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In general, information available as of 1 January 2003 was used in the preparation of The World Factbook 2003. This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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| Introduction | Liechtenstein | 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.
| Geography | Liechtenstein | Top of Page
Location: | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic coordinates: | 47 16 N, 9 32 E
Map references: | Europe
Area: | total: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 160 sq km
Area - comparative: | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: | total: 76 km border countries: 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 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 sq km
Natural hazards: | NA
Environment - current issues: | NA
Environment - 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 signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
| People | Liechtenstein | Top of Page
Population: | 33,145 (July 2003 est.)
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.)
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/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate: | 6.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate: | 4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 6.59 deaths/1,000 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.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA
Nationality: | noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein
Ethnic groups: | Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%
Religions: | Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)
Languages: | German (official), Alemannic dialect
Literacy: | definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1981 est.)
| Government | Liechtenstein | 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
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
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: | unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms) 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]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
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 chancery: 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 550W, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 216-0460 FAX: [1] (202) 216-0459
Diplomatic representation 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
| Economy | Liechtenstein | 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.
GDP: | purchasing power parity - $825 million (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 11% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: NA% industry: 40% services: NA% (1999)
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 1% (2001)
Labor force: | 29,000 of which 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (37256)
Labor force - by occupation: | industry 47.4%, services 51.3%, agriculture 1.3% (37256 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 1.3% (37500)
Budget: | revenues: $424.2 million expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: | electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments
Industrial production growth rate: | NA%
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 0% other: 0% (2002) hydro: 0% nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: | NA kWh
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2002)
Agriculture - products: | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
Exports: | $2.47 billion (1996)
Exports - commodities: | small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products
Exports - 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)
Imports - commodities: | agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
Imports - partners: | EU, Switzerland
Debt - external: | $0 (2001)
Economic aid - recipient: | none
Currency: | Swiss franc (CHF)
Currency code: | CHF
Exchange rates: | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998)
Fiscal year: | calendar year
| Communications | Liechtenstein | Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use: | 20,072 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | NA
Telephone system: | general assessment: automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations: | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)
Internet country code: | .li
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)
Internet users: | NA
| Transportation | Liechtenstein | Top of Page
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)
Highways: | total: 250 km paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km
Waterways: | none
Pipelines: | gas 20 km (2003)
Ports and harbors: | none
Airports: | none (2002)
| Military | Liechtenstein | Top of Page
Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of Switzerland
| Transnational Issues | Liechtenstein | Top of Page
Disputes - international: | Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918
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
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003