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Andorra: Countries
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Andorra is one of the oldest nations in Europe, originally established by Charlemagne as a buffer state against the Iberian muslims. As a result of the Paretages of 1278 and 1288, control of the country was split between the Spanish Bishop of Urgell and a nominee appointed by the King of France (initially the Count de Foix) and subsequently by the French emperors and presidents. The country was therefore a co-principality, with two heads of state jointly sharing power – the readiness of both sides to compromise allowed this unique arrangement to last intact until the late 20th century.
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Although Andorra is not a member of the European Union (EU), in 1990 it signed a customs union with the EU that regulates the duty-free allowances permitted visitors to the country. In 2002 Andorra adopted the EU’s common currency, the euro. Previously, Andorra had used the Spanish peseta and the French franc, both of which were ... replaced by the euro.
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The only way into Andorra is by road. From France you will traverse the Port d' Envalira, the highest pass in the Pyrenees. The route from Spain is a little less exciting. Buses from both countries are frequent. With the good local bus service it's easy to escape to the resort-villages of Arsinal, Ordino and El Serrat, all close to trailheads for summer trekking. There are no railways in Andorra.
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Lawful residents in Andorra may obtain citizenship after 25 years of residence. Children of residents may opt for Andorran citizenship after 18 if they have resided virtually all of their lives in Andorra. Mere birth on Andorran soil does not confer citizenship. Dual nationality is not permitted. Non-citizens are allowed to own only a 33% share of a company. Only after they have resided in the country for 20 years, will they be entitled to own 100% of a company.
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Andorra is administratively divided into seven districts. The people are made up of Andorrans of Catalan stock (about 33%), Spanish (43%), Portuguese (11%), and French (7%), the remaining being mostly recent immigrants from other countries. Catalan is the official language, although Spanish, French, and Portuguese are ... spoken. Most of the population is Roman Catholic.
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Andorra is drained by the Valira River. Many streams meet to form the Valira, which flows south into Spain. Waterpower is one of Andorra’s few significant natural resources, and it permits the country to produce nearly half of its electricity needs. Andorra has small deposits of iron and lead, but they have not been mined extensively because of the high costs of transportation. Some marble is ... quarried.
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