History UsefulNotes / Andorra

Andorra's main oddity is that it has two simultaneous rulers, formally known as the Co-Princes, and neither of them is Andorran: one is the Bishop of Urgell and the other the President of France. This makes the latter the world's only republican head of state to also be a reigning monarch, as well as an elected one. The Bishop of Urgell, however, is one of the Roman Catholic religious leader that is also a monarch, the other being the head of the Roman Catholic Church and world's smallest state called Vatican City, the Pope, who serves as its appointer.

Andorra's main oddity is that it has two simultaneous rulers, formally known as the Co-Princes, and neither of them is Andorran: one is the Bishop of Urgell and the other the President of France. This makes the latter the world's only republican head of state to also be a reigning monarch, as well as an elected one.

Andorra, officially known as the Principality of Andorra ('''Catalan:''' ''Principat d'Andorra'') and also called Principality of the Valleys of Andorra ('''Catalan:''' ''Principat de les Valls d'Andorra''), is a dinky little mountain principality wedged between UsefulNotes/{{France}} and UsefulNotes/{{Spain}}, up in the Pyrenees mountains. Originally part of the lands of the Bishop of Urgell, Andorra managed to stay independent of both France and Spain for most of its history, with a few exceptions - it was gobbled up by Napoleon's France in 1812-13, and France occupied her again in 1933 after a wideboy named Boris Skossyreff declared himself sovereign of Andorra and tried to declare war on the Bishop of Urgell. Once again, French troops marched in in 1936 to prevent Andorra getting sucked into the Spanish civil war, and stayed until they were needed elsewhere in 1940. After that, the country was occupied by [[ThoseWackyNazis Germany]], and would remain thus until the final collapse of German power in Western Europe.

[[TheOnion It is not in]] [[UsefulNotes/{{Africa}} Africa.]]

Andorra declared war on UsefulNotes/ImperialGermany during UsefulNotes/WorldWarOne, but was overlooked when the peace treaties were signed, so technically remained at war with Germany until 1957, when someone noticed and a separate peace was concluded.

Andorra, officially known as the Principality of Andorra ('''Catalan:''' ''Principat d'Andorra'') and also called Principality of the Valleys of Andorra ('''Catalan:''' ''Principat de les Valls d'Andorra''), is a dinky little mountain principality wedged between UsefulNotes/{{France}} and UsefulNotes/{{Spain}}, up in the Pyrenees mountains. Originally part of the lands of the Bishop of Urgell, Andorra managed to stay independent of both France and Spain for most of its history, with a few exceptions - it was gobbled up by Napoleon's France in 1812-13, and France occupied her again in 1933 after a wideboy named Boris Skosyreff declared himself sovereign of Andorra and tried to declare war on the Bishop of Urgell. Once again, French troops marched in in 1936 to prevent Andorra getting sucked into the Spanish civil war, and stayed until they were needed elsewhere in 1940. After that, the country was occupied by [[ThoseWackyNazis Germany]], and would remain thus until the final collapse of German power in Western Europe.

These days, Andorra is a quiet, prosperous little spot. Like many dinky little European principalities, it makes a nice living as a tax haven and its mountainous location makes it a popular ski resort. Its official language is Catalan. However [[BewareTheNiceOnes it is the only country in Europe or North America which has ''not'' signed the treaty banning the development, storage, and use of biological weapons]].

These days, Andorra is a quiet, prosperous little spot. Like many dinky little European principalities, it makes a nice living as a tax haven and its mountainous location makes it a popular ski resort. Its official language is Catalan.

Andorra declared war on ImperialGermany during WorldWarOne, but was overlooked when the peace treaties were signed, so technically remained at war with Germany until 1957, when someone noticed and a separate peace was concluded.

* The GameMod ''GameMod/RedAlert3Paradox'' mentions Andorra in the game lore, a member of the Allied Nations but home to an Order of the Talon base.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/an-map.gif

Andorra is a dinky little mountain principality wedged between UsefulNotes/{{France}} and UsefulNotes/{{Spain}}, up in the Pyrenees mountains. Originally part of the lands of the Bishop of Urgell, Andorra managed to stay independent of both France and Spain for most of its history, with a few exceptions - it was gobbled up by Napoleon's France in 1812-13, and France occupied her again in 1933 after a wideboy named Boris Skosyreff declared himself sovereign of Andorra and tried to declare war on the Bishop of Urgell. Once again, French troops marched in in 1936 to prevent Andorra getting sucked into the Spanish civil war, and stayed until they were needed elsewhere in 1940. After that, the country was occupied by [[ThoseWackyNazis Germany]], and would remain thus until the final collapse of German power in Western Europe.

* The GameMod GameMod/RedAlert3Paradox mentions Andorra in the game lore, a member of the Allied Nations but home to an Order of the Talon base.

* The antiwar folk song "Andorra", written by Malvina Reynolds and popularized by Music/PeteSeeger, celebrated the fact that Andorra had reportedly spent $4.90 the previous year on armaments.

* Max Frisch wrote a play called ''Andorra'' which was a savage indictment of collaboration with the Nazis; it was evident to all viewers that the play was actually set not in the titular Andorra but in another small mountainous country, Frisch's homeland UsefulNotes/Switzerland.

* In one ''KnightOfTheDinnerTable'' story, the characters find out that some guy who claims that his parents immigrated from there was lying.

* The GameMod RedAlert3Paradox mentions Andorra in the game lore, a member of the Allied Nations but home to an Order of the Talon base.
* It's also speculated that Lunlun from HanaNoKoLunlun may have gone through the Andorran mountains while trying to cross the border between Spain and France.

There are three known references:

* In an ''[[Website/TheOnion Onion]]'' spoof, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q_iqrvnC_4 the U.S. State Department sent billions of dollars of aid money to Andorra]] because it [[GlobalIgnorance sounded like the name a poor African country]].

It's also speculated that Lunlun from HanaNoKoLunlun may have gone through the Andorran mountains while trying to cross the border between Spain and France.

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There are two known references:

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/125px-Flag_of_Andorra_svg.png
[[caption-width:125:The Andorran flag]]

Andorra is a dinky little mountain principality wedged between UsefulNotes/{{France}} and UsefulNotes/{{Spain}}, up in the Pyrenees mountains. Originally part of the lands of the Bishop of Urgell, Andorra managed to stay independent of both France and Spain for most of its history, with a few exceptions - it was gobbled up by Napoleon's France in 1812-13, and France occupied her again in 1933 after a wideboy named Boris Skosyreff declared himself sovereign of Andorra and tried to declare war on the Bishop of Urgell. Once again, French troops marched in in 1936 to prevent Andorra getting sucked into the Spanish civil war, and stayed until they were needed elsewhere in 1940.

If reference to Andorra appears in any media except for their occasional appearance in sport (mostly skiers, though their football team played England recently), be very surprised. There is a play by Swiss author Max Frisch with this name, but the country Andorra it's set in really stands for [[UsefulNotes/{{Switzerland}} another small mountainous country]].

There's one: In one ''KnightOfTheDinnerTable'' story, the characters find out that some guy who claims that his parents immigrated from there was lying. But that seems to be the closest we ever had.

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