Andorra, the capital of the Principality of Andorra, is located in a mountainous basin in the eastern Pyrenees between France and Spain. In 2012, the city had a population of 19,407. This is also the name of the parish that surrounds it. Tourism is the main economic sector, although the state also derives revenue from its status as a tax haven. Furniture and brandy are regional products. The city has developed a strong food and textile industry.
Geography and Climate: Andorra is located in the country’s main valley, near the confluence of the Valira de Nord and Valira d’Orient rivers, which form the Valira River. The city is 11 km from the Spanish border and 33 km from the French border. The city is 1,023 m above sea level, making Andorra la Vella the highest capital city in Europe. According to 2012 data, the city has 19,000 inhabitants. Andorra is located in the southwestern part of the country, near the confluence of the Valila del Norte River with the Valira River in the Gran Valira Valley. It is the highest capital city in Europe. It lies on the southern slopes of the Pyrenees at an altitude of 1,023 m above sea level, making it a popular ski resort. Andorra’s climate is temperate, with cool winters and warm, drier summers. Temperatures range from around –1 °C in January to around 20 °C in July. Annual rainfall is 808 mm.
Transportation: Andorra is located relatively far (three hours) from the nearest airports in Toulouse, Girona, Perpignan, and Barcelona. This is due to its small population and mountainous terrain. The city also lacks a train station. However, Andorra does have a bus station, which connects you to the French station of L’Hospitalet-près-l’Andorre, from where there is a direct connection to Paris. However, the most frequent bus connections are to Barcelona.
Demographics and language. Catalans, the largest ethnic group in the Principality of Andorra, constitute only 33% of the population of Andorra la Vella. The majority of the city’s inhabitants are Spanish (43%), with significant minorities being Portuguese (11%) and French (7%). The official language is Catalan, with Spanish, Portuguese, and French also spoken. The majority of the population is Catholic. Life expectancy is high – over 80 years.
Albert Salvadó i Miras (born February 1951 in Andorra, died December 2020 there) was an Andorran writer and engineer. He wrote in Catalan and Spanish. He authored children’s books, short stories, and essays. In 2002, he won the Premi Carlemany award, which honors Catalan writers.
The Pyrenees, a mountain range in Europe, is the third highest after the Alps and the Baetic Mountains. It is located between France (northern) and Spain (southern). Andorra lies in a small central part. The Pyrenees belong to the Western Alpides, and the Cantabrian Mountains form its natural extension to the west. The Pyrenees stretch between the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Mediterranean Sea in the east, reaching a length of 450 km. In most of the Pyrenees, the ridge forms the French-Spanish border, also running through Andorra. The exception is the Val d’Aran, which belongs to Spain despite being located on the northern side of the range. Other minor orographic anomalies include the Cerdanya Range and the Spanish exclave of Llívia. The range’s width from north to south varies from 50 to 150 km. Formed during the Alpine orogeny, the Pyrenees are composed of crystalline and sedimentary rocks. The highest peaks are made of granite and reach a peak of 3,404 meters above sea level – Pico de Aneto in the Spanish province of Huesca. The central, limestone part, famous for the karst Ordesa Valley and the Gavarnie glacial cirque, rises to Monte Perdido, reaching a height of 3,355 meters above sea level.
