This tiny country is nestled in between France and Spain in the Pyrenees Mountains – and is one that I spent much of my adult life not even realizing it existed.  Upon discovery was fascinated to find out what it was like (must be gorgeous……) and what do people do there?!  The kids were equally intrigued.  Instead of rushing off to Germany in our studies we’ll do a brief visit in Andorra!! Let’s go!

MAPPING and COUNTRY FACTS

• National Geographic Map print & label for Andorra
• World Atlas – Andorra
• Official Andorra Visitor’s Website
• “According to one tradition, Charlemagne gave the region the name Andorra for its supposed likeness to the biblical town of Endor.” – Encyclopedia
• CAPITAL: Andorra la Vella
• FLAG: The national flag is a tricolor of blue, yellow, and red vertical stripes.
• ANTHEM: The Himne Andorra begins “El gran Carlemany mon pare” (“Great Charlemagne my father”).
• MONETARY UNIT: Andorra has no currency of its own – uses the Euro

** FUN DISCOVERY! Without searching for information about Andorra – found this guy on youtube! Totally looking for more videos from Paul Barbato. Check out these fun geographic videos from Geography Now! He pretty much sums it all up!

Rick Steve always has great travel videos:

LANDFORMS / CLIMATE

• Pyrenees Mountains
• severely cold winters and mild summers
• Andorra commonly receives 300 days of sunshine

CULTURE/ART

• Winter sports of all kinds
• languages – Catalan primarily — then French, Portuguese, and Castilian
• relies on shared defense from France and Spain and requires each Male head of household to own a gun in case of emergency
• 2 co-princes, one from Spain, the other from France
• tourism is primary source of wealth
• festivals, restaurants, religious shrines, outdoor adventuring
• cycling, mountain biking, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, kayaking etc.
• Contrapas and marratxa dancing
• Romanesque style art and architecture – seen in predominately Roman Catholic structures
• metal sculptures

LANDMARKS

• The Iron Route