Catalan, also known as Valencian in the Valencian Community and Carche, is a Western Romance language. It is the official language of Andorra, as well as three autonomous communities in eastern Spain: Catalonia, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands. This can be seen as one of unique cultural characteristics of Andorra. It is also semi-officially recognized in the Italian comune of Alghero. It is also spoken in the French department of Pyrénées-Orientales, as well as two other locations in eastern Spain: the eastern strip of Aragon and the Carche district in the Region of Murcia. Catalan-speaking territories are often referred to as the Pasos Catalans, or "Catalan Countries."

In the Middle Ages, near the eastern Pyrenees, the language emerged from Vulgar Latin. Catalan literature saw a rebirth in nineteenth-century Spain, peaking in the early 1900s.

The Catalan culture, which is the most prevalent in the microstate, is practiced by the Andorran people. Catalan culture is a hybrid of French, Spanish, and Portuguese influences. Catalan is the predominant language spoken, with roots extending back to the 8th and 10th centuries, when it emerged from Latin under the Roman domination of the Iberian Peninsula. Following the Romans, the area was invaded by people of Germanic heritage, who influenced the existing language, which evolved into a distinct dialect.

Andorran literature is a subset of Catalan literature, or literature written in Catalan. It is the literature represented by works created in the Principality of Andorra or by authors from Andorra. The heritage of literature in Andorra predates the twentieth century; in 1748, Antoni Fiter I Rossell of the parish of Ordino authored Digest manual de las valls neutras de Andorra, documenting the feudal historical and judicial background of Andorra.

Because Andorra is a small country tucked in the mountains and surrounded by large nations, its literature has long struggled to attain recognition due to the great influence of foreign literature and a small population that cannot maintain it. Despite this, Andorra has produced well-known writers such as Michele Gazier and Ramon Villero, who have left an unmistakable impression on Andorran literature and the wider world. Because of its isolation and remoteness, Andorra has become the ideal setting for literature to flourish.

The Association of Writers of the Principality of Andorra (AEPA) is the professional association for Andorran authors. Antoni Morell Mora has been the organization's president since its inception in 1995. The AEPA maintains contacts with the Catalan Writers' Association and the Catalan PEN.

Andorra may be little, but it knows how to party, with numerous events held throughout the year. Here are 10 underappreciated festivals and celebrations to visit in Andorra, ranging from ski festivals to music festivals and even a clown festival.

Andorrans, like their brethren from other regions, observe all Catalan festivities zealously. Some of the annual festivals include Le Merce, which takes place in September and lasts a full week. It used to be a day dedicated to the worship of the Virgin of Grace, but it has since developed to include other Catalan traditions such as wine markets and music concerts, among other things. There is Our Lady of Meritxell Day, which honours the country's patron saint and has been commemorated on September 8th since its inception in 1873.

During the summer months, there is also the Revetlla de Sant Joan, which commemorates the night of Saint Joan with big bonfires in village squares and people tossing fireballs around dressed as witches and demons. There's also the Pasqua event, which is Catalan for Easter. It is celebrated by attending mass and eating the traditional Easter cake, which is made with sweet bread, candied fruit, and boiled eggs.

The country covers 470 square kilometers (180 square miles) and has a population of 86,000 people (July 2015 estimate). There are few official statistics on religion; historically, around 90% of the population has been Catholic. The majority of the population is made up of immigrants from Spain, Portugal, and France, with full citizens accounting for less than 36% of the total. The immigrants are mostly Catholic. It is believed that half of the Catholic population attends church regularly. Islam is the second most common religion, accounting for approximately 0.8% of the population, and other major religions include Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and others. The Andorran constitution guarantees religious freedom and promotes religious tolerance in order to foster peaceful coexistence among the people. This can be seen as one of unique cultural characteristics of Andorra you should know.

The New Apostolic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), and many Protestant denominations, including the Anglican Church, the Reunification Church, and Jehovah's Witnesses, are among the other Christian groups. Jews, Muslims (mainly North African immigrants divided into two factions, one more fundamentalist), and Hindus are among the other religious groups. It is estimated that there are roughly 100 Jews in the country.

