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ANDORRA |
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National anthem |
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Rugged mountainous Andorra, straddled over the eastern Pyrenees, is dissected by narrow valleys and has 56.6 km of borders with France to the north and east and 63.7 km with Spain to the south and west. The ethnicity is accounted for at 43% being of Spanish origin, 33% native-born Andorrans, 11% Portuguese, 7% French and others 6%.
With a population of some 68,000 persons spread over an area of 468 sq km, the overall population density is of 145 persons per sq km. The capital of the landlocked principality is Andorra la Vella, with a population of 21,513. Roman Catholicism predominates.
The official language is Catalan, but French and Castilian are also spoken.
In 819 AD Louis the Pious, a son of the emperor Charlemagne, gave the land belonging to the counts of Urgel to the Catalan bishop of that diocese. Since then, Andorra's independence has been traditionally attributed to this grant. In 1278 it came under the joint suzerainty of the bishop of Urgel in Spain and the Count of Foix with the latter’s rights successively passing to the monarchs and heads of state of France. The Valleys of Andorra, as the co-principality is also known, pays a nominal biennial tribute of 460 pesetas to the Bishop of Urgel and of 960 francs to France.
Andorra had its first written constitution drafted in 1991. It was approved by referendum held on the 14th March, 1993 and came into force the 4th May, 1993. By virtue of it, Andorra was established as a democratic "parliamentary co-principality" retaining as its heads of state, albeit with much reduced powers, the two original princes. Presently they are the incumbent President of France, Jacques Chirac, and Bishop Joan Marti Alanis of Seo de Urgel, Spain, and they are both locally represented. The constitution defined the fundamental rights and obligations of the citizens of Andorra and outlined the separate functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. It also provides for freedom of speech and of the press and gave new obligations and powers of taxation to Andorran officials. The unicameral legislature of Andorra is known as the General Council of the Valleys and it has 28 members who are elected by direct popular vote for four-year terms. Fourteen members are elected from a single national constituency and 14 others to represent each of the seven administrative parishes. The non-citizen majority cannot vote in elections.The executive organ of government (cabinet) is the Executive Council, which is headed by a president, or prime minister, who is elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the co-princes. The president appoints the other members of the Executive Council. The incumbent president of the Executive Council is Marc Forne Molne. In the elections last held on the 4th March, 2001, the Liberal Party of Andorra obtained 46.1% votes and 15 seats, the Social Democratic Party 30% votes and 6 seats, the Democratic Party 23.8% votes and 5 seats, and independents 2 seats. The 7 administrative parroquies are Andorra la Vella (parroquia principal), Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino and Sant Julia de Loria. The national anthem is The great Charlemagne, who is my Father.El gran Carlemany The great Charlemagne, who is my Father, set me free from the Saracens, Giving me the life from heaven of Meritxell, the great Mother, A Princess was I born, a neutral Maiden between two nations, Alone I remain the only daughter of the Carolingian empire. Believing and free for eleven centuries, believing and free I want to be. The laws of the land will my tutors be and defender Prince! My defender Prince! Diari d'Andorra daily newspaperEl Periodic daily newspaper Radio Nacional d'Andorra Radio Andorra and music station operator Radio Valira - commercial radio
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COUNTRIES |
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CONTACT US |
Þ victorcauchi@nextgen.net.mthttp://www.geocities.com/hashanayobel |
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