 .LI - Liechtenstein
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| Introduction |
Liechtenstein |
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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. Shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in
concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money laundering.
Liechtenstein has, however, implemented new anti-money-laundering
legislation and recently concluded a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with
the US. |
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Location: |
Central Europe, between Austria
and Switzerland |
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Geographic coordinates: |
47 16 N, 9 32 E |
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Map references: |
Europe |
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Area: |
total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
about 0.9 times the size of
Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries: |
total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km |
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Coastline: |
0 km (doubly landlocked) |
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Maritime claims: |
none (landlocked) |
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Climate: |
continental; cold, cloudy
winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid
summers |
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Terrain: |
mostly mountainous (Alps) with
Rhine Valley in western third |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Ruggeller
Riet 430 m
highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m |
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Natural resources: |
hydroelectric potential, arable
land |
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Land use: |
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 75% (2001) |
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Irrigated land: |
NA sq km |
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Natural hazards: |
NA |
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Environment - current issues: |
NA |
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Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not
ratified: Law of the Sea |
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Geography - note: |
along with Uzbekistan, one of
only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of
microclimatic variations based on elevation |
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Population: |
33,717 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 17.6% (male
2,938/female 3,009)
15-64 years: 70.4% (male 11,795/female
11,927)
65 years and over: 12% (male 1,685/female 2,363) (2005
est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 39.22 years
male: 38.74 years
female: 39.68 years (2005 est.)
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Population growth rate: |
0.82% (2005 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
10.41 births/1,000 population
(2005 est.) |
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Death rate: |
7.06 deaths/1,000 population
(2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
4.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.01
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
15-64
years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71
male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005
est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 4.7 deaths/1,000
live births
male: 6.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 79.55
years
male: 75.96 years
female: 83.16 years (2005
est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
1.51 children born/woman (2005
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
NA |
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Nationality: |
noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein |
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Ethnic groups: |
Alemannic 86%, Italian,
Turkish, and other 14% |
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Religions: |
Roman Catholic 76.2%,
Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002) |
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Languages: |
German (official), Alemannic
dialect |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 10 and
over can read and write
total population: 100%
male:
100%
female: 100% |
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Country name: |
conventional long form:
Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form:
Liechtenstein
local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
local short form: Liechtenstein |
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Government type: |
hereditary constitutional
monarchy on a democratic and parliamentary basis |
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Capital: |
Vaduz |
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Administrative divisions: |
11 communes (Gemeinden,
singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell,
Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz |
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Independence: |
23 January 1719 (Principality
of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy
Roman Empire) |
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National holiday: |
Assumption Day, 15 August
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Constitution: |
5 October 1921 |
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Legal system: |
local civil and penal codes;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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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);
note - on 15 August 2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the
ruling prince to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state
head of government: Head of Government Ottmar HASSLER (since 5
April 2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April
2001)
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the parliament, confirmed by
the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary;
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the
Landtag is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the
leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually appointed
the deputy head of government by the monarch |
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Legislative branch: |
unicameral Parliament or
Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote under
proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by
NA 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - FBP
48.7%, VU 38.2%, FL 13%; seats by party - FBP 12, VU 10, FL 3 |
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court or Oberster
Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht |
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Political parties and leaders: |
Patriotic Union (was Fatherland
Union) or VU [Heinz FROMMELT]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP
[Johannes MATT]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Elisabeth
TELLENBACH-FRICK, Adolf RITTER] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
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International organization participation: |
CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt,
ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL,
WIPO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
chancery: 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite
550W, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 216-0460
FAX: [1] (202) 216-0459 |
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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 |
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Flag description: |
two equal horizontal bands of
blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
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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. |
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GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $825
million (1999 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
11% (1999 est.) |
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GDP - per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$25,000 (1999 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: NA%
industry: 40%
services: NA% (1999) |
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Population below poverty line: |
NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
1% (2001) |
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Labor force: |
29,000 of whom 19,000 are
foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work
each day (31 December 2001) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture 1.3%, industry
47.4%, services 51.3% (31 December 2001 est.) |
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Unemployment rate: |
1.3% (September 2002) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of
NA (1998 est.) |
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Agriculture - products: |
wheat, barley, corn, potatoes;
livestock, dairy products |
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Industries: |
electronics, metal
manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products,
precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
NA% |
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Exports: |
$2.47 billion (1996) |
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Exports - commodities: |
small specialty machinery,
connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products,
hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products
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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% |
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Imports: |
$917.3 million (1996) |
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Imports - commodities: |
agricultural products, raw
materials, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
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Imports - partners: |
EU, Switzerland |
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Debt - external: |
$0 (2001) |
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Economic aid - recipient: |
none |
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Currency: |
Swiss franc (CHF) |
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Currency code: |
CHF |
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Exchange rates: |
Swiss francs per US dollar -
1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000)
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
| Communications |
Liechtenstein |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
19,900 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
11,400 (2002) |
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Telephone system: |
general assessment:
automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by
cable and microwave radio relay |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
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Radios: |
21,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
NA (linked to Swiss networks)
(1997) |
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Televisions: |
12,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code: |
.li |
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Internet hosts: |
3,727 (2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
44 (Liechtenstein and
Switzerland) (2000) |
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Internet users: |
20,000 (2002) |
| Transportation |
Liechtenstein |
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Highways: |
total: 250 km
paved: 250 km
unpaved: 0 km |
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Waterways: |
28 km (2004) |
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Pipelines: |
gas 20 km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors: |
none |
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Airports: |
none (2004 est.)
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Military - note: |
defense is the responsibility
of Switzerland |
| Transnational Issues |
Liechtenstein |
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Disputes - international: |
in February 2005, the ICJ
refused to rule on the restitution of Liechtenstein's land and property
assets in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1945 as German property |
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Illicit drugs: |
has strengthened
money-laundering controls, but money laundering remains a concern due to
Liechtenstein sophisticated offshore financial services sector
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