Andorra
Prehistoric humans and Thomas Jefferson, contributor to Paleontology, on stamps of Andorra
Contents:
Andorra
officially the Principality of Andorra, also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra,
is a sovereign landlocked microstate in Southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees
mountains and bordered by
Spain and
France.
Created under a charter in A.D. 988, the present Principality was formed in A.D. 1278.
It is known as a principality, as it is a monarchy headed by two Co-Princes – the
Spanish/Roman Catholic Bishop of Urgell and the President of France.
Andorra is the sixth-smallest nation in Europe, having an area of 468 km
2
and a population of approximately 85,000.
Its capital Andorra la Vella is the highest capital city in Europe,
at an elevation of 1,023 metres above sea level.
The official language is Catalan, although Spanish, Portuguese, and French are also commonly spoken.
It is not a member of the European Union, but the Euro is the de facto currency.
It has been a member of the United Nations since 1993.
[R1]
Andorra used the postage stamps of
France until 1932.
The first stamp of Andorra was issued in 1932 inscribed "Vallees d'Andorre",
a set of stamps depicting churches
such as Our Lady's Chapel, Meritxell and St. Michael's Church, Engolasters.
[R2]
Nowadays, there are stamps of Andorra French Administration (FA) and of Andorra Spanish Administration (SA) circulated in the country.
Official stamps of Andorra related to Paleoanthropology: prehistoric humans
12.11.2007 "Prehistoric Humans" (FA) [1]
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Notes:
[1] Settlements of prehistoric humans.
Other stamps to consider: contributors to Paleontology
03.07.1976 "200 years of USA independence" [O1](FA) |
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Notes:
[O1] - The third American President Mr. Thomas Jefferson,
also known as the "Farther of American Paleontology"
Thomas Jefferson
is rightfully renowned as the principal author of the Declaration of
Independence, the Third President of the United States, and a champion of Liberty.
But he was also a
central player in the beginnings of American paleontology.
In addition, his participation occurred at a time when people were struggling with the
ideas of fossils as evidence of past life, of extinction, and of an Earth far older than the Biblical account.
Some of the fruits of Jefferson's paleontology became part of the collections at the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia.
Beginning in 1849 these holdings were transferred over to the
Academy of
Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, where they are currently housed.
USA stamp of
Thomas Jefferson issued in
1851
is
the first Paleontology related stamp ever. Since than many stamps of
Thomas Jefferson are
issued in USA and around the world.
References:
Acknowledgements:
Many thanks to
Dr.
Peter Voice from Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Western Michigan University,
for reviewing the draft page and his valuable comments.