If any kind of art can be claimed to predominate in Andorra, it is without a doubt the Romanesque style, in its primary manifestations of church and civil architecture, painting, and sculpture. Style refers to a time period during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, when, in the case of Andorra, a form of artistic inertia prolonged the production of Romanesque art at a time when other European countries had already proceeded to the Gothic style.

Andorra's Romanesque art is distinguished by the absence of massive groups of buildings. Most of the time, they are quite simple structures, such as churches, and the lack of any ornamental element is compensated for by the perfect mix of sobriety and beauty that they attain. Their main attraction is the Lombard-style bell towers, which can be cylindrical or square; the divided windows and blind arches, which can be found, for example, in the church at Santa Coloma.

In terms of pictorial and decorative art, there are eleven churches that have the remains of frescoes. These were painted by artists such as the "Master of Santa Coloma," whose work can be found in four of churches: Santa Coloma, Sant Miquel d'Engolasters, Sant Roma de les Bons, and Sant Cristofol d'Anyos, and the "Master of La Cortinada," whose work can be found in the Church of Sant Mart, in the village of La Cortinada. The influence of the great religious artists of this period, such as Taull, Pedret, and Urgell, can be seen in the paintings, and the compositions are generally similar, with topics such as St John's Vision of the Apocalypse or Christ in His Majesty being prevalent.

Andorra is a small country, in fact it is the sixth smallest country in Europe. But when it comes to sports, Andorra is particularly fond of numerous contact sports. Rugby is their traditional sport, owing to its prominence in the southern France region, and the Andorra national rugby union squad has created quite an impression on the international scene.

Football is by far the most popular sport in Andorra, and the national team has competed internationally, albeit with limited success, owing to the state's relatively tiny talent pool. Their international football team (FC Andorra), headquartered in Andorra la Vella and created in 1942, competes in the Spanish football league. Basketball has grown in prominence since the early 1990s, when its BC Andorra competed in the Liga ACB, one of Spain's top basketball divisions.

Since joining the Olympic Games in 1976, Andorra has been a constant participant in the Winter Olympics. They have also hosted the Games of the Small States of Europe in 1991 and 2005. Roller hockey, volleyball, cycling, handball, gymnastics, swimming, motorsports, tennis, and judo are among prominent sports in Andorra. This is one of unique cultural characteristics of Andorra.

When introducing, Andorra people expect to shake hands. Many males employ a two-handed shake, with the left hand resting on the other person's right forearm. Male friends usually embrace and pat each other on the back. Female pals kiss each other on both cheeks (starting with the left). When welcomed to someone's home, it is usual to bring a little gift such as chocolates, pastries, or cakes; wine, liquor, brandy, or flowers.

Although Andorrans speak Catalan, they are far more conservative than the rest of Catalans. Conversations with women are typically dominated by men. It is apparent that men have a higher status in this country than women. Politics, sports, shopping, and eating are all great topics for discussion. Though Andorrans are not as secretive as the French, it is best to avoid asking personal questions. Questions about people's jobs and families are examples of private inquiries. It can be considered as one of unique traditional characteristics in Andorra.

Table manners are the rules of etiquette followed while eating, which may include the use of utensils. Table manners differ according on culture. Each family or community establishes its own standards for how precisely these norms must be obeyed.

Andorra has its own set of guidelines about how to behave respectfully at the table in order to show respect to the host and the person who prepared the meal. Continue to stand until invited to sit. When eating, keep your hands visible. Rest your wrists (not your elbows) on the table's edge.

Do not begin eating until the hostess does. The host always makes the first toast, but an honored guest (male or female) should return the toast later in the meal. If you haven't eaten your meal yet, cross your knife and fork on your plate, with the fork over the knife. Lay your knife and fork parallel on your plate, tines up, handles to the right, to indicate you've finished eating.