2021 Edition

Background

The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719. Occupied by both French and Russian troops during the Napoleonic Wars, it became a sovereign state in 1806 and joined the German Confederation in 1815. Liechtenstein became fully independent in 1866 when the Confederation dissolved. 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. In 2000, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight resulted in concerns about the use of financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein implemented anti-money laundering legislation and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US that went into effect in 2003.

Area

land

160 sq km

total

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 (doubly landlocked)

Elevation

highest point

Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m

lowest point

Ruggeller Riet 430 m

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

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Austria 34 km, Switzerland 41 km

total

75 km

Land use

agricultural land

37.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 18.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.8% (2018 est.)

forest

43.1% (2018 est.)

other

19.3% (2018 est.)

Location

Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

avalanches, landslides

Natural resources

hydroelectric potential, arable land

Population distribution

most of the population is found in the western half of the country along the Rhine River

Terrain

mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Age structure

0-14 years

15.2% (male 3,259/female 2,688)

15-24 years

11.29% (male 2,238/female 2,181)

25-54 years

40.22% (male 7,869/female 7,872)

55-64 years

14.41% (male 2,711/female 2,930)

65 years and over

18.88% (male 3,403/female 3,986) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

10.35 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

NA

Death rate

7.89 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

NA

potential support ratio

NA

total dependency ratio

NA

youth dependency ratio

NA

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 100% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2011)

Ethnic groups

Liechtensteiner 65.8%, Swiss 9.6%, Austrian 5.9%, German 4.4%, Italian 3.1%, other 11.2% (2019 est.)

note

note: data represent population by nationality

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

3.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

4.49 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.12 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

German 91.5% (official) (Alemannic is the main dialect), Italian 1.5%, Turkish 1.3%, Portuguese 1.1%, other 4.6% (2015 est.)

major-language sample(s)

Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.19 years (2021 est.)

male

80.11 years

total population

82.36 years

Major urban areas - population

5,000 VADUZ (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

45.3 years (2020 est.)

male

42 years

total

43.7 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

31.3 years (2017)

Nationality

adjective

Liechtenstein

noun

Liechtensteiner(s)

Net migration rate

4.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Population

39,425 (July 2021 est.)

note

note: immigrants make up 67% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)

Population distribution

most of the population is found in the western half of the country along the Rhine River

Population growth rate

0.73% (2021 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic (official) 73.4%, Protestant Reformed 6.3%, Muslim 5.9%,  Christian Orthodox 1.3%, Lutheran 1.2%, other Protestant .7%, other Christian .3%, other .8%, none 7%, unspecified 3.3% (2015 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

total: 98% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2019)

male

16 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.21 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.85 male(s)/female

at birth

1.26 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.69 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

14.5% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology

may be a conflation from the Latin "vallis" (valley) and the High German "diutisk" (meaning "German") to produce "Valdutsch" (German valley), which over time simplified and came to refer specifically to Vaduz, the town

geographic coordinates

47 08 N, 9 31 E

name

Vaduz

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Liechtenstein; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by Parliament, by the reigning prince (in the form of "Government" proposals), by petition of at least 1,500 qualified voters, or by at least four communes; passage requires unanimous approval of Parliament members in one sitting or three-quarters majority vote in two successive sittings; referendum required only if petitioned by at least 1,500 voters or by at least four communes; passage by referendum requires absolute majority of votes cast; amended many times, last in 2020

history

previous 1862; latest adopted 5 October 1921

Country name

conventional long form

Principality of Liechtenstein

conventional short form

Liechtenstein

etymology

named after the Liechtenstein dynasty that purchased and united the counties of Schellenburg and Vaduz and that was allowed by the Holy Roman Emperor in 1719 to rename the new property after their family; the name in German means "light (bright) stone"

local long form

Fuerstentum Liechtenstein

local short form

Liechtenstein

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is accredited to Liechtenstein

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2900 K Street NW, Suite 602B, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Kurt JAEGER (since 16 September 2016)

email address and website

info@embassyli.orghttps://www.liechtensteinusa.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 331-3221

telephone

[1] (202) 331-0590

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 on 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent and Regent of Liechtenstein Prince ALOIS (son of the monarch, born 11 June 1968); note - 15 August 2004, HANS-ADAM II transferred the official duties of the ruling prince to ALOIS, but HANS-ADAM II retains status of chief of state

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Parliament usually appointed the head of government by the monarch, and the leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a coalition government

head of government

Prime Minister Daniel RISCH; Deputy Prime Minister Sabine MONAUNI (both since 25 March 2021)

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band; the colors may derive from the blue and red livery design used in the principality's household in the 18th century; the prince's crown was introduced in 1937 to distinguish the flag from that of Haiti

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Independence

23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire); 24 August 1866 (independence from the German Confederation)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

CD, CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof (consists of 5 judges); Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgericht (consists of 5 judges and 5 alternates)

judge selection and term of office

judges of both courts elected by the Landtag and appointed by the monarch; Supreme Court judges serve 4-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed for renewable 5-year terms

subordinate courts

Court of Appeal or Obergericht (second instance), Court of Justice (first instance), Administrative Court, county courts

