Forgotten World (77): Andorra
For more than 700 years, Andorra has been ruled jointly by the leader of France and the Spanish Bishop of Urgel. The first Andorran Constitution was passed in 1993, establishing a parliamentary co-principality based on a 28-member parliament.. The co-princes remain Andorra’s heads of state but the roles are largely honorary.
Almost hidden on the border between France and Spain, the tiny principality is a land of narrow valleys and mountainous landscapes whose mainstay of the economy is tourism. Only 64,000 people live there, but an estimated 10 million people visit each year, drawn by the winter sports, summer climate and duty-free goods. It has the highest life expectancy in the world at 83.52 years (2007 est).