Andorra's constitutional structure dates to 1278 when the Pareage agreement created a co-principality. Two external rulers govern jointly: the Bishop of Urgell in Catalonia and the head of the French state, currently the President of France. This arrangement emerged from feudal disputes between the Count of Foix and the Bishop of Urgell over territorial control. The French president inherited the co-prince role through successive transfers of feudal rights from the Counts of Foix to the Kings of Navarre to the French crown. Joan Martí Alanis served as Bishop of Urgell and co-prince from 1971 to 2003, spanning the transition to modern constitutional governance.
The medieval political structure included the Consell de la Terra, created in 1419 as a representative council. This body represented the valley parishes in negotiations with the co-princes. Universal male suffrage arrived in 1933. Women gained voting rights in 1970. The country adopted its written constitution in 1993, codifying the co-principality while establishing parliamentary democracy. Andorra joined the United Nations that same year and entered the Council of Europe in 1994. These memberships ended centuries of relative isolation from international institutions while preserving the dual-prince system.
Andorrans form approximately 48 percent of the total population. Spanish citizens constitute the largest immigrant group. Portuguese residents represent the second major foreign community. French nationals maintain significant presence due to geographic proximity and historical ties. This demographic structure reflects labor migration patterns since the 1960s when economic expansion in retail and construction drew workers from neighboring countries. No indigenous ethnic minorities exist within Andorran nationality. Citizenship laws historically restricted naturalization, requiring residency periods exceeding two decades for most applicants.
Catalan serves as the sole official language. Spanish, Portuguese, and French function widely in daily commerce and services due to immigrant populations. Road signs, government documents, and official proceedings use Catalan exclusively. The language shares mutual intelligibility with other Romance languages but maintains distinct phonetic and grammatical features. All seven parishes use Catalan in administrative functions. Television and radio broadcasting occurs in multiple languages. Public schools teach curriculum in Catalan while offering instruction in French and Spanish as mandatory subjects.
Sant Joan de Caselles stands in Canillo parish as a Romanesque church featuring original 12th-century construction. The building contains a carved wooden crucifix and wall paintings from the period. Santa Coloma Church represents the oldest surviving religious structure, with pre-Romanesque elements from the 9th or 10th century. The church retains a circular bell tower distinct from later Romanesque square towers. Sant Esteve Church occupies central Andorra la Vella with Romanesque nave and semicircular apse. Sant Martí de la Cortinada and Sant Climent de Pal exemplify the valley's Romanesque church network, both containing original altar paintings and stonework from the 11th and 12th centuries.
The Meritxell Sanctuary functions as the national shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Meritxell, patron saint of Andorra. Fire destroyed the original Romanesque sanctuary in 1972. Architect Ricardo Bofill designed the replacement structure, completed in 1976, incorporating modern concrete and stone. The sanctuary sits along the main road between Andorra la Vella and France. Annual pilgrimages occur on September 8, the feast day of Meritxell. The building houses a replica of the original statue, which legend places in the valley during the late 12th or early 13th century.
Casa de la Vall served as the parliament building from 1702 until construction of a modern legislative chamber in 2011. Built in 1580 as a private residence, the structure became government property when the Consell General purchased it. The three-story stone building sits in Andorra la Vella's old quarter. Interior rooms include the Sala del Consell where the General Council met, with original wooden benches and the Armari de les Set Claus, a seven-locked cabinet requiring representatives from all parishes to open simultaneously. The building now operates as a museum with guided tours in Catalan, Spanish, French, and English.
Marc Forné Molné led the government as Cap de Govern from 1994 to 2005, overseeing implementation of post-constitution reforms. Antoni Martí held the office from 2011 to 2019, navigating fiscal policy changes as European Union pressure mounted on banking secrecy practices. The General Council contains 28 members elected through mixed representation: 14 from national lists and 14 from parish lists. This system balances geographic distribution with proportional national representation. Elections occur every four years. The co-princes retain limited constitutional powers including ratifying laws and judicial appointments.