Andorra has a population of around 80,000 — tiny, and unusual in that native Andorrans are a minority in their own country, making up only about 30% of residents. The rest are mainly Spanish (roughly 35%), Portuguese (15%), and French (7%), with smaller communities from across Europe and South America.
This came about through decades of immigration driven by the booming retail and tourism economy. Andorran citizenship is notoriously difficult to obtain — you typically need 20 years of residency — so most long-term residents remain foreign nationals. The result is a country with a distinctly cosmopolitan daily life alongside a small, tight-knit community of Andorran families who can trace their roots back centuries.
The official language is Catalan, and it's taken seriously as a marker of national identity. Schools teach in Catalan, official signage is in Catalan, and speaking a few words will be appreciated. Most people switch easily between Catalan, Spanish, and French; English is common in tourist areas.
Roman Catholicism remains important — the country's patron saint, Our Lady of Meritxell, is the focus of the national holiday on September 8. The church plays a visible role in public life, though the society is broadly secular in practice.
Andorrans have one of the highest life expectancies in the world — consistently above 80 years for men, over 85 for women — a fact attributed to clean mountain air, a Mediterranean-influenced diet, and a functioning healthcare system.