of the popular festivals and traditions coinciding with religious festivals and natural cycles on Earth. Some of the famous festivals are St. George's Day (Sant Jordi), where roses and books are given as presents; Festa del Poble, celebrated on St. John's Day (Sant Joan) marks the summer solstice. St.Lucia fair is another festival where materials for making traditional Christmas crêches and typical Christmas products are on sale.
Andorra is a country filled with music lovers, which is precisely why the International Jazz Festival is held every July, the Festival of Classic Music is held every September and the months from November to May sees The Season of Music and Dance in Andorra. Apart from this, many exhibitions dedicated to Andorra are also held quite often.
The economy of Andorra is governed by the tourism industry, which roughly accounts for 80% of GDP. All in all, Andorra is well-to-do state, where over 9 million tourists drop in annually, attracted by the country's duty-free status and its summer and winter resorts. While the banking sector, with its "tax haven" status, contributes substantially to the economy, agricultural production is limited as 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.
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