1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 160 sq km land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative
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)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m
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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geographic coordinates
47 10 N, 9 32 E
Geography-note
along with Uzbekistan, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
total: 76 km border countries: Austria 35 km, Switzerland 41 km
Land use
arable land: 24% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 16% forests and woodland: 35% other: 25% (1993 est.)
Location
Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Map references
Europe
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
NA
Natural resources
hydroelectric potential
Terrain
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 19% (male 3,058; female 2,926) 15-64 years: 70% (male 11,084; female 11,154) 65 years and over: 11% (male 1,442; female 2,053) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
12.64 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
7.31 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
Alemannic 87.5%, Italian, Turkish, and other 12.5%
Infant mortality rate
5.28 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
German (official), Alemannic dialect
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77.96 years male: 75.51 years female: 80.52 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1981 est.)
Nationality
noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein
Net migration rate
5.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
31,717 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
1.05% (1998 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 7.4%, unknown 7.7%, other 4.9% (1996)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.61 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
11 communes (gemeinden, singular-gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Constitution
5 October 1921
Country name
conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein
Data code
LS
Executive branch
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) 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 prince elections: none; the prince is a hereditary monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually appointed the head of government by the prince and the leader of the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the prince
Flag description
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
Government type
hereditary constitutional monarchy
Independence
23 January 1719 (Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established)
International organization participation
CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICRM, IFRCS, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: Liechtenstein does not have an embassy in the US, but is represented by the Swiss embassy in routine diplomatic matters Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US Ambassador at Bern (Switzerland) is also accredited to Liechtenstein
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 FBPL [Norbert SEEGER]; The Free List or FL
Legal system
local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 2 February 1997 (next to be held by NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-VU 50.1%, FBPL 41.3%, FL 8.5%; seats by party - VU 13, FBPL 10, FL 2
National capital
Vaduz
National holiday
Assumption Day, 15 August
Suffrage
20 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture-products
wheat, barley, maize, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
Budget
revenues: $455 million expenditures: $435 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Currency
1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi
Debt-external
$0 (1996)
Economic aid
none
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 about 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 is a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between EFTA and EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe.
Electricity-capacity
23,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
8,000 kWh (1995 est.)
Electricity-production
150 million kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1-1.4757 (January 1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996), 1.1825 (1995), 1.3677 (1994), 1.4776 (1993)
Exports
total value: $2.47 billion (1996) commodities: small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery partners: EU and EFTA countries 60.57% (Switzerland 15.7%) (1995)
Fiscal year
calendar year Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$713 million (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$23,000 (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
NA%
Imports
total value: $917.3 million (1996) commodities: machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles partners: EU countries, Switzerland (1996)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism
Inflation rate-consumer price index
0.5% (1997 est.)
Labor force
total: 22,891 of which 13,847 are foreigners; 8,231 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day by occupation: industry, trade, and building 46%, services 52%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 2% (1996 est.)
Radio broadcast stations
1 broadcast station in Triesen note: linked to Swiss networks
Radios
12,134 license holders (1996)
Telephone system
automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay
Telephones
22,857 subscribers (1996 est.)
Television broadcast stations
NA note: linked to Swiss networks
Televisions
11,785 license holders (1996)
Unemployment rate
1.6% (1997)
Transportation
Airports
none
Highways
total: 250 km paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km Ports and harbors: none
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)
Military and Security
Military-note
defense is the responsibility of Switzerland
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
claims 1,600 sq km of territory in the Czech Republic 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