Andorra la Vella
59318
223348229
2008-07-03T18:07:06Z
24.222.2.222
/* Geography and climate */
{{Infobox Settlement
| official_name = Andorra la Vella
| image_skyline = Andorralavella06.jpg
| image_caption =
| image_flag = Flag of Andorra la Vella.png
| image_seal = Escut d'Andorra la Vella.svg
| image_map = Andorra-Andorra la Vella.png
| mapsize = 100px
| pushpin_map = Andorra
| pushpin_label_position = none
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within Andorra
| pushpin_mapsize =
| map_caption = Position of Andorra la Vella in Andorra
| subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]]
| subdivision_type1 = [[Parishes of Andorra|Parishes]]
| subdivision_name = [[Andorra]]
| subdivision_name1 = Andorra la Vella
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| area_magnitude =
| area_total_km2 = 30
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_km2 =
| population_as_of = [[2004]]
| population_note =
| population_total = 22884
| population_metro =
| population_density_km2 = 762.8
| timezone =
| utc_offset =
| timezone_DST =
| utc_offset_DST =
| latd=42 |latm=30 |latNS=N
| longd=1 |longm=30 |longEW=E
| elevation_m = 1023
| website = [http://www.comuandorra.ad/ www.comuandorra.ad]
| footnotes =
}}
'''Andorra la Vella''' is the [[capital]] of the [[Co-principality]] of [[Andorra]], and is located high in the east [[Pyrenees]] between [[France]] and [[Spain]]. It is also the name of the [[parishes of Andorra|parish]] that surrounds it. The town of [[Santa Coloma]] is located in the province.
The principal industry is tourism, although the country also earns foreign income from being a tax-haven. Furniture and [[brandies]] are local products.
== Geography and climate ==
Andorra la Vella is located in the south west of Andorra, at {{coor dm|42|30|N|1|30|E|}}. <ref>[http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/cntry_files.html NGA: Country Files<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, at the confluence of two mountain streams. Located at an altitude of {{convert|1409|m|ft|lk=on}} <ref>[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/AN/0/Andorra_la_Vella.html Maps, Weather, and Airports for Andorra la Vella, Andorra<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, it is a high capital and popular [[skiing|ski]] resort. Its climate is [[Temperate climate|Temperate]] with cold winters and warm, drier summers. Temperatures range from an average of around {{convert|-1|C|F|lk=on}} in January and {{convert|20|C|F|}} in July <ref>[http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/andorra.htm Andorra - Atlapedia Online<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>; rainfall is at {{convert|808|mm|in|lk=on}} a year.
=== Transportation ===
Surprisingly for a capital city, it is three hours drive from the nearest airports, at [[Toulouse Blagnac International Airport|Toulouse]], [[Girona-Costa Brava Airport|Girona]], [[Perpignan - Rivesaltes Airport|Perpignan]] and [[Barcelona International Airport|Barcelona]]. This is a result of its small population size and highly mountainous [[terrain]]. It has no train station either, with a bus service linking the city to the French station at [[L'Hospitalet]], which has mainline services to [[Paris]].
== Demographics and language ==
Native Andorrans account for only 33% of the population, with the plurality being Spanish (43%), and notable minorities of [[Portugal|Portuguese]] (11%) and [[France|French]] (7%). [[Catalan language|Catalan]] is the official language, although [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[Portuguese Language|Portuguese]] and [[French language|French]] are also spoken. Most of the inhabitants are [[Roman Catholics]], with a high life expectancy of over 80 years <ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/an.html#People CIA - The World Factbook - Andorra<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>.
== History ==
[[Image:Andorra.jpg|thumbnail|240px|left|A Jewish tourist praying in Andorra la Vella]]
[[Image:167 - andorra la vella.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
The site of Andorra la Vella (literally, "Andorra the Old") has been settled since prior to the [[Christian era]] - notably by the [[Andosin]] tribe from the late [[Neolithic]]. The state is one of the ''[[Marca Hispanica]]'' created and protected by [[Charlemagne]] in the [[eighth century]] as a buffer from the [[Moors|Moorish]] settlers in the [[Iberian Peninsula]] <ref>[http://www.andorramania.com/histoire_gb.htm History of the Principality of Andorra<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>.
The settlement has been the principal city of Andorra since [[1278]] when the French and the Episcopal co-princes agreed to joint suzerainty. Andorra La Vella's old town - the ''Barri Antic'' - includes streets and buildings dating from this time. Its most notable building is the ''Casa de la Vall'' - constructed in the early sixteenth century - which has been the state's parliamentary house since 1707. Andorra la Vella was, during this period, the capital of a largely isolated and [[feudal]] state, which retained its independence due to this principle of co-sovereignty.<ref>[http://sg.travel.yahoo.com/guide/europe/andorra/attractions.html Yahoo! Singapore Travel<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Well into the twentieth century, the area around Andorra La Vella remained largely forgotten; indeed the state was not part of the [[Treaty of Versailles]], simply because it was not noticed. After political turmoil in the [[1930]]'s and an attempted coup by [[Boris Skossyreff|King Boris I]], an informal democracy developed.
In [[1993]], the country's first constitution formalised this parliamentary [[democracy]] with executive, legislative, and judicial branches located in Andorra la Vella.
During this period, Andorra also developed as both a [[tax haven]], resulting in the construction of modern banking offices in Andorra La Vella. The city also developed its skiing facilities, to the extent that Andorra la Vella was Andorra's applicant city for the XXI Olympic Winter Games, the [[2010 Winter Olympics]]. However, Andorra la Vella was not selected by the [[IOC]] as candidate city, following the evaluation report of an IOC commission. It also hosted both the 1991 and [[2005 Games of the Small States of Europe|2005]] [[Games of the Small States of Europe]].
== Sights and culture ==
[[Image:Andorralavella03.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Parliament]]
The city's old town is characterized by old stone streets and houses. The central ''Església de [[Saint Steven|Sant Esteve]]'' (Saint Stephen) church is part of the area that guidebooks often label as a picturesque part of the city <ref>[http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/europe-info/index.pl?noframes;read=233 The beautiful Andorra la Vella<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. This was built in a [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] style in the [[eleventh century]]. As mentioned earlier, the old town also includes the country's historic parliament building. Probably the oldest building in the city is another church, dating from the [[ninth century]], of [[Saint Coloma|Santa Coloma]].<ref>[http://www.world66.com/europe/andorra/andorralavella Andorra la vella travel guide<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
The city is the country's cultural centre, with the Government Exhibition Hall acting as a main theatre and museum. The [[piazza]] outside the parliament building is also the location of a number of events, and the town hosts a music festival every [[winter]].
[[Image:165 - andorra la vella - caldea.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
== Economy ==
Andorra la Vella is the node for economic networks in Andorra; it is the country's commercial centre. In the country as a whole, 80% of the [[GDP]] is derived from the 10 million tourists who visit annually <ref>[http://www.nlgsolutions.com/packages/show_country.asp?countryid=AD CruisesOnly - About Cruising - Cruise Advice<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. The city is also the centre for the many [[bank]]s and businesses that thrive from its [[tax haven]] status. The state is not a member of the [[European Union]], but has a customs arrangement with the EU, and uses the [[Euro]].
== Twin towns ==
Andorra la Vella is [[Town twinning|twinned]] with:
* {{flagicon|ESP}} '''[[Valls]]''', [[Spain]]
== References ==
<references/>
== External links ==
* [http://www.hotels-and-tips.com/hotels-in-Andorra.htm Hotels directory]
{{Andorra}}
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