Liechtenstein

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 20,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

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

Internet country code

.li

Internet users

percent of population: 97% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 10,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 51,400 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 129 (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

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

Economic overview

high-income European economy; Schengen Area participant; key European financial leader; integrated with Swiss economy and franc currency user; one of the highest GDP per capita countries; relies on US and Eurozone markets for exports

Exchange rates

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 0.88 (2024 est.) 0.898 (2023 est.) 0.955 (2022 est.) 0.914 (2021 est.) 0.939 (2020 est.)

Exports

$3.217 billion (2015 est.) $3.774 billion (2014 est.) note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland

Exports - commodities

small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware top five export commodities based on value in dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$8.395 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0.2% (2022 est.) industry: 40.6% (2022 est.) services: 55.6% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Imports - commodities

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

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.8% (2022 est.) 0.6% (2021 est.) -0.7% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$7.172 billion (2024 est.) $7.031 billion (2023 est.) $6.885 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars

Real GDP per capita

$210,600 (2024 est.) $201,200 (2023 est.) $187,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Climate

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

Environmental issues

some air pollution generated locally, some carried over from surrounding countries

International environmental 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: 32.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 21.5% (2023 est.) forest: 36.3% (2023 est.) other: 31.4% (2023 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 14.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 32,400 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 64.6% (2015 est.)

Area

total : 160 sq km land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.9 times the size of Washington, D.C.

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

total: 75 km border countries (2): Austria 34 km; Switzerland 41 km

Land use

agricultural land: 32.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 21.5% (2023 est.) forest: 36.3% (2023 est.) other: 31.4% (2023 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

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Vaduz geographic coordinates: 47 08 N, 9 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) 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 Old German dutsch (German) to produce Valdutsch ("German valley"), which was simplified over time to Vaduz

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

history: previous 1862; latest adopted 5 October 1921 amendment process: 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

Country name

conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein etymology: named after the Liechtenstein family that purchased and united the counties of Schellenburg and Vaduz in 1719; the family name was taken from its Austrian castle of the same name, which in German means "light stone"

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Georg SPARBER (since 1 December 2021) chancery: 2900 K Street NW, Suite 602B, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590 FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221 email address and website: washington@llv.li https://www.liechtensteinusa.org/

Executive branch

chief of state: Prince HANS-ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers on 26 August 1984) head of government: Prime Minister Brigitte HAAS (since 10 April 2025) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the monarch usually appoints the leader of the majority party in Parliament as the head of government, and also appoints the leader of the largest minority party in Parliament as the deputy head of government if there is a coalition government note : the prince's successor is his son, Heir Apparent and Regent of Liechtenstein Prince ALOIS; on 15 August 2004, HANS-ADAM II transferred the official duties of the ruling prince to ALOIS, but Prince HANS-ADAM II retains the status of chief of state

Flag

description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red, with a gold crown on the left side of the blue band history: the colors may derive from the blue-and-red livery used in the principality's household in the 18th century; the prince's crown was added in 1937 to distinguish it from Haiti's flag

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 court(s): Supreme Court or Supreme Court or F rstlicher Oberster Gerichtshof (consists of 5 judges and 5 substitutes); Constitutional Court or Staatsgerichtshof (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 (second instance), Regional Court (first instance), Administrative Court, Tribunal Court, district courts

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

legislature name: Diet (Landtag) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 25 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 2/9/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Patriotic Union (VU) (10); Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) (7); Democrats for Liechtenstein (DpL) (6); Free List (FL) (2) percentage of women in chamber: 32% expected date of next election: February 2029

National anthem(s)

title: "Oben am jungen Rhein" (High Above the Young Rhine) lyrics/music: Jakob Joseph JAUCH/Josef FROMMELT history: adopted 1850, revised 1963; uses the tune of the United Kingdom's anthem, "God Save the King"

National coat of arms

the six motifs on the coat of arms provide a history of the royal House of Liechtenstein since 1719, when the country was founded; the small shield at the center is the royal family s gold-and-red coat of arms, the gold-crowned eagle signifies the Silesia family, the diamond wreath represents the Kuenringer family, the red-and-silver shield is the Duchy of Troppau, the black eagle comes from the coat of arms of a family that married into the royal line, and the golden hunting horn represents the Duchy of J gerndorf

National color(s)

blue, red

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) on 16 August; after the prince's death, National Day became the official national holiday in 1990

National symbol(s)

princely hat (crown)

Political parties

Democrats for Liechtenstein (Demokraten pro Liechtenstein) or DpL Fatherland Union (Vaterlaendische Union) or VU Progressive Citizens' Party (Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei) or FBP The Free List (Die Freie Liste) or FL The Independents (Die Unabhaengigen) or DU

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; National Police of the Principality of Liechtenstein (Landespolizei des F rstentums Liechtenstein)

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.3% (male 3,412/female 2,732) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 12,814/female 12,921) 65 years and over: 20.8% (2024 est.) (male 3,846/female 4,547)

Birth rate

10.31 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

64.7% (2020 est.)

Death rate

8.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 57.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 23.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 33.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

total: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

2.6% of GDP (2011 est.)

Ethnic groups

Liechtensteiner 65.6%, Swiss 9.6%, Austrian 5.8%, German 4.5%, Italian 3.1%, other 11.4% (2021 est.) note: data represent population by nationality

Gross reproduction rate

0.75 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births

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 f r grundlegende Informationen. (German) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 83 years (2024 est.) male: 80.7 years female: 85.8 years

Major urban areas - population

5,000 VADUZ (capital) (2018)

Median age

total: 44.4 years (2025 est.) male: 42.4 years female: 46.1 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

31.3 years (2017)

Nationality

noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein

Net migration rate

4.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Physician density

1.3 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

total: 40,547 (2025 est.) male: 20,215 female: 20,332

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

0.68% (2025 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic (official) 73.4%, Protestant Reformed 6.3%, Muslim 5.9%, Christian Orthodox 1.3%, Lutheran 1.2%, other Protestant 0.7%, other Christian 0.3%, other 0.8%, none 7%, unspecified 3.3% (2015 est.)

Sanitation facility access

total: 100% of population (2022 est.) urban: NA total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years (2021 est.) male: 16 years (2021 est.) female: 14 years (2021 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.26 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.25 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.69 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 14.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 875 (2024 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HB

Heliports

2 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 17 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 14, general cargo 1, other 2 (includes Switzerland)

Railways

total: 9 km (2018) standard gauge: 9 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge (electrified) note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland