SPANISH ANDORRA - Principality of Andorra Principat d'Andorra

Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra (Catalan: Principat d'Andorra), also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra  (Catalan: Principat de les Valls d'Andorra), is a sovereign landlocked microstate on the Iberian Peninsula, in the eastern Pyrenees, bordered by France to the north and Spain to the south. Believed to have been created by Charlemagne, Andorra was ruled by the count of Urgell until 988, when it was transferred to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Urgell. The present principality was formed by a charter in 1278. It is known as a principality as it is a diarchy headed by two princes: the Bishop of Urgell in Catalonia, Spain, and the President of the French Republic.

Andorra is the sixth-smallest nation in Europe, having an area of 468 square kilometres (181 sq mi) and a population of approximately 77,006. The Andorran people are a Romance ethnic group of originally Catalan descent. Andorra is the 16th-smallest country in the world by land and the 11th-smallest by population. Its capital, Andorra la Vella, is the highest capital city in Europe, at an elevation of 1,023 metres (3,356 feet) above sea level. The official language is Catalan, but Spanish, Portuguese, and French are also commonly spoken. 

The oldest derivation of the word Andorra is from the Greek historian Polybius (The Histories III, 35, 1) who describes the Andosins, an Iberian Pre-Roman tribe, as historically located in the valleys of Andorra and facing the Carthaginian army in its passage through the Pyrenees during the Punic Wars. The word Andosini or Andosins (Ἀνδοσίνοι) may derive from the Basque handia whose meaning is "big" or "giant". The Andorran toponymy shows evidence of Basque language in the area. Another theory suggests that the word Andorra may derive from the old word Anorra that contains the Basque word ur (water).

Postal services in Andorra are unique in that they are not operated by the country itself, but by its two larger neighbouring countries, Spain and France. Correos of Spain and La Poste of France operate side by side. Both postal administrations issue their own postage stamps for use in Andorra featuring unique designs, as those of Spain and France are not valid.

The 1931 issues were those of France overprinted "ANDORRE". Its first set of stamps was produced in 1932 inscribed "Vallees d'Andorre", which depicted churches such as Our Lady's Chapel, Meritxell and St. Michael's Church, Engolasters.In 1928 Spanish stamps were overprinted "CORREOS ANDORRA" for use in Andorra. The first set of definitives was issued in 1929.

 
The perfectly postmarked covers posted from Andorra - Spanish post office on 26 May 2016, and I received on 14 June , 2016.

There are two postal services in Andorra, operated by French Post ( La poste) and Spanish Post ( Correos de Espana). Both the authorities issue stamps and distribute through Andorra post offices and through their philatelic bureaus. The covers posted on November 12,2015 from Canilo post office, and I received on November 23, 2015.

Sender Anna Lopez