conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
conventional short form: Andorra
local long form: Principat d'Andorra
local short form: Andorra

AN

parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that
retains as its heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are
the president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are
represented locally by coprinces' representatives

Andorra la Vella

7 parishes (parroquies, singular -
parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana,
Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria

1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of France
and Spain)

Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September (1278)

Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in
1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993

based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial
review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995),
represented by Mr. Frederic de SAINT-SERNIN (since NA); Spanish
Coprince Episcopal Monseigneur Joan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January
1971), represented by Mr. Nemesi MARQUES OSTE (since NA)
head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne
(since 21 December 1994)
cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive
Council president
elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council
and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election
last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council
president; percent of General Council vote - 64%

unicameral General Council of the Valleys or
Consell General de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct
popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14 to
represent each of the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held NA February
2001)
election results: percent of vote by party - UL 57%, AND 21%, IDN 7%,
ND 7%, other 8%; seats by party - UL 16, AND 6, ND 2, IDN 2, UPO 2

Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal
of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of
Andorra or Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of
Justice or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or
Ministeri Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional

Liberal Party of Andorra (Partit
Liberal d'Andorra) or PLA ; Liberal Union or UL [Francesc
CERQUEDA]; National Democratic Group or AND ;
National Democratic Initiative or IDN ; New
Democracy or ND ; Unio Parroquial d'Ordino or
UPO 
note: there are two other small parties

CCC, CE, ECE, ICRM, IFRCS,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO

chief of mission: Ambassador Juli MINOVES-TRIQUELL (also Permanent
Representative to the UN)
chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017
telephone:  (212) 750-8064
FAX:  (212) 750-6630

the US does not have an embassy
in Andorra; the US Ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US
interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office
in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034
Barcelona, Spain; telephone: (3493) 280-2227; FAX: (3493) 205-7705

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side),
yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow
band; the coat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the
flags of Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms
in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national
emblem