Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...

and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

are members of the

Council of Europe The Council of Europe (CoE; french: Conseil de l'Europe, ) is an international organisation founded in the wake of World War II to uphold European Convention on Human Rights, human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in Europe. ...

Organisation internationale de la Francophonie The (OIF; sometimes shortened to the Francophonie, french: La Francophonie , but also called International Organisation of in English-language context) is an international organization representing countries and regions where French is a ...

and the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

. The two share a

head of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...

, as the

president of France The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (french: Président de la République française), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency i ...

is one of the

co-princes of Andorra The co-princes of Andorra are jointly the heads of state ( ca, cap d'estat) of the Principality of Andorra, a landlocked microstate lying in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. Founded in 1278 by means of a treaty between the Bishop of Urge ...

History

Andorra and France have an unusual and long relationship. Andorra was created by

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...

as a buffer state between

and the

Umayyad conquest of Hispania The Umayyad conquest of Hispania, also known as the Umayyad conquest of the Visigothic Kingdom, was the initial expansion of the Umayyad Caliphate over Hispania (in the Iberian Peninsula) from 711 to 718. The conquest resulted in the decline of t ...

.BBC: Andorra
/ref> In 1278, under terms of "pareage" agreement, Andorra adopted joint allegiance to a French and a Spanish prince after disputes between French heirs to the Urgel countship and the Spanish bishops of Urgell. For more than 700 years Andorra was ruled jointly by the leader of France and the

bishop of Urgell The Diocese of Urgell is a diocese in Catalonia (Spain) and Andorra in the historical County of Urgell,

. In 1607, a French royal edict establishes the French head-of-state and bishop of Urgell as co-princes. In 1936, during the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...

, France sent troops to protect Andorra from the spillover of the civil war. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Andorra became an important smuggling route from

Vichy France Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its ter ...

into neutral

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. Official diplomatic relations between Andorra and France were established after the signing of a joint ''Treaty of Good Neighborhood, Friendship and Cooperation'' between Andorra, France and Spain; after Andorra adopted a new

constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When ...

establishing them as a parliamentary democracy. The

President of France The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (french: Président de la République française), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency i ...

acts as a co-Prince (along with the Spanish Bishop of Urgell) in Andorra. In 1993, France opened a resident embassy in

Andorra la Vella Andorra la Vella french: Andorre-la-Vieille is the capital (political), capital of the Andorra, Principality of Andorra. It is located high in the east Pyrenees, between France and Spain. It is also the name of the parishes of Andorra, parish ...

. In October 1967, French President (and co-Prince)

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...

paid a visit to Andorra. It was the first visit by a French President to the nation. President de Gaulle paid a second visit in 1969. Since then, there have been several bilateral visits between leaders of both nations. French citizens are the second largest nationality to visit Andorra for touristic purposes (after Spain). French citizens are also the third largest foreign residents in Andorra with 3,000 French citizens living in Andorra.Andorra en Xifres (in Spanish)
/ref>

Bilateral agreements

Both nations have signed a few bilateral agreements such as Treaty of Good Neighbors, Friendship and Cooperation (1993); Agreements on the delimitation of the border and joint management of water (2012); Agreement on technical cooperation and mutual assistance in civil protection (2014); Agreement on cross-border police and customs cooperation (2014) and an Agreement on improving the viability of the roads RN 20, 230 and 22 between Tarascon-sur-Ariège and the border with Andorra (2017).

Trade

France is Andorra's second largest trading partner (after Spain). In 2016, France provided 15% of Andorra’s imports and received 15% of Andorra's exports. Andorra's main exports to France include: tobacco and furniture. France's exports to Andorra consist of many of that nations basic food products, electricity and fuel. Several French multinational companies operate in Andorra.

Resident diplomatic missions

* Andorra has an embassy in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

. * France has an embassy in

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Andorra-France relations

Bilateral relations of France

History

Bilateral agreements

Trade

Resident diplomatic missions

See also

References