Encamp


Encamp is one of the parishes of Andorra, located on the Valira d'Orient river. It is also the name of the main town in the parish. Other settlements include Vila, El Pas de la Casa, El Tremat, La Mosquera and Les Bons. As of 2004, it has about 11,800 inhabitants. The centre of the municipality lies above sea level. The highest mountain in the parish is Pic dels Pessons. It borders France and Spain.
WWW Official Site

Geography

The parish contains the lake and dam of Estany de l'Illa in the Gargantillar hills at an altitude of about.

Climate

Encamp has an oceanic climate. The average annual temperature in Encamp is. The average annual rainfall is with May as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around, and lowest in January, at around. The highest temperature ever recorded in Encamp was on 29 June 1935; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 2 February 1956.

Radio transmitter

Radio Andorra operated a transmitter at Lake Engolasters in Encamp from 7 August 1939 until 9 April 1981. The antenna still exists at an elevation of .

Economy

The economy of the parish is mostly based on its tourism industry, particularly skiing and hiking. There is also retail industry in the town of Encamp. There is a hydroelectric power station.

Transport

A road tunnel is being built between Encamp and Anyós in the neighbouring parish of La Massana; It cut journey times from 10 to 15 minutes to 5 minutes.
A cable car used to connect the town with Lake Engolasters, but it has been dismantled. However, a 2-stretch funitel built in 1998 connects Encamp with a ridge at 2.500 m within Grandvalira ski resort, thus assuring a lift+ski link with El Pas de la Casa and the rest of the domain.

Education

The following education establishments are located in Encamp:
  • The Spanish international primary school Escuela Española de la Vall d'Orient.
  • The Escola Andorrana de Maternal i 1a ensenyança d’Encamp
  • The French Public Primary School of Encamp.
  • The Andorran School of Pas de la Casa, Encamp.
  • The French School of Pas de la Casa, Encamp, founded in the 1960's, at an altitude of over 2000 meters above sea level.
An Encamp secondary school was one of the places visited in 2018 by members of the Council of Europe's Education Department, with Andorran education minister Èric Jover, to review how the Andorran education system applied the council's Model of Competences for Democratic Culture.

Notable people