Liechtenstein

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 several radio stations in Liechtenstein (2008)

Internet country code

.li

Internet hosts

14,278 (2012) country comparison to the world: 128

Internet users

23,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 189

Telephone system

general assessment: automatic telephone system domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available; combined telephone service subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay

Telephones - main lines in use

19,600 (2011) country comparison to the world: 191

Telephones - mobile cellular

37,000 (2011) country comparison to the world: 203

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $1.095 billion expenditures: $1.053 billion (2010 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Debt - external

$0 (2001) country comparison to the world: 205

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 likely the second highest per capita income in the world. 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 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. Since 2008, Liechtenstein has faced renewed international pressure - particularly from Germany - 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.

Exchange rates

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 0.9463 (2012) 0.8876 (2011) 1.0429 (2010) 1.0881 (2009) 1.0774 (2008)

Exports

$3.325 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 $2.79 billion (2009 est.)

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 (official exchange rate)

$4.662 billion (2010)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$3.2 billion (2009) country comparison to the world: 176 $3.216 billion (2008) $3.159 billion (2007)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 8% industry: 37% services: 55% (2009)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$89,400 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $90,600 (2008 est.) $89,700 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-0.5% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 195 1.8% (2008 est.) 3.1% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$1.882 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 $1.73 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.3% (2011) country comparison to the world: 5 0.7% (2010)

Labor force

34,330 (2010) country comparison to the world: 203 note: 51% of the labor force in Liechtenstein commuted daily from Austria, Switzerland, or Germany (2010)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 0.8% industry: 40.6% services: 58.6% (2010)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Taxes and other revenues

23.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Unemployment rate

2.8% (2009) country comparison to the world: 23 1.5% (2007)

Area

total: 160 sq km country comparison to the world: 219 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 (doubly landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m

Environment - current issues

NA

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

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

NA

Land boundaries

total: 76 km border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

Land use

arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (2005)

Location

Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

hydroelectric potential, arable land

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

Constitution

5 October 1921; amended 15 September 2003

Country name

conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein

Diplomatic representation from the US

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 Claudia FRITSCHE chancery: 2900 K Street, NW, Suite 602B, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590 FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221

Executive branch

chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers on 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 (Prime Minister) Klaus TSCHUETSCHER (since 25 March 2009) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag 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

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

hereditary 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, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTO

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgericht; Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members elected by popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 8 February 2009 (next to be held in February 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - VU 47.6%, FBP 43.5%, FL 8.9%; seats by party - VU 13, FBP 11, FL 1

National anthem

name: "Oben am jungen Rhein" (High Above the Young Rhine) lyrics/music: Jakob Joseph JAUCH/unknown note: adopted 1850, revised 1963; the anthem uses the tune of "God Save the Queen"

National holiday

Assumption Day, 15 August

Political parties and leaders

Die Freie Liste (The Free List) or FL [Wolfgang MARXER]; Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei (Progressive Citizens' Party) or FBP [Alexander BATLINER]; Vaterlaendische Union (Fatherland Union) or VU [Jakob BUECHEL]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

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 Germanic 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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 8,009 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 6,538 females age 16-49: 6,746 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 219 female: 211 (2010 est.)

Military - note

Liechtenstein has no military forces but is interested in European security policy and is an active member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

Military branches

no regular military forces; Principality of Liechtenstein National Police (Landespolizei, LP) (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 16% (male 3,064/ female 2,818) 15-64 years: 69.1% (male 12,680/ female 12,687) 65 years and over: 14.9% (male 2,440/ female 3,024) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

10.76 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Death rate

6.78 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Education expenditures

2% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 156

Ethnic groups

Liechtensteiner 65.6%, other 34.4% (2000 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 191 male: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

Languages

German (official), Alemannic dialect

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81.5 years country comparison to the world: 11 male: 79.37 years female: 84.19 years (2012 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Major cities - population

VADUZ (capital) 5,000 (2009)

Median age

total: 41.6 years male: 40.7 years female: 42.5 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein

Net migration rate

3.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Population

36,713 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 213

Population growth rate

0.795% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years male: 13 years female: 12 years (2008)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.26 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.69 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Urbanization

urban population: 14% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

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

Pipelines

gas 20 km (2010)

Railways

total: 9 km country comparison to the world: 134 standard gauge: 9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2008)

Roadways

total: 380 km country comparison to the world: 201 paved: 380 km (2010)

Waterways

28 km (2010) country comparison to the world: 106