BLOG STOCK CHALLENGE

It was back in November of 2008 that I initiated my blog stock challenge.  I purchased:

MIcrosoft  (software for the smart grid)
General Electric  (invented the modern wind energy conversion device)
Lockheed Martin (developing OTEC facility for Honolulu)
Boeing  (expressed interested in the hydrogen jetliner)
Ultra Basic Materials (a materials derivative)

I later added:

Ford (because they were innovative on next generation vehicles)

As President Barack Obama was just elected, I had a suspicion that he would be cutting the defense budget.  Thus, as many of these companies depended on continuing wars, I had second thoughts.  However, my green philosophy prevailed, and, it turned out that Obama's defense budget actually grew.

The progress has been impressive (number represents $ invested / current $ value):

1July09     1.56
3Jan10      2.14
5Sept10     2.34
29Apr11     3.10

Thus, if I had invested a million dollars, these stocks would now be worth $3,100,000 over a period of 29 months.  Unfortunately, I did not sink so much into this challenge.

The key, of course, is that I initiated the challenge when the market was low, with the Dow Jones Industrials at 9328, whereas it closed yesterday at 12811.  Percentage wise, the market went up 37%.  However, my stocks jumped 310%.

Was I brilliant or what?  Actually, the difference was pure luck, for I bought Ford at 1.9 and the latest value is $15.47.  So my simple solution to winning on the stock market is to buy when the Dow seriously dips, but make sure you are really lucky in your purchases.

-

THE ROYAL WEDDING

The wedding of our current age was consummated today.  Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales, at the age of 28, elder son of Charles and Diana, second in succession to his father to become King of England, wed commoner Catherine "Kate" Elizabeth Middleton (almost half a year older), dressed in an Alexander McQueen gown custom-designed by Sarah Burton, at Westminster Abbey.  I first mentioned them together last year, but earlier indicated that the colored pearls project we had received a setback when Professor Grant Burgess' PhD student, who spent time at the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, decided to join the University of St. Andrews, where William met Kate.

Of course in attendance was Queen (59 years now) Elizabeth, all of 85, drenched in mustard. Elton John was there, with David Furnish, and so were David and Victoria.  Lot of uniforms. In fact, Harry's looked more impressive than Williams', with mostly morning coats and poorly tied ties.  I don't think I saw a perfect dimple.  Is William already getting bald?

The hats were outrageous and way over the top.





There will be two cakes:  a, yikes, fruit cake and one of chocolate crunch.

Just click on the Royal Wedding.  Whoops, kind of catchy, but try this one. Oh, that was Elizabeth's in 1947.  Anyway, if you are reading this, you saw it all on TV.  That's Elizabeth Alexandra Mary at the age of 7 to the left.  She reportedly fell in love with Philip at the age of 13.

About the main event, no Mendelssohn's Wedding March, no Wagner's Here Comes the Bride, but the ceremony sounded very similar to most of the weddings in America, with a ring and...was there a kiss?  I don't know, I think I fell asleep.  Oh, THE KISS will occur later at Buckingham Palace.

But I'm up, and the wedding processional with a lot of horses moved on to Buckingham Palace.  No hitch so far...no visible protests...$32 million spent on security...no bombs, thank heavens...things are going well an hour and a half into the process.

The wedding cost, maybe, $64 million, but the bride's parents paid only a small fraction.  It is a national holiday in the U.K.  The honeymoon will be...I don't know.  Anyway, the odds are Kate will become pregnant within the year, as was the case of Diana with William.

Next, Harry and Chelsy:

I had my Friday lunch from Rainbow Drive In, and noticed that the parking and outdoor eating options have expanded.  Plus, their barbequed ahi today is fabulous.  I ate the bento before thinking about taking a photo.  The size of the ahi just about covers the whole large plate.

