Statistical information Liechtenstein 2002
Liechtenstein in the World
Liechtenstein - Introduction 2002
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. However shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money laundering.
Liechtenstein - Geography 2002
top of pageLocation: Central Europe between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic coordinates: 47 16 N 9 32 E
Map reference: Europe
Area
Total: 160 km²
Water: 0 km²
Land: 160 km²
Comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington DC
Land boundaries
Total: 76 km
Border countries: (2) Austria 34.9 km; , Switzerland 41.1 km
Coastline: 0 km (doubly 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
Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
Extremes highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m
Natural resources: hydroelectric potential arable land
Land use
Land use
Arable land: 25%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 75% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources
Natural hazards: NA
Geography
Note: along with Uzbekistan one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
Liechtenstein - People 2002
top of pagePopulation: 32,842 (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: 0.94% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
Nationality
Noun: Liechtensteiner
Adjective: Liechtenstein
Ethnic groups: Alemannic 86% Italian Turkish and other 14%
Languages: German (official) Alemannic dialect
Religions: Roman Catholic 76.2% Protestant 7% unknown 10.6% other 6.2% (June 2002)
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 3,003; female 3,001)
15-64 years: 70.5% (male 11,530; female 11,639)
65 years and over: 11.2% (male 1,494; female 2,175) (2002 est.)
Dependency ratios
Median age
Population growth rate: 0.94% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 11.24 births/1000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 6.76 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.93 migrant(s)/1000 population (2002 est.)
Population distribution
Urbanization
Major urban areas
Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
At birth: 1.01 male/female
Under 15 years: 1 male/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male/female
Total population: 0.95 male/female (2002 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate: 4.92 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.1 years
Female: 82.74 years (2002 est.)
Male: 75.47 years
Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Drinking water source
Current health expenditure
Physicians density
Hospital bed density
Sanitation facility access
Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA
Major infectious diseases
Obesity adult prevalence rate
Alcohol consumption
Tobacco use
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Education expenditures
Literacy
Definition: age 10 and over can read and write
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 100% (1981 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Youth unemployment
Liechtenstein - Government 2002
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
Conventional short form: Liechtenstein
Local short form: Liechtenstein
Local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy on a democratic and parliamentary basis
Capital: Vaduz
Administrative divisions: 11 communes (Gemeinden singular - Gemeinde); Balzers Eschen Gamprin Mauren Planken Ruggell Schaan Schellenberg Triesen Triesenberg Vaduz
Dependent areas
Independence: 23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire
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: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
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)
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch
Cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
Head of government: Head of Government Otmar HASLER (since 5 April 2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April 2001)
Legislative branch
Election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 49.90%, VU 41.35%, FL 8.71%; seats by party - FBP 13, VU 11, FL 1
Elections: last held 11 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht
Political parties and leaders: Fatherland Union or VU [Dr. Heinz FROMMELT]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Johannes MATT]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK Karin JENNY Rene HASLER]
International organization participation: CE EBRD ECE EFTA IAEA ICRM IFRCS Interpol IOC ITU OPCW OSCE PCA UN UNCTAD UPU WIPO WTrO
Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
In the us chancery: 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 550W, Washington, DC 20,005
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 216-0460
In the us fax: [1] (202) 216-0459
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein but the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein
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
Liechtenstein - Economy 2002
top of pageEconomy overview: 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 the urban areas of 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 a large number of 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 European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe.
Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real gdp growth rate: NA%
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,000 (1998 est.)
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA% 40%
Services: NA% (1999)
Agriculture products: wheat barley corn potatoes; livestock dairy products
Industries: electronics metal manufacturing dental products ceramics pharmaceuticals food products precision instruments tourism optical instruments
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor force: 28,783 of which 13,847 are foreigners; 8,231 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day
By occupation industry trade and building: 48%
By occupation services: 51%
By occupation agriculture fishing forestry and horticulture: 1% (37,256 est.)
Labor force
Unemployment rate: 1.3% (1999)
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line: NA%
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%
Distribution of family income gini index
Budget
Revenues: $424.2 million
Expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
Public debt
Revenue
Fiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer prices: 1% (2001)
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: $2.47 billion (1996)
Commodities: small specialty machinery connectors for audio and video parts for motor vehicles dental products hardware prepared foodstuffs electronic equipment optical products
Partners: EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3% Austria 9.5% France 8.9% Italy 6.6% UK 4.6%) US 18.9% Switzerland 15.7%
Imports: $917.3 million (1996)
Commodities: agricultural products raw materials machinery metal goods textiles foodstuffs motor vehicles
Partners: EU countries Switzerland
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt external: $0 (1996) (2001)
Stock of direct foreign investment at home
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
Exchange rates: Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6668 (January 2002) 1.6876 (2001) 1.6888 (2000) 1.5022 (1999) 1.4498 (1998) 1.4513 (1997)
Liechtenstein - Energy 2002
top of pageElectricity
Production by source fossil fuel: NA%
Production by source other: NA% 2% (2001)
Production by source hydro: NA% 98%
Production by source nuclear: NA%
Consumption: 313.45 million kWh NA kWh (2001)
Exports: NA kWh (2001)
Imports: 232.847 million kWh NA kWh (2001)
Coal
Petroleum
Crude oil
Refined petroleum
Natural gas
Carbon dioxide emissions
Energy consumption per capita
Liechtenstein - Communication 2002
top of pageTelephones
Main lines in use: 20,072 (2000)
Mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system
General assessment: automatic telephone system
Domestic: NA
International: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay
Broadcast media
Internet
Country code: .li
Service providers isps: 44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)
Users: NA
Broadband fixed subscriptions
Liechtenstein - Military 2002
top of pageMilitary expenditures
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation
Space program
Terrorist groups
Liechtenstein - Transportation 2002
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports: none (2001)
Heliports
Pipelines
Railways
Total: 18.5 km
Standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
Note: owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways (2001)
Roadways
Waterways: none
Merchant marine
Ports and terminals
Liechtenstein - Transnational issues 2002
top of pageDisputes international: Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1600 km² of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs: multilateral organizations engaged in issuing international guidelines for financial sector oversight found gaps in Liechtenstein's financial services controls that made it vulnerable to money laundering but Liechtenstein has become less attractive as a haven for illicit funds based on implementation in 2001 of new anti-money-laundering legislation and improved mutual legal assistance cooperation with other countries
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