1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 160 km2 land area: 160 km2 comparative area: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Environment
variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
International disputes
claims 620 square miles of Czech territory confiscated from its royal family in 1918; the Czech Republic insists that restitution does not go back before February 1948, when the Communists seized power
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
total 78 km, Austria 37 km, Switzerland 41 km
Land use
arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 38% forest and woodland: 19% other: 18%
Location
Western Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Map references
Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
none; landlocked
Natural resources
hydroelectric potential
Note
landlocked
Terrain
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
People and Society
Birth rate
13.15 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
6.62 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Alemannic 95%, Italian and other 5%
Infant mortality rate
5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
19,905 of which 11,933 are foreigners; 6,885 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day by occupation: industry, trade, and building 53.2%, services 45%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 1.8% (1990)
Languages
German (official), Alemannic dialect
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77.29 years male: 73.65 years female: 80.9 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 10 and over can read and write (1981) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
Nationality
noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein
Net migration rate
6.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
29,894 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
1.32% (1993 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 87.3%, Protestant 8.3%, unknown 1.6%, other 2.8% (1988)
Total fertility rate
1.45 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
11 communes (gemeinden, singular - gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Capital
Vaduz
Chief of State
Prince Hans ADAM II (since 13 November 1989; assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS von und zu Liechtenstein (born 11 June 1968)
Constitution
5 October 1921
Diet
last held on 7 February 1993 (next to be held by March 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (25 total) FBP 12, VU 11, FL 2
Digraph
LS
Diplomatic representation in US
in routine diplomatic matters, Liechtenstein is represented in the US by the Swiss Embassy
Executive branch
reigning prince, hereditary prince, head of government, deputy head of government
Flag
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
Head of Government
Markus BUECHEL (since 7 February 1993); Deputy Head of Government Dr. Herbert WILLE (since 2 February 1986)
Independence
23 January 1719 (Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for criminal cases, Superior Court (Obergericht) for civil cases
Legal system
local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch
unicameral Diet (Landtag)
Member of
CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO
Names
conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Furstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein
National holiday
Assumption Day, 15 August
Political parties and leaders
Fatherland Union (VU), Dr. Otto HASLER; Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP), Emanuel VOGT; Free Electoral List (FL)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
hereditary constitutional monarchy
US diplomatic representation
the US has no diplomatic or consular mission in Liechtenstein, but the US Consul General at Zurich (Switzerland) has consular accreditation at Vaduz
Economy
Agriculture
livestock, vegetables, corn, wheat, potatoes, grapes
Budget
revenues $259 million; expenditures $292 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990)
Currency
1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi
Economic aid
none
Electricity
23,000 kW capacity; 150 million kWh produced, 5,230 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.4781 (January 1993), 1.4062 (1992), 1.4340 (1991), 1.3892 (1990), 1.6359 (1989), 1.4633 (1988)
Exports
$1.6 billion commodities: small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery partners: EFTA countries 20.9% (Switzerland 15.4%), EC countries 42.7%, other 36.4% (1990)
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$NA commodities: machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles partners: NA
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5.4% (1990)
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $630 million (1990 est.)
National product per capita
$22,300 (1990 est.)
National product real growth rate
NA%
Overview
The prosperous economy is based primarily on small-scale light industry and tourism. Industry accounts for 53% of total employment, the service sector 45% (mostly based on tourism), and agriculture and forestry 2%. The sale of postage stamps to collectors is estimated at $10 million annually. Low business taxes (the maximum tax rate is 20%) and easy incorporation rules have induced about 25,000 holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein. Such companies, incorporated solely for tax purposes, provide 30% of state revenues. The economy is tied closely to Switzerland's economy in a customs union, and incomes and living standards parallel those of the more prosperous Swiss groups.
Unemployment rate
1.5% (1990)
Communications
Airports
none
Highways
130.66 km main roads, 192.27 km byroads
Railroads
18.5 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, electrified; owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways
Telecommunications
limited, but sufficient automatic telephone system; 25,400 telephones; linked to Swiss networks by cable and radio relay for international telephone, radio, and TV services
Military and Security
Note
defense is responsibility of Switzerland