Andorra

Andorra (Catalan: Andorra), officially the Principality of Andorra (Catalan: Principat d'Andorra), is a small landlocked country in western Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. Formed in 1278 as a co-principality, Andorra has as joint heads of state the President of France and the Bishop of Urgel in Spain.

The capital city is Andorra la Vella.

Geography and Climate

Andorra is a small mountainous country, consisting of valleys and gorges surrounded by high peaks. Elevations range from 840m at Riu Runer to 2,946m at Pic de Coma Pedrosa, the highest point, with an average altitude of 1,996m, and much of the territory is forested. It has an area of around 465sq.km, with a maximum length of 30km and width of 20km. There are several lakes within the mountains, and four rivers.

Andorra has a temperate climate of warm summers and cold, snowy winters. Rainfall is to be expected throughout the year and averages around 800mm annually. The average annual minimum temperature is -2ºC and the average maximum is 24ºC.

Tax haven status

In 2000 the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development issued a report which identified, among others, Andorra as a tax haven. By April 2002, 31 of the countries identified by the report had committed themselves to OECD "standards of transparency and exchange of information", leaving Andorra and six others listed as "uncooperative tax havens".

Between 2003 and 2007 Nauru, Vanuatu, Liberia and the Marshall Islands all made commitments to adhere to OECD transparency standards and were removed from the list. In May 2009, following similar commitments made by Andorra, Leichtenstein and Monaco, all three were removed from the OECD list, nullifying their tax haven status.