Map of Liechtenstein | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | 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 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. However shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money laundering.


top of page


Location: 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
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


top of page


Population: 33,145 (July 2003 est.)
Growth rate: 0.9% (2003 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
0-14 years: 18.1% (male 2,979; female 3,008)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 11,646; female 11,740)
65 years and over: 11.3% (male 1,538; female 2,234) (2003 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 38.3 years
Male: 37.9 years
Female: 38.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.9% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 10.92 births/1000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 6.85 deaths/1000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.89 migrant(s)/1000 population (2003 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 male/female
Under 15 years: 0.99 male/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male/female
Total population: 0.95 male/female (2003 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.85 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.09 deaths/1000 live births (2003 est.)
Male: 6.59 deaths/1000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.25 years
Male: 75.63 years
Female: 82.87 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (2003 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


top of page


Country 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 [Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Ernst WALCH]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK Karin JENNY Rene HASLER]

International organization participation: CE EBRD ECE EFTA IAEA ICCt 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


top of page


Economy 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 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 11% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: 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: 29,000 of which 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria Switzerland and Germany to work each day (37,256)
By occupation industry: 47.4%
By occupation services: 51.3%
By occupation agriculture: 1.3% (37,256 est.)

Unemployment rate: 1.3% (37,500)

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 Switzerland

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $0 (2001)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.5586 (2002) 1.6876 (2001) 1.6888 (2000) 1.5022 (1999) 1.4498 (1998)


top of page


Electricity
Production by source fossil fuel: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (2002)
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: NA kWh
Exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
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


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 (2002)

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 20 km (2003)

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 (2002)

Roadways

Waterways: none

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes 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