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Map of Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein    Introduction 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 conclude 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.
Liechtenstein    Geography Top of Page
Location: Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic coordinates: 47 10 N, 9 32 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total:  160 sq km

land:  160 sq km

water:  0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total:  76 km

border countries:  Austria 35 km, Switzerland 41 km
Coastline: 0 km (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:  24%

permanent crops:  0%

permanent pastures:  16%

forests and woodland:  35%

other:  25% (1993 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
Liechtenstein    People Top of Page
Population: 32,528 (July 2001 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years:  18.41% (male 2,992; female 2,996)

15-64 years:  70.6% (male 11,455; female 11,511)

65 years and over:  10.99% (male 1,439; female 2,135) (2001 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.98% (2001 est.)
Birth rate: 11.53 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Death rate: 6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth:  1.01 male(s)/female

under 15 years:  1 male(s)/female

15-64 years:  1 male(s)/female

65 years and over:  0.67 male(s)/female

total population:  0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population:  78.95 years

male:  75.32 years

female:  82.6 years (2001 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (2001 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 87.5%, Italian, Turkish, and other 12.5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 7.4%, unknown 7.7%, other 4.9% (1996)
Languages: German (official), Alemannic dialect
Literacy: definition:  age 10 and over can read and write

total population:  100%

male:  100%

female:  100% (1981 est.)
Liechtenstein    Government Top of Page
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: 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: 20 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)

head of government:  Head of Government Mario FRICK (since 15 December 1993) and Deputy Head of Government Michael RITTER (since 2 February 1997)

cabinet:  Cabinet elected by the Diet; confirmed by the monarch

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
Legislative branch: unicameral Diet or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections:  last held on 9-11 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)

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
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Superior Court or Obergericht
Political parties and leaders: Fatherland Union or VU [Dr. Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Dr. 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, ICRM, IFRCS, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO (observer), WIPO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Liechtenstein's Ambassador to the US, Claudia FRITSCHE, is dually accredited to the UN in New York
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
Liechtenstein    Economy 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 the urban areas of its large European neighbors. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 18% - and easy incorporation rules have induced 73,700 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 European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $730 million (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,000 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture:  NA%

industry:  NA%

services:  NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%:  NA%

highest 10%:  NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 22,891 of which 13,847 are foreigners; 8,231 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day
Labor force - by occupation: industry, trade, and building 45%, services 53%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 2% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 1.8% (February 1999)
Budget: revenues:  $424.2 million

expenditures:  $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel:  NA%

hydro:  NA%

nuclear:  NA%

other:  NA%
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Electricity - exports: NA kWh
Electricity - imports: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
Exports: $2.47 billion (1996)
Exports - commodities: small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery
Exports - partners: EU and EFTA countries 60.57% (Switzerland 15.7%) (1995)
Imports: $917.3 million (1996)
Imports - commodities: machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
Imports - partners: EU countries, Switzerland (1996)
Debt - external: $0 (1996)
Economic aid - recipient: none
Currency: Swiss franc (CHF)
Currency code: CHF
Exchange rates: Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6303 (January 2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Liechtenstein    Communications Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use: 20,000 (1997)
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)
Radios: 21,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)
Televisions: 12,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .li
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)
Internet users: NA
Liechtenstein    Transportation Top of Page
Railways: total:  18.5 km; note - owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways

standard gauge:  18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
Highways: total:  250 km

paved:  250 km

unpaved:  0 km
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: none
Liechtenstein    Military Top of Page
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Switzerland
Liechtenstein    Transnational Issues 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 have found gaps in Liechtenstein's financial services controls that make it vulnerable to money laundering



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