Liechtenstein Population: 37,009
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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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| Geography | |
| Along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation | |
| Location: | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland |
| Geographic coordinates: | 47 16 N, 9 32 E |
| Area: | total: 160 sq km land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km Size comparison: 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: 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 |
| Natural hazards: | NA |
| Current Environment Issues: | NA |
| International Environment 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 signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
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| People | |
| Population: | 37,009 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 15.9% (male 3,101/female 2,785) 15-24 years: 11.7% (male 2,183/female 2,149) 25-54 years: 43.6% (male 8,026/female 8,110) 55-64 years: 13.4% (male 2,466/female 2,478) 65 years and over: 15.4% (male 2,570/female 3,141) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 41.6 years male: 40.7 years female: 42.5 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.795% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 10.76 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 6.78 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 3.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.26 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 81.5 years male: 79.37 years female: 84.19 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.69 children born/woman (2013 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: | Liechtensteiner 65.6%, other 34.4% (2000 census) |
| Religions: | Roman Catholic (official) 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% |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein |
| Government type: | hereditary 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 |
| Independence: | 23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire); 24 August 1866 (independence from the German Confederation) |
| 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 |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers on 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 (Prime Minister) Adrian HASLER (since March 2013); note - the new prime minister will take office in early March cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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 3 February 2013 (next to be held in February 2017) election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 40.0%, VU 33.5%, DU 15.3% FL 11.1%; seats by party - FBP 10, VU 8, DU 4, FL 3 |
| Judicial branch: | Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgericht; Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeals or Obergericht |
| Political parties and leaders: | The Free List (Die Freie Liste) or FL [Wolfgang MARXER]; the independents (Die Unabhaengigen) or DU [Harry QUADERER]; Progressive Citizens' Party (Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei) or FBP [Alexander BATLINER]; Fatherland Union (Vaterlaendische Union) or VU [Jakob BUECHEL] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | CD, CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE chancery: 2900 K Street, NW, Suite 602B, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590 FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is accredited to Liechtenstein |
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| Economy | |
| 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. Since 2008, Liechtenstein has faced 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. In 2011 Liechtenstein joined the Schengen area, which allows passport-free travel across 26 European countries. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.2 billion (2009) $3.216 billion (2008) $3.159 billion (2007) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $5.113 billion (2010) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | -0.5% (2009 est.) 1.8% (2008 est.) 3.1% (2007 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $89,400 (2009 est.) $90,600 (2008 est.) $89,700 (2007 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 8% industry: 37% services: 55% (2009) |
| Labor force: | 35,250 (2010) note: 51% of the labor force in Liechtenstein commuted daily from Austria, Switzerland, or Germany (2012) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 0.8% industry: 39.4% services: 59.9% (2010) |
| Unemployment rate: | 2.5% (2011) 2.2% (2010) |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.2% (2011) 0.7% (2010) |
| Budget: | revenues: $1.29 billion expenditures: $1.372 billion (2011 est.) |
| 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% |
| Exports: | $3.76 billion (2011 est.) $3.191 billion (2010 est.) note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland |
| Exports - commodities: | small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products |
| Imports: | $2.218 billion (2011 est.) $1.806 billion (2010 est.) note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland |
| Imports - commodities: | agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles |
| Debt - external: | $0 (2001) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA |
| Exchange rates: | Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 0.9463 (2012) 0.8876 (2011) 1.0429 (2010) 1.0881 (2009) 1.0774 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 19,600 (2011) country comparison to the world: 191 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 37,000 (2011) |
| 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 (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .li |
| Internet hosts: | 14,278 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 23,000 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Pipelines: | gas 20 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 9 km standard gauge: 9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 380 km paved: 380 km (2010) |
| Waterways: | 28 km (2010) |
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| Military | |
| Liechtenstein has no military forces but is interested in European security policy and is an active member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) | |
| Military branches: | no regular military forces; Principality of Liechtenstein National Police (Landespolizei, LP) (2012) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 8,009 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 6,538 females age 16-49: 6,746 (2010 est.) |
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