Animals and Plants
What is growing in Andorra?
Oak, pine and fir trees grow on Andorra’s mountains, and you can also find spruce, birch, ash and juniper. The tree line is around 2100 meters. From here you will find alpine mats, that is, closed grassland.
But also a variety of flowers grow on Andorra’s mountain slopes. These include the Pyrenees lily and the Pyrenees rock plate. The white daffodil also grows wild and is considered the national flower of Andorra. Below you can see pictures of these flowers.
Which animals live in Andorra?
Typical mountain animals such as chamois, marmots and mouflons live in the higher regions of Andorra. Golden eagles and several species of vulture such as the bearded vulture soar through the air.
Only in the Pyrenees comes Pyrenean Desman ago. He belongs to the moles and forms with the Russian Desman the group of Desmans. You can also find a picture of him below.
Incidentally, many animals live in Andorra that are also found in Central Europe. These include squirrels, hedgehogs, badgers, hares, wild boars, pine martens and foxes.
Economy
Holiday destination Andorra
Andorra’s economy thrives mainly on tourism. 80 percent of all income comes from this area. Around ten million people come to the small country every year as tourists. You will be attracted by the good winter sports conditions, the pleasant summer climate that invites you to go hiking, and the tax advantages. So some goods can be bought cheaply in Andorra.
Small but wealthy
Although Andorra is a small country, it is wealthy. In addition to income from tourism, banking is also well developed. Agriculture is hardly practiced – only five percent of the country’s area is even suitable for it, because Andorra is in the middle of the mountains. Grains such as rye, wheat, barley and oats are grown, as are vegetables and tobacco. Sheep and cows are also kept. Andorra has to import most food, but also consumer goods and petroleum products.
History and Politics
First settlers
Finds show that people lived in what is now Andorra as early as the Stone Age. Ceramic pieces, stone carvings and cave paintings have been found. In the 2nd century BC A historian mentions the inhabitants of the Andorran valleys in connection with Hannibal’s crossing of the Pyrenees. Under Augustus Andorra also became part of the Roman Empire. Visigoths, Moors and Franks came later.
Andorra as part of the Spanish Mark
From the year 778, Andorra belonged to the Franconian Empire as part of the Spanish Mark. Charlemagne had conquered the area from the Moors. The reconquest of the entire Iberian Peninsula from the Moors (Reconquista) began from the Spanish Mark. The Spanish mark in turn consisted of a number of counties. The Count of Urgell, one of these counties, received the Andorran land as a fief in 839.
To communal rule
The Count of Urgell sold Andorra to the Bishop of Urgell in 1133. The bishop handed the defense of the area over to the noble Caboet family. This in turn received land as a fiefdom itself.
By marriage, the area finally came to the family of the County of Foix (north of Andorra) in 1202. They were now at war with the bishops of Urgell. In 1278 they finally agreed in a treaty that both sides should rule over Andorra. That was the beginning of the joint rule of Spain and France, which lasted until 1993. With that the Principality of Andorra was founded.
However, the rule of the Count of Foix passed to the French crown in 1594 and thus later to the President of France.
In the 18th and 19th centuries there were conflicts with Spain, which imposed high taxes on Catalan products. Finally, Andorran products were exempted. However, the situation was economically and politically unstable. Up until 1900, only around 6000 people lived in Andorra.
Andorra in the 20th century
The infrastructure was expanded in the 20th century. Roads and a power grid were opened. The first ski station was built in 1934. It was not until the 1950s that Andorra’s population began to rise. In 1970 almost 20,000 people lived here, 35,000 in 1980 and 85,000 in 2010. Only in 1971 was the right to vote for women introduced. In 1973, the two co-princes of Andorra met for the first time since 1278, at that time it was Joan Martí Alanís as Bishop of Urgell and Georges Pompidou as French President.
The 1993 Constitution
In 1993, Andorra received a constitution, making it a sovereign state. A modern parliamentary – democratic system was created. The two co-princes are still the head of state, but they only have a representative function.
As a country located in Europe detailed by areacodesexplorer, Andorra is part of the European Monetary Union and therefore has the euro as its currency. However, Andorra is not a member of the European Union (EU). The head of government has been Xavier Espot Zamora since 2019.
Typical Andorra
Life in Andorra
Andorra is a country that is quite tranquil. Only 23,000 people live in the largest city. From here and from the other small towns in the valley you can quickly reach the mountains of the Pyrenees and enjoy the peace and nature there.
What do they speak in Andorra?
Andorra is also a wealthy country. The unemployed are few and most of the residents are financially well off. Almost all of them speak at least two languages, besides Catalan also Spanish, French and Portuguese. They are used to long winters with lots of snow and enjoy the short summers even more.
Everyday Life
What do you eat in Andorra?
Since Andorra lies between France and Spain, the cuisine is heavily influenced by these two countries. There are also typical Catalan dishes. Flat cake called Coques and Trinxat, a meal of potatoes and cabbage, are considered national dishes. You can cook Trinxat – take a look at our tip ! A popular mushroom omelette is called Truites de Carreroles.
Fish and meat are often served, for example in the form of rabbit with tomatoes, river trout, wild boar ragout or grilled lamb. Much is cooked with bacon. Not only in France people like to eat snails, but also in Andorra. They are called Caragols a la llauna: grilled snails with herbs.
Children and School
How is the school in Andorra?
There are several school systems in Andorra. In addition to the Andorran system, there is also a Spanish, a French and a private English. Attending school in the Andorran, Spanish and French school systems is free. Depending on the system, the language in question is used as the main language of instruction, i.e. Catalan, Spanish or French. Around half of all students go to a French school. School attendance is compulsory up to the age of 16. The children start school at the age of six.
