Capital: Andorra la Vella
Administrative divisions: 7 parishes (parroquies, singular—parroquia); Andorra, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Les Escaldes, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
Independence: 1278
National holiday: Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September
Constitution: Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; adopted 14 March 1993
Legal system: based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
represented by Veguer Jean-Pierre COURTOIS (since NA); and Spanish
Coprince Episcopal Monseigneur Joan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January
1971) represented by Veguer Francesc BADIA Battalla (since NA)
head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne
(since 21 December 1994)
cabinet: Executive Council designated by the Executive Council
president
elections: Executive Council president elected by the General
Council and formally appointed by the coprinces; election last held
16 February 1997 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council
president; percent of General Council vote—NA
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council of the Valleys or
Consell General de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by
direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14
to represent each of the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held NA February
2001)
election results: percent of vote by party—UL 57%, AND 21%, IDN 7%,
ND 7%, other 8%; seats by party—UL 16, AND 6, ND 2, IDN 2, UPO 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan, France, (two civil judges appointed by the veguers, one appeals judge appointed by the coprinces alternately); Ecclesiastical Court of the Bishop of Seo de Urgel (Spain); Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal des Cortes, (presided over by the two civil judges, one appeals judge, the veguers, and two members of the General Council)