-

A FEW THINGS OF INTEREST ABOUT YOUR HEALTH

Two weeks ago I wrote on "How to Live Longer," largely a quick summary of my Chapter 2 from SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Humanity.  Today, I provide  other interesting items regarding your health:

1.  I've long felt that people (even the medical profession) tend not to help your body, but actually attempt to neutralize natural healing.  Many have a runny nose and take something to dry up your sinus.  Your body might be reacting to a variety of irritants, but, in general, it is trying to eliminate waste.  Don't stop this process.   Another example is that you might have a fever, and take steps to lower it.  If anything, save for 104 degrees F and above of course, we should tolerate this increase for a while, if not slightly augment it.  Doctors are finally coming around to recognizing that fever is an infection fighter.

2.  You have face wrinkles?  Well, sea algae could well be your salvation.  Apparently, a biofuel  company, Solazyme, has a pending patent featuring alguronic acid from this microorganism.  Algenist, an anti-aging skin care line by Sephora, will begin selling for from $65 to $95.  I wonder if this will work on my arm?

3.  Quoting from the above book:

Every time you go swimming, consider that just in a liter of seawater live more than 20,000 different kinds of bacteria. Or everytime you kiss, don't think about the 40 million bacteria in a milliliter of saliva. There are about a billion different kinds of bacteria. If a virus had the shape of a baseball, a bacterium would be the circle around the pitcher’s mound and a human cell would be in the range of the ballpark. As a virus requires a host, it has to invade a microorganism, human or any life form, to survive.

Quoting further:

o You harbor 100 trillion bacteria in and on you, but have only around 10 trillion cells of your own, thus, you host many times more germ cells than your own. Before you get too revolted, per above, your cell is much larger than a bacterium.

o You have probably up to four pounds of bacteria in your gut, and could have nine pounds total. Yes, this is most disgusting.

Carl Zimmer of the New York Times reports that, like the four blood types, someday you will be characterized by your gut bacteria.  There, apparently, are only three basic types, but which one you are should determine how you will treated.

Of related interest, Thomas Maugh II of the Los Angeles Times, wrote that the bacteria in your intestines can determine your weight.

4.  Is sodium good or bad?  Well, too much of anything is bad, but, it now turns out that if your sodium consumption is too low, there is an increased risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease.  Another study showed that sodium from vegetable juice lowered blood pressure.  The problem is that there is no consensus on how much sodium should be consumed.  One group says 1,500 milligrams/day should be the maximum for those over the age of 50, and a 6-inch sub sandwich with a cup of soup can exceed 1,500 mg.  Another indicates that 3,800 mg/day could be okay, and if this intake drops too far below 3,000 mg/day, your body will seek out foods that taste saltier (salt is sodium chloride).  Almost surely I ingest too much salt, which can affect my two kidneys (remember you only have one heart, liver and bladder), and increase my weight.  So I guess the best answer is to consume between 1,500 and 3,800 mg/ day of sodium, but stick to the low end if you are getting older and don't exercise much, and feel free to be on the high side if you are younger and sweat a lot.

5.  There seems to be some correlation between suicide and happiness, more specifically, the happier the society, the higher the suicide rate.  In the United States, Utah, which ranks #1 for a sense of well-being, is #9 in suicide rate, while New York, #49 on well-being, is #50 in suicides.  Hawaii is in the top ten in well being, but #39 in suicides, so we are markedly different.  Alaska is #1 (21.8/100,000/year) for suicides.  Globally, most of the former Soviet countries are way up there (with Lithuania having the highest suicide rate in the world at 31.5/100,000/year), and both South Korea (#2 at 34) and Japan (#5 at 24) being among the worst.  The world average is 16/100,000/year.

Deaths for self inflicted injuries per 100,000 inhabitants in 2004.^[1]

  no data

  less than 3

  3–6

  6–9

  9–12

  12–15

  15–18

  18–21

  21–24

  24–27

  27–30

  30–33

  more than 33

Apparently, there might be no suicides in Haiti and a few other countries, but information is sketchy, for Egypt in that list is also zero, but another source indicated that this number is 6.5 and increasing.  Worldwide, about one million commit suicide annually, which is a higher casualty rate than war and homicides combined.

6.  Bird and swine flu originated in birds and swine, while AIDS probably came from chimpanzees.  Well, leprosy might come from armadillos.

-

I wonder why, but the Dow Jones Industrials are surging, up 72 to 12,763, now a bit more than 10% higher for the year, with world markets mixed.  Gold, yes, broke the all time record yet again, +$9/toz to $1536.  The NYMEX crude remains around $112/barrel, while the Brent Spot is at $125/barrel.

-

WE NEED TO REDUCE DEFENSE SPENDING NOW

The 25April2011 issue of TIME magazine featured an article on "How to Save a Trillion Dollars."  Finally, finally, voices are speaking out on significantly reducing our defense budget. 

TIME, in particular, indicates that our eleven carrier task forces each, apparently, costs our nation $15 billion/year.  My 27December 2010 posting said the following:

Yes, I am critical about American spending on more weapons.  The aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan in 2006 cost $4 billion, the George H.W. Bush floated last year was built for $6 billion, and the America coming up will be built for at least $9 billion, not counting the enormous R&D expenditures.  STOP!!!  We already have 11 carriers.  How many theaters will we need to protect in the future?

Now, I learn that each carrier fleet chews up $15 billion/year.  In fact, the next carrier, the Gerald R. Ford (above, originally called America II), when floated in 2015, will by itself cost $15 billion that is $6 billion higher from only four months ago.  Why are we doing this?

I have now posted three articles in the Huffington Post on this subject:

  1.  Well, Barack, We have a Problem...  (29May2008)

  2.  The 10% Solution  (20February2009)  

  3.  The 10% Simple Solution to Peace   (6July2010)

The SIMPLE SOLUTION is for President Barack Obama to merely pronounce at the next G8 meeting (on the other hand, France hosts next month, and Obama will be in charge in 2012, so give his staff a year to work out the details) that the U.S. will next year reduce our defense budget by 10%, and will continue to do this every year if China, Russia and European Union also comply.  These funds can better be spent on reducing the debt and allowing enhancements in infrastructure, education, renewable energy and global warming remediation.  But more important than anything else, this will in time lead to global peace.  Read the articles if you are worried about terrorists, the danger of China, or whatever else that might be troubling you.  

For some reason, the Federal Government insists on shielding money spent on war.  For example, the fiscal year 2009 Federal pie chart shows defense as only 20% of spending:

The following is closer to reality, where more than half of our national budget is spent on war:

Yes, this second chart was created by the War Resisters League, but click on their page and see if you can find a flaw.

There is only one reason why we are spending so much on war:  the military industrial complex.  President Dwight Eisenhower was so right.  Click on his name, and watch what he said a little more than  half a century ago.  And his was stated by a general at a time when the Cold War with the Soviet Union was approaching a peak, as just the following year, President John Kennedy spoke on the Cuba Missile Crisis, when our society was as close as we have ever been to destroying ourselves.

Today, we are contending with a ragtag bunch of determined terrorists, and we seem almost paralyzed, but spending money as if we were not in debt.  This is utterly ridiculous.  Amen.

-
Today was a sad day at the Ala Wai Golf Course.  The vendor for the clubhouse gave up, citing that the rental cost was too high.  Our sixsome was one of the final customers:

These are my McKinley High School Class of '58 classmates, with Herb Inouye the alien from Kaimuki to the bottom left, Edna Wong and Ron Gokan in the front row, with Leonard Oki to my left.  Amy Uwaine Okamura had to leave early.  We are practicing for the June 24th alumni tournament here, for our class won last year, which is saying a lot, for our high school is the oldest public school in the state, I think (founded in 1865 as the Fort Street English Day School--Punahou was established in 1841).
-

-

Another good day on Wall Street, as the Dow Jones Industrials jumped 96 to 12,691, while world markets were mixed, with the Japan Nikkei up another 124 to 9,815.  Yup, gold rose to another all-time high, leaping $19/toz to $1527 (or $1530/toz, depending on which market).  Basically, investors were holding their collective breaths awaiting some hawkish news to control inflation from Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke in the very first press conference that office has ever given, but he didn't say much except to leave it clear that near zero interest rates would remain unchanged.  (I'm tempted to make a snide remark about that length, but won't.)  The NYMEX crude went up to $113/barrel, while the Brent Spot is now at $126/barrel.

