The Principality of Andorra is an autonomous parliamentary co-principality located in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. About a third of the country's citizens reside in the capital, Andorra la Vella, and the official heads of state are the President of France and the Bishop of Seu d'Urgell, Spain. As one of Europe's microstates along with Luxembourg and Liechtenstein, Andorra has a population of only 69,500 (2002) and covers only 464 square kilometres. It is divided into seven districts (Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Les Escaldes, Ordino, Sant Julià de Lòria) and Catalan is its official language.

History

Archaeological evidence dating back to the Neolithic period indicates that Andorra's valleys have been inhabited for thousands of years. Small settlements were established in caves near the Valira River and it is thought that the original Andorrans were related to the Basques of Northern Spain. The first historical reference to the future Andorrans, who were known then as the Andosini, is found in Greek historian Polybius' account of Hannibal's passage across the Ebro in the 1st century BC. Like most of Europe, Andorra was eventually incorporated into the Roman Empire, and it became a gateway between the provinces of Gaul and the provinces of Iberia.

After the Moors invaded and destroyed the Cathedral of Seu d'Urgell, a new cathedral was erected and the six parishes of Andorra were established in 839. The Andorrans were understandably hostile towards the Moors and therefore welcomed the liberation of their territory by Charlemagne. Charlemagne then wrote Andorra's most important document, the Carta de Fundacio d'Andorra, which established the country's independence and was kept locked away by the Andorran government. However, some doubted its authenticity and suspected that it was a forgery made by the Andorrans themselves to counter claims on their land by France and Spain. After the death of Charlemagne and the inevitable territorial quarrels that followed, Andorra fell under the rule of the Count of Urgell, who was a member of the powerful Spanish nobility. He ceded the country to the Bishop of Urgell in 1133.

In 1159, Andorra became embroiled in a prolonged struggle between the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgell. This dispute resulted in many battles until 1278 when they were forced to sign a peace treaty by the King of Aragon. The agreement, known as the Pareage, confirmed Andorra's independence on the condition that it pay an annual tribute that alternated every year between the Count of Foix and the Bishop of Urgell. This treaty still forms the basis of the country's constitution today and is the reason it has two heads of state. Andorra's first parliament, the Council of the Land, was formed in 1419.

Andorra's unique status as a co-principality with both French and Spanish heads of state became a serious issue of concern following the French Revolution in 1793. The overthrow of the French monarchy meant that Andorra was without French protection for fifteen years, leading many to worry that their Spanish head of state would take the opportunity to revoke their independence and annex their territory. Fortunately for the Andorrans, this did not occur and on March 26, 1806, Napoleon issued an imperial decree restablishing French rule and confirming Andorran independence rights. When France became a republic in 1870, its president became the French head of state of Andorra.

Following an attempt by a group of disaffected Andorrans with high positions in the government to proclaim Boris de Skossyreff, a Russian, as King Boris I of Andorra in 1933, parliament was dissolved and the French sent in gendarmes to keep order. A new Council of the Land was elected soon after and the right to vote was granted to all Andorran men over 25 years of age. Women were granted the right to vote and hold office in 1970, and the age requirements were lowered to 21 the following year.

The first executive government of Andorra took office in 1982 after Andorrans recognized that political reconstruction was necessary in the 1970s. The Andorran Constitution was passed by referendum on March 14, 1993 and the tiny state entered the United Nations as a full member in July of the same year.