Liechtenstein  
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This page was last updated on 4 September 2008


Map of Liechtenstein



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Liechtenstein Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719. Occupied by both French and Russian troops during the Napoleanic wars, it became a sovereign state in 1806 and joined the Germanic Confederation in 1815. Liechtenstein became fully independent in 1866 when the Confederation dissolved. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. In 2000, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight resulted in concerns about the use of financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein implemented anti-money-laundering legislation and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US went into effect in 2003.
   Geography    Liechtenstein Top of Page
Location:
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Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic coordinates:
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47 16 N, 9 32 E
Map references:
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Europe
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
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about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
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total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km
Coastline:
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0 km (doubly landlocked)
Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked)
Climate:
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continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
Terrain:
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mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m
Natural resources:
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hydroelectric potential, arable land
Land use:
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arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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NA
Natural hazards:
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NA
Environment - current issues:
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NA
Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
   People    Liechtenstein Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
34,498 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 16.9% (male 2,892/female 2,927)
15-64 years: 69.8% (male 11,905/female 12,180)
65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,964/female 2,630) (2008 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 40.5 years
male: 40 years
female: 41 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.713% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.86 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.42 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.915 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 4.52 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.03 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 79.95 years
male: 76.38 years
female: 83.52 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.51 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
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noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein
Ethnic groups:
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Liechtensteiner 65.6%, other 34.4% (2000 census)
Religions:
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Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)
Languages:
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German (official), Alemannic dialect
Literacy:
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definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
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total: 15 years
male: 16 years
female: 13 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
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NA
   Government    Liechtenstein Top of Page
Country name:
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conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein
local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
local short form: Liechtenstein
Government type:
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constitutional monarchy
Capital:
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name: Vaduz
geographic coordinates: 47 08 N, 9 31 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
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11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Independence:
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23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)
National holiday:
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Assumption Day, 15 August
Constitution:
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5 October 1921
Legal system:
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local civil and penal codes based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
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chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968); note - on 15 August 2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state
head of government: Head of Government (Prime Minister) Otmar HASLER (since 5 April 2001); Deputy Head of Government (Deputy Prime Minister) Klaus TSCHUETSCHER (since 21 April 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a coalition government
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 48.7%, VU 38.2%, FL 13%; seats by party - FBP 12, VU 10, FL 3
Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht
Political parties and leaders:
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Patriotic Union or VU [Adolf HEEB] (was Fatherland Union); Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Marcus VOGT]; The Free List or FL [Claudia HEEB-FLECK and Egon MATT]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA
International organization participation:
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CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
chancery: 888 17th Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590
FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is accredited to Liechtenstein
Flag description:
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two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
   Economy    Liechtenstein Top of Page
Economy - overview:
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Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and living standards on a par with its large European neighbors. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.786 billion (2001 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$36.33 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$25,000 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 6%
industry: 39%
services: 55% (2001)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
29,500 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001)
Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 2%
industry: 47%
services: 51% (31 December 2001)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.3% (September 2002)
Population below poverty line:
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NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1% (2001)
Budget:
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revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million (1998 est.)
Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
Industries:
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electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.47 billion (1996)
Exports - commodities:
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small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products
Exports - partners:
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EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7% (2006)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$917.3 million (1996)
Imports - commodities:
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agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
Imports - partners:
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EU, Switzerland (2006)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$0 (2001)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Swiss franc (CHF)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Liechtenstein Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
20,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
27,500 (2005)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.li
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4,753 (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
22,000 (2006)
   Transportation    Liechtenstein Top of Page
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
gas 20 km (2007)
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 380 km
paved: 380 km (2007)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
28 km (2006)
   Military    Liechtenstein Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
no regular military forces (constitutionally prohibited); Principality of Liechtenstein National Police (Landespolizei, LP) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 8,102 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 6,584 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 202 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
Liechtenstein has no military forces, but is interested in European security policy and is an active member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
   Transnational Issues    Liechtenstein Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
has strengthened money laundering controls, but money laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated offshore financial services sector

This page was last updated on 4 September 2008


 

Source : The World Factbook