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The Moorish invasion of Spain in the 8th century and subsequent
incursions into France were finally stemmed at the Pyrenees
by Frankish King Charlemagne, who in 795 created the Hispanic
March, a series of buffer states to keep the Muslim Moors from
advancing into Christian France. The landlocked Principality
of Andorra, one of the smallest states in Europe and nestled
high in the Pyrenees between the French and Spanish borders,
is the last independent survivor of these March states. For
715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique
co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607
onward, the French chief of state and the Bishop of Urgell).
In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the introduction
of a modern constitution; the co-princes remained as titular
heads of state, but the government transformed into a parliamentary
democracy. Andorra has become a popular tourist destination
visited by approximately 8 million people each year, drawn by
the winter sports, summer climate, and duty-free shopping. Andorra
has also become a wealthy international commercial centre because
of its mature banking sector and low taxes. As part of its effort
to modernize its economy, Andorra has opened to foreign investment,
and engaged in other reforms, such as advancing tax initiatives
aimed at supporting a broader infrastructure. Although not a
member of the EU, Andorra enjoys a special relationship with
the bloc that is governed by various customs and cooperation
agreements and uses the euro as its national currency.
Location: Southwestern Europe, Pyrenees mountains, on the
border between France and Spain.
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