-

IN SCIENCE WE TRUST

Scientific American took a poll of readers, and scientists scored the highest as the most trustworthy.  Next were "Friends and Family."  The MOST UNTRUSTWORTHY were "Religious Authorities."  I suspect that this feeling has been exacerbated by the sex abuse scandels.  My book 2, SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Humanity, was partly written (Chapter 5) because we all grew up trusting religious leaders and the good morality of the whole thing, but I wondered why, for they had no proof of a heaven or afterlife.  To me, the condemning immorality of religion is this absence of proof.




How much are scientists trusted?

Interesting that flu pandemics were at the bottom.  When that flu scare popped up almost exactly two years ago, I felt compelled to post "A Pandemic Worse Than the Swine Flu," for I could not believe how the world went bonkers on such flimsy evidence.  (Photo right from Photobucket, mnielsen5.)  It is now clear that the World Health Organization of the United Nations made an uncharacteristically quick decision on declaring this empty fear as a pandemic because advisors were linked to pharma companies, who made a nice profit on this decision.

People in general overreact to anything serious that personally affects them.  Swine flu and airport security are good examples of needless spending because we want to protect our children and ourselves.  By the way, those 9/11 terrorists would have glided through current airport security, and the latest is that these machines could be carcinogenic.   So while that poll above reveals that scientific readers don't think much of scientists' views on flu pandemics, the masses don't read Scientific American and do care a lot about their life, even though they might be shortening their life.

On the other hand, scientists are losing the public on global warming.  Climate change is at the midpoint in the above bar graph, which is not bad, but, first, the misinformation campaign being conducted by the fossil industry is working, and two, people cannot identify with a tiny sea level rise per year or imperceptible  temperature increases.  The Republicans then make a case that any remediative efforts are too expensive, and voters like to believe them.

-

The Dow Jones Industrials leaped 115 to 12,595, while world markets were mixed.  Gold went up a buck to $1508/toz, while NYMEX petroleum remained at $112/barrel and the Brent Spot at $124/barrel.

-

COUNTRY #176: Andorra

Welcome country #176:

ANDORRA POPULATION: 83,888

1 VISITOR FROM HERE!

«  Previous Country | Next Country  »   Back to Top Countries

Background

For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.

Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military

Map data ©2011 Geocentre Consulting, Tele Atlas - Terms of Use

Geography
Landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees
Location:	Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain
Geographic coordinates:	42 30 N, 1 30 E
Area:	total: 468 sq km land: 468 sq km water: 0 sq km  Size comparison: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land Boundaries:	total: 120.3 km border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km
Coastline:	0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:	none (landlocked)
Climate:	temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
Terrain:	rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Elevation extremes:	lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
Natural resources:	hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Land use:	arable land: 2.13% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:	NA
Natural hazards:	avalanches
Current Environment Issues:	deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal
International Environment Agreements:	party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
^Back to Top
People
Population:	83,888 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 198
Age structure:	0-14 years: 15.5% (male 6,710/female 6,305) 15-64 years: 72.2% (male 31,604/female 28,925) 65 years and over: 12.3% (male 5,113/female 5,231) (2009 est.)
Median age:	total: 39.4 years male: 39.7 years female: 39.1 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:	1.135% (2009 est.)
Birth rate:	10.35 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Death rate:	5.89 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
Net migration rate:	6.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:	total: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.78 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 82.51 years male: 80.33 years female: 84.84 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:	1.33 children born/woman (2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:	NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:	NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:	NA
Nationality:	noun: Andorran(s) adjective: Andorran
Ethnic groups:	Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998)
Religions:	Roman Catholic (predominant)
Languages:	Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese
Literacy:	definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
^Back to Top
Government
Country name:	conventional long form: Principality of Andorra conventional short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra local short form: Andorra
Government type:	parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its chiefs of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented locally by coprinces' representatives
Capital:	name: Andorra la Vella geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:	7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
Independence:	1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgel)
National holiday:	Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)
Constitution:	Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; effective 28 April 1993
Legal system:	based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:	18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:	chief of state: French Coprince Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Christian FREMONT (since September 2008) and Spanish Coprince Bishop Joan-Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003); represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since 30 July 2003) head of government: Executive Council President Jaume BARTUMEU Cassany (since 5 June 2009) cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held 26 April 2009 (next to be held in April-May 2013) election results: Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA
Legislative branch:	unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the seven parishes; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 26 April 2009 (next to be held in March-April 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45%, Reformist Coaliton 32%, Andorra for Change 19%, Andorran Green 4%; seats by party - PS 14, Reformist Coalition 11, Andorra for Change 3
Judicial branch:	Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional
Political parties and leaders:	Andorra for Change [Juan Eusebio NOMEN CALVET]; Greens of Andorra [Isabel LOZANO MUNOZ]; New Center [Vicenc MATEU] (formerly Andorran Democratic Center Party); Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Joan Gabriel i ESTANY] (formerly Liberal Union or UL); Reformist Coalition (includes the Liberal Party and New Center) [Joan Gabriel i ESTANY]; Social Democratic Party or PS [Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY] (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND)
Political pressure groups and leaders:	NA
International organization participation:	CE, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Narcis CASAL de FONSDEVIELA chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630
Diplomatic representation from the US:	the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (93) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (93) 280-6175
^Back to Top
Economy
Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for more than 80% of GDP. An estimated 11.6 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its partial "tax haven" status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.
GDP (purchasing power parity):	GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.66 billion (2007 est.) $3.588 billion (2006 est.) $2.77 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):	GDP (official exchange rate): $NA
GDP - real growth rate:	2% (2007 est.) 3.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):	GDP - per capita (PPP): $42,500 (2007 est.) $38,800 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:	42,230 (2007)
Labor force - by occupation:	agriculture: 0.3% industry: 20.8% services: 79% (2007)
Unemployment rate:	0% (2007 est.) 0% (2006)
Population below poverty line:	NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):	Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (2007 est.) 3.2% (2005)
Budget:	revenues: $496.9 million expenditures: $496.8 million (2007)
Agriculture - products:	small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep
Industries:	tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking, tobacco, furniture
Industrial production growth rate:	NA%
Electricity - production:	NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:	NA kWh
Electricity - exports:	NA kWh
Electricity - imports:	NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower
Exports:	$117.1 million (2007 est.) $148.7 million (2005)
Exports - commodities:	tobacco products, furniture
Imports:	$1.789 billion (2007 est.) $1.879 billion (2005)
Imports - commodities:	consumer goods, food, electricity
Debt - external:	$NA
Exchange rates:	euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7338 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7306 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005)
^Back to Top
Communications
Telephones in use:	37,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 173
Cellular Phones in use:	64,200 (2008)
Telephone system:	general assessment: NA domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain
Radio broadcast stations:	AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 0 (easy access to radio and television broadcasts originating in France and Spain) (2007)
Television broadcast stations:	1 (2007)
Internet country code:	.ad
Internet hosts:	23,421 (2009)
Internet users:	59,100 (2008)
^Back to Top
Transportation
Roadways:	total: 270 km (1994) country comparison to the world: 203
^Back to Top
Military
Defense is the responsibility of France and Spain
Military branches:	no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra (2008)
Manpower available for military service:	males age 16-49: 18,685 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:	males age 16-49: 18,617 females age 16-49: 17,613 (2009 est.)
^Back to Top

«  Previous Country | Next Country  »   Back to Top Countries


Source: CIA - The World Factbook

I have included the full CIA Factbook info because Andorra was an honorable mention best place to live in SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Humanity.  To quote

Andorra

 

A tiny (population of 82,000 and 181 square miles), mountainous (starts at 2,854 feet and goes up) and rich ($38,800 GDP/capita, easily in the top ten) country which belongs to the United Nations, I included Andorra because it has the highest life expectancy (83.52 years in 2007) in the world and draws 9 million tourists each year. It is located between France and Spain in the Eastern Pyrenees.

Yes, the highest life expectancy in the world.  There, though, is reported to be some racial discrimination.  There is a lot snow, but people generally speak English.  Surely, this must be one of those places I must visit someday,