Liechtenstein

§1. 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.

§2. Liechtenstein Geography

Location:
  Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Geographic coordinates:
  47 16 N, 9 32 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 160 kmē
  land: 160 kmē
  water: 0 kmē

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% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  NA kmē

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - 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
  signed, but not ratified: 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

§3. Liechtenstein 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 growth rate:
  0.78% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.21 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  4.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

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 mortality rate:
  total: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.68 years
  male: 76.1 years
  female: 83.28 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.51 children born/woman (2006 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%

§4. Liechtenstein 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 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 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806
  (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); 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 branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are 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 branch:
  Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht

Political parties and leaders:
  Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Heinz FROMMELT]; Progressive
  Citizens' Party or FBP [Johannes MATT]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo
  FRICK, Elisabeth TELLENBACH-FRICK, Adolf RITTER]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
  chancery: 888 17th Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590
  FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221

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

§5. Liechtenstein Economy

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 (official exchange rate):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  11% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $25,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: 40%
  services: NA% (1999)

Labor force:
  29,000 of whom 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria,
  Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1.3%, industry 47.4%, services 51.3% (31 December 2001)

Unemployment rate:
  1.3% (September 2002)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2001)

Budget:
  revenues: $424.2 million
  expenditures: $414.1 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1998
    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:
  $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% (2004)

Imports:
  $917.3 million (1996)

Imports - commodities:
  agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods, textiles,
  foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Imports - partners:
  EU, Switzerland (2004)

Debt - external:
  $0 (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $0

Currency (code):
  Swiss franc (CHF)

Exchange rates:
  Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003),
  1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Liechtenstein Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  19,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  11,400 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: automatic telephone system
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 423; 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 hosts:
  7,491 (2005)

Internet users:
  20,000 (2002)

§7. Liechtenstein Transportation

Airports:
  none (2005)

Pipelines:
  gas 20 km (2004)

Waterways:
  28 km (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  none

§8. Liechtenstein Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

§9. Liechtenstein Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  in February 2005, the ICJ refused to rule on the 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


<Factbook 2006>
