Statistical information Liechtenstein 1993

Liechtenstein in the World
top of pageBackground: 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 pageLocation: Western Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Europe, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: 160 km²
Land: 160 km²
Land boundaries: total 78 km, Austria 37 km, Switzerland 41 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
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
ElevationNatural resources: hydroelectric potential
Land useArable land: 25%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 38%
Forest and woodland: 19%
Other: 18%
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 29,894 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 1.32% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: 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 profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 1.32% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 13.15 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 6.62 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 6.66 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
Current issues note: landlocked
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 5.3 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 77.29 years
Male: 73.65 years
Female: 80.9 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.45 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 10 and over can read and write (1981)
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 100%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
Conventional short form: Liechtenstein
Local long form: Furstentum Liechtenstein
Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital: Vaduz
Administrative divisions:
11 communes (gemeinden, singular - gemeinde);
Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg,
Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Dependent areasIndependence: 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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
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, Superior Court (Obergericht) for civil cases
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU,
LORCS, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO
Diplomatic representationIn the us:in routine diplomatic matters,
Liechtenstein is represented in the US by the Swiss Embassy
From the us: the US has no diplomatic or consular mission in Liechtenstein, but the US Consul General at Zurich (Switzerland) has consular accreditation at Vaduz
Flag description
: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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 Switzerland's economy in a customs union, and incomes and living standards parallel those of the more prosperous Swiss groups.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: NA%
Real gdp per capita: $22,300 (1990 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture 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:
19,905 of which 11,933 are foreigners; 6,885 commute from
Austria and Switzerland to work each day
By occupation industry trade andbuilding: 53.2%
By occupation services: 45%
By occupation agriculture fishing forestry andhorticulture: 1.8% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 1.5% (1990)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $259 million; expenditures $292 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $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 goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.4781
top of pageElectricityProduction: 23,000 kW capacity; 150 million kWh produced, 5,230 kWh per capita (1992)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresMilitary and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: none
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: claims 620 square miles of Czech territory confiscated from its royal family in 1918; the Czech Republic insists that restitution does not go back before February 1948, when the Communists seized power
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs