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95–100% | |
90–95% | |
50–70% | |
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< 1% |
Andorra is aChristian majority country, withIslam being a minority religion. According to the US Religious Freedom Report of 2006 there are about 2000 North Africans currently living inAndorra (out of a total population of 72,000) and they are the largest Muslim group in the country.[2]
The Muslim community in Andorra has an Islamic Cultural Center which provides about 50 students withArabic lessons. The government and the Muslim community have not yet agreed on a system which would enable the schools to give such lessons.
There is no specifically builtmosque in Andorra and the government refuses to allocate land for such a project, saying there are not enough low-priced lands. In 2003 the local imam,Mohamed Raguig, petitioned BishopJoan Martí Alanis asking for either land from the Church in order to build a mosque or for space inside a church to be used as a mosque.[3]
At around 700, the Muslims conquered the area from theVisigoths, through theSegre valley. The Muslims did not really stay in Andorra, rather using it as a shortcut to get toToulouse,Narbonne,Carcassonne andNîmes.
TheBattle of Poitiers and theBattle of Roncesvalles marked the end of those expeditions to the other part of thePyrenees.
According toAntoni Filter i Rossell in his history book theManual Digest (1748), in 788, 5000 Andorrans, led byMarc Almugàver came to Charlemagne's assistance in theVall de Carol in fighting the Muslims. After the battle, Charlemagne gave his protection to Andorra and declared them as a sovereign people.[4]
