Map of Liechtenstein | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

top of page


Background: The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the end of World War I it was closely tied to Austria but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to conclude 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.


top of page


Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 160 km²
Land: 160 km²
Comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 78 km; Austria 37 km, Switzerland 41 km

Coastline: none - landlocked

Maritime claims: none - landlocked
Disputes: none

Climate: continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Terrain: mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Elevation

Natural resources: hydroelectric potential

Land use: arable land: 25%; permanent crops: 0%; meadows and pastures 38%; forest and woodland 19%; other 18%

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


top of page


Population: 28,642 (July 1992), growth rate 0.6% (1992)

Nationality: noun - Liechtensteiner(s; adjective - Liechtenstein

Ethnic groups: Alemannic 95%, Italian and other 5%

Languages: German (official), Alemannic dialect

Religions: Roman Catholic 87.3%, Protestant 8.3%, unknown 1.6%, other 2.8% (1988)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 13 births/1000 population (1992)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1992)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1992)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
Current issues note: landlocked

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 5 deaths/1000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 81 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1992)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 100% (male 100%, female 100%) age 10 and over can read and write (1981)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein

Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy

Capital: Vaduz

Administrative divisions:

Dependent areas

Independence: 23 January 1719, Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established

National holiday: Assumption Day, 15 August

Constitution: 5 October 1921

Legal system: local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18
Diet: last held on 5 March 1989 (next to be held by March 1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (25 total) VU 13, FBP 12

Executive branch: reigning prince, hereditary prince, head of government, deputy head of government

Legislative branch: unicameral Diet (Landtag)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for criminal cases and Superior Court (Obergericht) for civil cases

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation:
Diplomatic representation: in routine diplomatic matters, Liechtenstein is represented in the US by the Swiss Embassy
US:

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: The prosperous economy is based primarily on small-scale light industry and tourism. Industry accounts for 53% of total employment, the service sector 45% (mostly based on tourism), and agriculture and forestry 2%. The sale of postage stamps to collectors is estimated at $10 million annually. Low business taxes (the maximum tax rate is 20%) and easy incorporation rules have induced about 25,000 holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein. Such companies, incorporated solely for tax purposes, provide 30% of state revenues. The economy is tied closely to that of Switzerland in a customs union, and incomes and living standards parallel those of the more prosperous Swiss groups.
GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $630 million, per capita $22,300; real growth rate NA% (1990 est.)

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: livestock, vegetables, corn, wheat, potatoes, grapes

Industries: electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%

Labor force:
Organized labor: NA

Unemployment rate: 1.5% (1990)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $259 million; expenditures $292 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1990)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $1.6 billion
Commodoties: small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery
Partners: EFTA countries 20.9% (Switzerland 15.4%), EC countries 42.7%, other 36.4% (1990)

Imports: $NA
Commodoties: machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
Partners: NA

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.5079 (March 1992), 1.4340 (1991), 1.3892 (1990), 1.6359 (1989), 1.4633 (1988), 1.4912 (1987)


top of page


Electricity
Production: 23,000 kW capacity; 150 million kWh produced, 5,340 kWh per capita (1989)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: none

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs