2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.1% (male 2,979; female 3,008) 15-64 years: 70.6% (male 11,646; female 11,740) 65 years and over: 11.3% (male 1,538; female 2,234) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Airports

none (2002) Military Liechtenstein

Area

land

160 sq km

total

160 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

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. However, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money laundering. Geography Liechtenstein

Birth rate

10.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

revenues

$424.2 million

Capital

Vaduz

Climate

continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Coastline

0 km (doubly landlocked)

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

Currency

Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code

CHF

Death rate

6.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$0 (2001)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 550W, Washington, DC 20005

chief of mission

Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE

telephone

[1] (202) 216-0460

Disputes - international

Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918

Economic aid - recipient

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 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.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

0%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2002)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Grauspitz 2,599 m

lowest point

Ruggeller Riet 430 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, 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

Ethnic groups

Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%

Exchange rates

Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch

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)

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

head of government

Head of Government Otmar HASLER (since 5 April 2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April 2001)

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%

FAX

[1] (202) 216-0459

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Liechtenstein

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band Economy Liechtenstein

GDP

purchasing power parity - $825 million (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

40%

services

NA% (1999)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

11% (1999 est.)

Geographic coordinates

47 16 N, 9 32 E

Geography - note

along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation People Liechtenstein

Government type

hereditary constitutional monarchy on a democratic and parliamentary basis

Highways

paved

250 km

total

250 km

unpaved

0 km

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Illicit drugs

multilateral organizations engaged in issuing international guidelines for financial sector oversight found gaps in Liechtenstein's financial services controls that made it vulnerable to money laundering, but Liechtenstein has become less attractive as a haven for illicit funds, based on implementation in 2001 of new anti-money-laundering legislation and improved mutual legal assistance cooperation with other countries This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$917.3 million (1996)

Imports - commodities

agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Imports - partners

EU, Switzerland

Independence

23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments

Infant mortality rate

female

3.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

6.59 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1% (2001)

International organization participation

CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTrO

Internet country code

.li

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)

Internet users

NA Transportation Liechtenstein

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht

Labor force

29,000 of which 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (37256)

Labor force - by occupation

industry 47.4%, services 51.3%, agriculture 1.3% (37256 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

total

76 km

Land use

arable land

25%

other

75% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0%

Languages

German (official), Alemannic dialect

Legal system

local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

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

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

elections

last held 11 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.87 years (2003 est.)

male

75.63 years

total population

79.25 years

Literacy

definition

age 10 and over can read and write

female

100% (1981 est.) Government Liechtenstein

male

100%

total population

100%

Location

Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

38.8 years (2002)

male

37.9 years

total

38.3 years

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Switzerland Transnational Issues Liechtenstein

National holiday

Assumption Day, 15 August

Nationality

adjective

Liechtenstein

noun

Liechtensteiner(s)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

hydroelectric potential, arable land

Net migration rate

4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Pipelines

gas 20 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Fatherland Union or VU [Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Ernst WALCH]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Karin JENNY, Rene HASLER]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

33,145 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.9% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

none

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

21,000 (1997)

Railways

note

owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways (2002)

standard gauge

18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)

total

18.5 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)

Sex ratio

at birth

1 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

automatic telephone system

international

linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay

Telephones - main lines in use

20,072 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Televisions

12,000 (1997)

Terrain

mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Total fertility rate

1.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.3% (37500)

Waterways

none