Legal system

civil law system influenced by Swiss, Austrian, and German law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members directly elected in 2 multi-seat constituencies by open-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - FBP 35.9%, VU 35.9%, FL 12.9%, DpL 11.1%, independent 4.2%; seats by party - FBP 10, VU 10, FL 3, DpL 2; composition - men 18, women 7, percent of women 28%

elections

last held on 7 February 2021 (next to be held on 7 February 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Jakob Joseph JAUCH/Josef FROMMELT

name

"Oben am jungen Rhein" (High Above the Young Rhine)

note

note: adopted 1850, revised 1963; uses the tune of "God Save the Queen"

National holiday

National Day, 15 August (1940); note - a National Day was originally established in 1940 to combine celebrations for the Feast of the Assumption (15 August) with those honoring the birthday of former Prince FRANZ JOSEF II (1906-1989) whose birth fell on 16 August; after the prince's death, National Day became the official national holiday by law in 1990

National symbol(s)

princely hat (crown); national colors: blue, red

Political parties and leaders

Fatherland Union (Vaterlaendische Union) or VU [Guenther FRITZ]Progressive Citizens' Party (Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei) or FBP [Thomas BANZER]The Free List (Die Freie Liste) or FL [Pepo FRICK and Conny BUECHEL BRUEHWILER]Democrats for Liechtenstein (Demokraten pro Liechtenstein) of DpL [Thomas REHAK]The Independents (Die Unabhaengigen) or DU [Harry QUADERER]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

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

Budget

expenditures

890.4 million (2011 est.)

revenues

995.3 million (2012 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.6% (of GDP) (2012 est.)

Credit ratings

Standard & Poors rating

AAA (1996)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2015

$0 (2015 est.)

note

note: public external debt only; private external debt unavailable

Economic overview

Despite its small size and lack of natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial services sector and one of the highest per capita income levels in the world. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small and medium-sized businesses, particularly in the services sector. Low business taxes - a flat tax of 12.5% on income is applied - and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding 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 and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated EU. As of 2015, 54% of Liechtenstein’s workforce consisted of cross-border commuters, largely from Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.Since 2008, Liechtenstein has faced renewed international pressure - particularly from Germany and the US - to improve transparency in its banking and tax systems. In December 2008, Liechtenstein signed a Tax Information Exchange Agreement with the US. Upon Liechtenstein's conclusion of 12 bilateral information-sharing agreements, the OECD in October 2009 removed the principality from its "grey list" of countries that had yet to implement the organization's Model Tax Convention. By the end of 2010, Liechtenstein had signed 25 Tax Information Exchange Agreements or Double Tax Agreements. In 2011, Liechtenstein joined the Schengen area, which allows passport-free travel across 26 European countries. In 2015, Liechtenstein and the EU agreed to clamp down on tax fraud and evasion and in 2018 will start automatically exchanging information on the bank accounts of each other’s residents.

Exchange rates

currency

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

0.9152 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

0.9627 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

0.9852 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

0.9852 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

0.9875 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2014

$3.774 billion (2014 est.)

Exports 2015

$3.217 billion (2015 est.)

note

note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland

Exports - commodities

small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

7% (2014)

industry

41% (2014)

services

52% (2014)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$6.672 billion (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2014

$2.23 billion (2014 est.)

note

note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland

Imports - commodities

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

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2013

-0.2% (2013)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

-0.4% (2016 est.)

Labor force

38,520 (2012) (2015 est.)

note

note: 51% of the labor force in Liechtenstein commute daily from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

0.8%

industry

36.9%

services

62.3% (2015)

Population below poverty line

NA

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2008

$3.216 billion (2008 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2009

$3.2 billion (2009 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014

$4.978 billion (2014 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2007

3.1% (2007 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2011

-0.5% (2011 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2012

1.8% (2012 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2007

$91,300 (2007 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2008

$90,100 (2008 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2009

$139,100 (2009 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14.9% (of GDP) (2012 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2014

2.4% (2014)

Unemployment rate 2015

2.4% (2015)

Electricity - consumption

393.6 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2015 est.) (2015 est.)

Electricity - imports

325.2 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - production

68.43 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

47.37 (2020 est.)

total

18,063 (2020)

Broadcast media

relies on foreign terrestrial and satellite broadcasters for most broadcast media services; first Liechtenstein-based TV station established August 2008; Radio Liechtenstein operates multiple radio stations; a Swiss-based broadcaster operates one radio station in Liechtenstein

Internet country code

.li

Internet users

percent of population

98.1% (2019 est.)

total

37,800 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line 37 per 100 and mobile-cellular services 127 per 100 (2019)

general assessment

automatic telephone system; 44 Internet service providers in Liechtenstein and Switzerland combined; FttP (fiber to the home) penetration marketed 3rd highest in EU; fiber network reaches 3/4 of the population (2020)

international

country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

33.37 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

12,723 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

128.3 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

48,904 (2020)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HB

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 16, general cargo 1, other 3 (includes Switzerland) (2021)

total

20

Pipelines

434.5 km gas (2018)

Railways

note

note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland

standard gauge

9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) (2018)

total

9 km (2018)

Roadways

total

630 km (2019)

Waterways

28 km (2010)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; the National Police is responsible for all matters relating to the safety and security of Liechtenstein (2021)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

has strengthened money laundering controls, but money laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated offshore financial services sector

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.05 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.02 megatons (2020 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

some air pollution generated locally, some transfered from surrounding countries

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Law of the Sea

Land use

agricultural land

37.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 18.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.8% (2018 est.)

forest

43.1% (2018 est.)

other

19.3% (2018 est.)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0% of GDP (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal

7.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

14.5% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

32,382 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

20,919 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

64.6% (2015 est.)