Andorra Languages

Catalan is the official language used in Andorra. It is used in official capacity, on the radio, in government facilities, and in public places. Historically, the people of Andorra have spoken Catalan. Catalan is considered a Romance language that was derived from Vulgar Latin. Catalan phonology varies by dialect.

Catalan is considered a mother tongue to 38.8% of the population of Andorra. Spanish comes in a close second with 35.5% of the population identifying as native speakers. In addition, Portuguese is spoken by 15% of the population while French is only spoken by 5.4%. Several Andorrans can speak one or two of the above languages, but some can speak the three major languages. English is spoken by as a very small percentage of the population, mostly those working in the tourism industry.

The Catalan spoken in Andorra is similar to that spoken in Catalonia, Spain, France, and Italy. The French and Spanish used are also the standard versions. The Catalan language is considered native to Catalonia and Andorra while the Spanish language is native to Spain.

Spanish, Portuguese and French might not be the national languages, but they are spoken by a majority of Andorrans. About 70% of Spanish immigrants speak Spanish as their first language. Between 1955 and 1995, Spanish immigrants flocked Andorra from Catalonia and Valencia. Between 1960 and 1980, Portuguese immigrants also came to Andorra, resulting in about 15% of Andorrans speaking Portuguese. Despite the fact that France has historical and geographic ties to Andorra, a small percentage consider French their mother tongue. However, French is offered in schools as an optional subject should the student choose. It is mostly spoken in Pas de la Casa, town on the border with France.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Andorra la Vella
Languages	Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese
Ethnic Groups	Andorran 46.2%, Spanish 26.4%, Portuguese 12.8%, French 5%, other 9.6% (2016 est.)
Religion	Roman Catholic (predominant)
Government	Parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains its chiefs of state in the form of a co-principality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seu d'Urgell, Spain, who are represented in Andorra by the co-princes' representatives
Independance	1278 (formed under the joint sovereignty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgell)
Area	468.00 km²
Land Area	468.00 km²
Population	85,660.00 Population is unevenly distributed and is concentrated in the 7 urbanized valleys that make up the country's parishes (political administrative divisions)
Location	Southwestern Europe, Pyrenees mountains, on the border between France and Spain
No. Bordering Countries	2
Bordering Countries	France 55 km, Spain 63 km
GDP(PPP)	$3,327,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$49,900.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its biggest export partners are Spain, Franc, and Italy.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are tobacco products and furniture.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Spain, France, and Germany.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include consumer goods, food, and fuel.
Climate	Temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
Terrain	Rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Learn More	Andorra

Andorra Languages

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