ANDORRA
EUROPE
GENERAL
Official name of the state
Principality of Andorra.
Capital
Andorra la Vella.
Geography
As a country located in Europe according to collegesanduniversitiesinusa, Andorra is located in the Pyrenees and borders France to the north and east and Spain to the south and west. The principality is mountainous, gorges and narrow valleys define the landscape. Most of the country is forested, and livestock is farmed in the valleys. There are four rivers and several mountain lakes.
Government
Sovereign Principality since 1993. Constitution of 1993. Parliament (Consell General de las Valls) with 28 members; Legislative period: 4 years. Andorra has been independent since 1278, a sovereign state since 1993.
Head of state
Bishop Joan Enric Vives of Seu d’Urgell (since 2003).
Head of government
Antoni Martí Petit, since April 2015.
Electricity
230 V, 50 Hz.
Time zone
Central European Time: CET +2 (CET +3 from March 26 to October 29, 2017)
LANGUAGE
Overview
The official language is Catalan; Spanish, Portuguese and French are also spoken.
Catalan belongs to the Romance language family and is related to Spanish, French, and Italian. The popular belief that Catalan is a Spanish dialect is wrong. Spaniards and Latin Americans understand Catalan about as well as Portuguese or Italian.
Catalan is a primary dialect of spoken folk Latin and is written using Latin letters. In Latin texts of the 9th century, individual Catalan words can already be found, in the 12th century the first complete Catalan documents were created.
Between the 13th and 15th centuries, the Catalan language gained in importance as the Count of Barcelona extended its domain. When Catalonia lost its political independence at the beginning of the 18th century as a result of the War of the Spanish Succession, Castilian Spanish was established as the official Spanish language and Catalan was even banned at times. So it happens that today only around 39% of Andorra’s residents have learned Catalan as their mother tongue and only 58.3% use the language as an everyday language. About 37% of Andorra’s residents speak Spanish on a daily basis.
The Catalan language is being promoted today through the establishment of the official language council Servei de Política Lingüística, a corresponding offer in adult education and teaching in Catalan in the Spanish and French school systems of Andorra.
NIGHTLIFE
Introduction
In contrast to the Spaniards, the Andorrans tend to have a quieter nightlife. Those who don’t stay at home meet in one of the many bars or restaurants. Nevertheless, Andorra also offers a variety of entertainment options at night. There are numerous cafes, restaurants, bars and nightclubs that are open all year round in the holiday resorts and larger cities.
The most traditional music club in the country is Club Angel Blau in Andorra la Vella, furnished in the style of a piano bar. Famous jazz musicians from all over the world give concerts here regularly. The mood is particularly good when local greats appear. In the legendary Panamà Cafè in Andorra la Vella, furnished with retro elements, salsa music is played on the weekends. The Polaris, which is centrally located in the center of Escaldes-Engordany, is one of the oldest bars in the country. Loyal customers and an appealing atmosphere make this bar the ideal place to end the day with a game of darts and a drink. In Pas de la Case you can go to one of the 20 night clubs like the Bilbord, the Mexicanoor dance to the underground until dawn. In Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino and Andorra la Vella there are bowling alleys and bingo halls that are open late into the night.
Andorra also has something to offer culturally. The principal theaters in the Principality are the Auditori Claror in Sant Julià de Lòria and the Teatre Comunal d’Andorra la Vella in Andorra la Vella.
CULINARY
Regional specialities
National courts are Coques (tasty flat cake), Trinxat (potato and cabbage dish), Truites de carreroles (mushroom omelette), local sausages and cheese. You can often find conill amb tomàquet (rabbit with tomatoes) or xai rostit (grilled lamb). Pork and bacon dishes are also typical of Andorran cuisine.
In the capital Andorra la Vella, Caragols a la llauna (grilled snails with herbs), civet de porc fer (boar pork ragout) and truita de riu a l’andorrana (Andorran river trout) are also served.
Useful information
Supermarkets and shops sell cheap alcoholic drinks (duty-free), but they are expensive in the bars. The bars are open until late.
Tip
It is common to round up the invoice amount by around 10%.
Regional drinks
The drinking habits in Andorra are similar to those in France or Spain. Wine is a popular drink, and for lunch it is often diluted with water. But beer, mineral water, juices and lemonades are also frequently drunk. Coffee is a popular drink. The popular vi calent e cremat (warm and flambéed wine) is particularly popular in Andorra la Vella.
Minimum age for consuming alcoholic beverages
In Andorra you can buy alcohol from the age of 18 and drink alcohol from the age of 16.
CULTURE
Religion
The constitution guarantees freedom of religion. The population is predominantly Roman Catholic (approx. 90%). About 1% of the population are Jehovah’s Witnesses, there are also some Protestant and one Jewish community.
Social rules of conduct
Clothing: Casual clothing is almost always appropriate. In some hotels and restaurants, men are expected to wear jackets and ties. Evening wear is only required for particularly formal events. Correct clothing is expected when entering churches and in small, traditional communities.
Manners: The manners are similar to the Spanish. You shake hands in greeting. The common courtesy formulas should be observed. B. when inviting the host with a small gift. Flowers are only given on special occasions.
Safety: Andorra is considered to be one of the safest countries in the world.
Smoking: Smoking is permitted in bars, restaurants and clubs.
Tip: Service charge is i. General included in hotel and restaurant bills, however it is customary to leave a small tip for room staff. Porters receive a small amount per item of luggage. If you decide on a tip, in the catering trade you round up the invoice amount by around 10%. When the waiter returns the change, the guest leaves the tip. However, it is extremely impolite to leave small amounts such as two or five cent pieces behind. In the taxi, the fare is rounded up.
CLIMATE
Best travel time
Temperate climate with warm summers and cold winters; Rainfall all year round.
COUNTRY DATA
Area code +376 Area (km2) 467 Population 85580 Population density (per km2) 183 Population in 2015 Member of the EU No main emergency number 112
