Richard Cole, age 15, of Santa Maria, California, for his question:
Where exactly is Andorra?
Some weeks ago, Andy's geographical assistants took it upon themselves to transplant this small country to a new mountain home. Several pen pals politely pointed out that this sort of thing is hardly fair especially to little Andorra. So let's put it back where it belongs and take the opportunity for a closer look. The scenery is stupendous, certainly much too outstanding to dream of changing it. What's more, the secluded little country has centuries of fascinating history behind it.
The major mountains of Europe were modeled during the past 60 million years. The central Alps form natural barriers between eastern France and Switzerland, parts of Germany and Italy. The Pyrenees form a massive wall of mountains between southern France and Spain. The national boundary meanders the crestline and the small country of Andorra is tucked into one of its curves. Ages ago, as the mountains grew, streams cut steep sided valleys into the lofty crest. Two tributaries merge near the capital city and meander southward through Spain to join a river system that empties into the Mediterranean.
Nobody knows who first found the high, hidden valleys of. Andorra. Some historians suspect that the first settlers were refugees from France, for Andorrans still speak the old Catalan language of Southern France. In any case, the settlement known as the Valleys of Andorra was officially founded by the Emperor Charlemagne around 800 A.D. And until recently the place was forgotten by most of the world. In their secluded country, about 19 miles wide and 16 miles long, the Andorrans continued the customs of their ancestors through the centuries.
They farmed the valleys and lowland terraces and drove their cattle to summer homes on the dry grasslands of the upper slopes. In winter, they returned to sturdy stone houses in the valleys. Every year they endured the hardships of summer droughts, winter snows and melting springs. Since the 1200s, Andorra has been a principality, jointly protected and ruled by France and Spain. It uses French and Spanish coins and postage stamps and the two languages are taught in two school systems. A road now leads down into France, though it is closed by winter snow.
In recent years, Andorra has been discovered by millions of tourists. They come to ski in winter and in summer to enjoy the picturesque towns and villages, built centuries ago. Nowadays, Andorra has 16,000 permanent residents, though only about 40 per cent of them are citizens. Local laws reserve the privilege of citizenship for those whose families have lived there for at least three generations.
Though the Andorrans now prosper from the tourists, they still cherish many of the age old customs that made it possible for their ancestors to survive. The families are united by strong ties. In the 1930s, the young men demanded and got the right to vote at age 25 along with the older heads of the families. And in the past few years there has been a stirring, of all things, in favor of votes for Andorran women!