from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Liechtenstein
Introduction
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.
Shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have
resulted in concerns about the use of the financial
institutions for money laundering. Liechtenstein has,
however, implemented new anti-money-laundering
legislation and recently concluded a Mutual Legal
Assistance Treaty with the US.
Geography
Location: Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic 47 16 N, 9 32 E
coordinates:
Map Europe
references:
Area: total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
comparative:
Land total: 76 km
boundaries: border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km
Coastline: 0 km (doubly landlocked)
Maritime none (landlocked)
claims:
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 lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
extremes: highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m
Natural hydroelectric potential, arable land
resources:
Land use: arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 75% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural NA
hazards:
Environment - NA
current
issues:
Environment - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
international Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
agreements: 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
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly
note: landlocked countries in the world; variety of
microclimatic variations based on elevation
People
Population: 33,987 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.4% (male 2,922/female 2,988)
15-64 years: 70.2% (male 11,842/female 12,022)
65 years and over: 12.4% (male 1,773/female 2,440)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 39.6 years
male: 39.2 years
female: 40.1 years (2006 est.)
Population 0.78% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 10.21 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 4.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 3.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 79.68 years
expectancy at male: 76.1 years
birth: female: 83.28 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.51 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
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%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein
local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
local short form: Liechtenstein
Government constitutional monarchy
type:
Capital: name: Vaduz
geographic coordinates: 47 09 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 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers,
divisions: Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan,
Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Independence: 23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein
established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy
Roman Empire)
National Assumption Day, 15 August
holiday:
Constitution: 5 October 1921
Legal system: local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November
branch: 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); 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 Ottmar HASLER
(since 5 April 2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita
KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed
by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party
in the Landtag is usually appointed the head of
government by the monarch and the leader of the largest
minority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the
deputy head of government by the monarch
Legislative unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are
branch: elected by direct, popular vote under proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be
held by NA 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 48.7%,
VU 38.2%, FL 13%; seats by party - FBP 12, VU 10, FL 3
Judicial Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal
branch: or Obergericht
Political Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Adolf
parties and HEEB]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Otmar
leaders: HASLER]; The Free List or FL
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC,
organization IPU, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO,
participation: WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
representation chancery: 888 17th Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington,
in the US: DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590
FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221
Diplomatic the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but
representation the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to
from the US: Liechtenstein
Flag two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a
description: gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
Economy
Economy - Despite its small size and limited natural resources,
overview: 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 $1.786 billion (2001 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $2.487 billion
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 11% (1999 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $25,000 (1999 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 6% NA%
composition by industry: 39%
sector: services: 55% NA% (1999)
Labor force: 29,500 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria,
Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December
2001)
Labor force - agriculture: 2%
by occupation: industry: 47%
services: 51% (31 December 2001)
Unemployment 1.3% (September 2002)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 1% (2001)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million; including capital
expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Agriculture - wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy
products: products
Industries: electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products,
ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision
instruments, tourism, optical instruments
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Exports: $2.47 billion (1996)
Exports - small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and
commodities: video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products,
hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment,
optical products
Exports - EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%,
partners: Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7%
(2004)
Imports: $917.3 million (1996)
Imports - agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal
commodities: goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
Imports - EU, Switzerland (2004)
partners:
Debt - $0 (2001)
external:
Economic aid - $0
recipient:
Currency Swiss franc (CHF)
(code):
Currency code: CHF
Exchange Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435
rates: (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 19,900 (2002)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 11,400 (2002)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: automatic telephone system
system: domestic: NA
international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss
networks by cable and microwave radio relay
Radio AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 21,000 (1997)
Television NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 12,000 (1997)
Internet .li
country code:
Internet 4,697 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 20,000 (2002)
users:
Transportation
Pipelines: gas 20 km (2006)
Railways: 9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting
Austria and Switzerland (2006)
Roadways: total: 380 km
paved: 380 km (2006)
Waterways: 28 km (2005)
Ports and none
terminals:
Military
Manpower males age 18-49: 7,736 (2005 est.)
available for
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 6,250 (2005 est.)
for military
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 208 (2005 est.)
reaching
military
service age
annually:
Military - defense is the responsibility of Switzerland
note:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - in February 2005, the ICJ refused to rule on the
international: restitution of Liechtenstein's land and property assets
in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1945 as German
property
Illicit drugs: has strengthened money-laundering controls, but money
laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's
sophisticated offshore financial services sector