DESCRIPTION
Located on the Iberian Peninsula on the border between France and Spain in Southern Europe, Andorra is a small mountainous country in the Pyrenees Mountains. Andorra La Vella, the capital of Andorra and main shopping destination, is home to almost 1/3 of the country's population with just over 23,000 residents, while the whole country had a population of only 71,000 as of July 2006. Roughly 80% of Andorra’s GDP is generated from an estimated 9 million tourists annually. Much of the tourists' attention is derived from Andorra’s duty-free status, and its summer and winter resorts. The official language of Andorra is Catalan, but almost everyone speaks Spanish and/or French that lives there. English and Portuguese are widely spoken as well, especially by those who are involved in the tourism industry. Like many countries throughout Europe, the official currency in Andorra is the Euro. The many ski resorts in Andorra are very popular and have recently joined together so that your ski pass covers neighboring areas, rather than limiting you to specific slopes. The two most popular skiing areas are Vallnord and Grandvalira. Andorra is also a great place for hiking. At the very popular Himalaia Hotel in Soldeu, hiking guides escort guests on daily hikes to aid the visitors in discovering the many interesting hiking routes spread throughout Andorra.