Map of Liechtenstein | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719. Occupied by both French and Russian troops during the Napoleonic 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 that went into effect in 2003.


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Location: Central Europe between Austria and Switzerland

Geographic coordinates: 47 16 N 9 32 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 160 km²
Rank: 218
Land: 160 km²
Water: 0 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: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m

Natural resources: hydroelectric potential arable land

Land use
Arable land: 25%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

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


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Population: 35,236 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 212
Growth rate: 0.653% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 141
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Liechtensteiner
Adjective: Liechtenstein

Ethnic groups: Liechtensteiner 65.6% other 34.4% (2000 census)

Languages: German (official) Alemannic dialect

Religions: Roman Catholic (official) 76.2% Protestant 7% unknown 10.6% other 6.2% (June 2002)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.1%
15-64 years: 69% (male 11,970/female 12,326)
65 years and over: 15% (male 2,304/female 2,971) (2011 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 41.8 years
Male: 41.2 years
Female: 42.3 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.653% (2011 est.)
Rank: 141

Birth rate: 9.65 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 197

Death rate: 7.61 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 113

Net migration rate: 4.48 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 21

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 14% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1 male/female
Under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.15 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 199
Male: 5.37 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 2.92 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.31 years
Rank: 24
Male: 76.86 years
Female: 83.77 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.53 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 182

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: 2% of GDP (2007)
Rank: 156

Literacy
Definition: age 10 and over can read and write
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 100%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 12 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 12 years (2008)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
Conventional short form: Liechtenstein
Local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
Local short form: Liechtenstein

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital
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: 11 communes (Gemeinden singular - Gemeinde); Balzers Eschen Gamprin Mauren Planken Ruggell Schaan Schellenberg Triesen Triesenberg Vaduz

Dependent areas

Independence: 23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)

National holiday: Assumption Day 15 August

Constitution: 5 October 1921; amended 15 September 2003

Legal system: civil law system influenced by Swiss Austrian and German law

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II ; 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) Klaus TSCHUETSCHER (since 25 March 2009)
Cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament confirmed by the monarch
Elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections the leader of the majority party in the Landtag usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a coalition government

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members elected by popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 8 February 2009 (next to be held in February 2013)
Election results: percent of vote by party - VU 47.6% FBP 43.5% FL 8.9%; seats by party - VU 13 FBP 11 FL 1

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgericht; Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht

Political parties and leaders: Die Freie Liste (The Free List) or FL [Wolfgang MARXER]; Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei (Progressive Citizens' Party) or FBP [Alexander BATLINER]; Vaterlaendische Union (Fatherland Union) or VU [Adolf HEEB]

International organization participation: CE EBRD EFTA IAEA ICRM IFRCS Interpol IOC IPU ITSO ITU ITUC OPCW OSCE PCA Schengen Convention (de facto member) UN UNCTAD UPU WIPO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
In the us chancery: 2,900 K Street NW Suite 602B Washington DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590
In the us fax: [1] (202) 331-3,221
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is 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; the colors may derive from the blue and red livery design used in the principality's household in the 18th century; the prince's crown was introduced in 1937 to distinguish the flag from that of Haiti

National symbols

National anthem
Name: 'Oben am jungen Rhein'
Lyricsmusic: Jakob Joseph JAUCH/unknown
Note: adopted 1850 revised 1963; the anthem uses the tune of 'God Save the Queen'

National heritage


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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 likely the second highest per capita income in the world. 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 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. In 2008 Liechtenstein came under renewed international pressure - particularly from Germany - to improve transparency in its banking and tax systems. In December 2008 Liechtenstein signed a Tax Information Exchange Agreement with the US. Upon Liechtenstein's conclusion of 12 bilateral information-sharing agreements the OECD in October 2009 removed the principality from its 'grey list' of countries that had yet to implement the organization's Model Tax Convention. By the end of 2010 Liechtenstein had signed 25 Tax Information Exchange Agreements or Double Tax Agreements.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 162

Real gdp growth rate: 3.1% (2007 est.)
Rank: 154

Real gdp per capita: $122,100 (2007 est.)
Rank: 2

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6%
Industry: 36%
Services: 58% (2008)

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: 32,880 (2009)
Rank: 201
Note: 51% of people at work in Liechtenstein commute daily from Austria Switzerland and Germany (2009)
By occupation agriculture: 1.5%
By occupation industry: 43.5%
By occupation services: 55% (December 2006)

Unemployment rate: 1.3% (September 2002)
Rank: 8

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: $943 million
Expenditures: $820 million (2008 est.)
Surplus or deficit: 2.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 21

Taxes and other revenues: 18.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
Rank: 165

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0.3% (2009)
Rank: 16

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: $NA

Current account balance

Exports: $3.92 billion (2008)
Rank: 124
Commodities: small specialty machinery connectors for audio and video parts for motor vehicles dental products hardware prepared foodstuffs electronic equipment optical products

Imports: $2.59 billion (2008)
Rank: 159
Commodities: agricultural products raw materials energy products machinery metal goods textiles foodstuffs motor vehicles

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $0 (2001)
Rank: 202

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 19,600 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 194
Mobile cellular: 35,500 (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 200

Telephone system
General assessment: automatic telephone system
Domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available; combined telephone service subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons
International: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay (2008)

Broadcast media: relies on foreign terrestrial and satellite broadcasters for most broadcast media services; first Liechtenstein-based television station established August 2008; Radio Liechtenstein operates multiple radio stations; a Swiss-based broadcaster operates several radio stations in Liechtenstein (2008)

Internet
Country code: .li
Hosts: 9,418 (2010)
Hosts rank: 124
Users: 23,000 (2009)
Users rank: 190

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 20 km (2010)

Railways
Total: 9 km
Rank: 134
Standard gauge: 9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
Note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2011)

Roadways
Total: 380 km
Rank: 200
Paved: 380 km (2010)

Waterways: 28 km (2010)
Rank: 106

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: has strengthened money laundering controls but money laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sop