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 users

total: 36,000 | percent of population: 96.6% (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

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 (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 17,184 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 46 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 187

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 41,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 204

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $995.3 million | expenditures: $890.4 million (2011 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

2.1% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 14

Debt - external

$0 (2001) | note: public external debt only; private external debt unavailable | country comparison to the world: 206

Economy - 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 service sector and the third highest per capita income in the world, after Qatar and Luxembourg. 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 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 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.

Exchange rates

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - | 0.9627 (2015) | 0.9377 (2012) | 0.9377 (2012) | 0.94 (2012 est.) | 0.8876 (2011 est.)

Exports

$3.801 billion (2012 est.) | $3.757 billion (2011 est.) | note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland | country comparison to the world: 118

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)

$5.113 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$3.2 billion (2009 est.) | $3.216 billion (2008 est.) | $3.159 billion (2007 est.) | country comparison to the world: 183

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

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

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$89,400 (2009 est.) | $90,600 (2008 est.) | $89,700 (2007 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

GDP - real growth rate

1.8% (2012 est.) | -0.5% (2009 est.) | 3.1% (2007 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$2.09 billion (2012 est.) | $2.218 billion (2011 est.) | note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland | country comparison to the world: 160

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)

-0.2% (2013) | -0.7% (2012) | country comparison to the world: 40

Labor force

35,830 (2012) | note: 51% of the labor force in Liechtenstein commute daily from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 200

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 0.8% | industry: 39.4% | services: 59.9% (2012)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Taxes and other revenues

19.5% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 166

Unemployment rate

3.4% (2014) | 2.3% (2012) | country comparison to the world: 29

Electricity - consumption

1.36 billion kWh (2012) | country comparison to the world: 148

Electricity - imports

1.214 billion kWh (2012) | country comparison to the world: 59

Electricity - production

145.3 million kWh (2012) | country comparison to the world: 193

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Area

total: 160 sq km | land: 160 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 219

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

mean elevation: NA | 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

0 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

agricultural land: 37.6% | arable land 18.8%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 18.8% | forest: 43.1% | other: 19.3% (2011 est.)

Location

Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

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

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

previous 1862; latest adopted 5 October 1921; amended many times, last in 2011 (2016)

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

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 Kurt JAEGER (since 16 December 2016) | 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 II transferred the official duties of the ruling prince to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM II retains status of chief of state | head of government: Prime Minister Adrian HASLER (since 27 March 2013) | cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch | 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

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 court(s): 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 multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 3 February 2013 (next to be held in February 2017) | election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 40.0%, VU 33.5%, DU 15.3% FL 11.1%; seats by party - FBP 10, VU 8, DU 4, FL 3

National anthem

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

National holiday

Assumption Day, 15 August, and National Day, 15 August (1940)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties and leaders

Fatherland Union (Vaterlaendische Union) or VU [Jakob BUECHEL] | Progressive Citizens' Party (Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei) or FBP [Elfried HASLER] | The Free List (Die Freie Liste) or FL [Wolfgang MARXER] | The Independents (Die Unabhaengigen) or DU [Harry QUADERER]

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.

Military - note

Liechtenstein has no military forces, but the modern National Police maintain close relations with neighboring forces (2013)

Military branches

no regular military forces; National Police maintain close relations with neighboring forces (2013)

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.38% (male 3,141/female 2,694) | 15-24 years: 11.71% (male 2,214/female 2,229) | 25-54 years: 42.13% (male 7,983/female 8,001) | 55-64 years: 13.82% (male 2,553/female 2,690) | 65 years and over: 16.95% (male 2,954/female 3,478) (2016 est.)

Birth rate

10.4 births/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

Death rate

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123

Education expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2011) | country comparison to the world: 166

Ethnic groups

Liechtensteiner 66.3%, other 33.7% (2013 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

Languages

German 94.5% (official) (Alemannic is the main dialect), Italian 1.1%, other 4.3% (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81.9 years | male: 79.7 years | female: 84.6 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17

Major urban areas - population

VADUZ (capital) 5,000 (2014)

Median age

total: 42.9 years | male: 41.7 years | female: 44.1 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 19

Nationality

noun: Liechtensteiner(s) | adjective: Liechtenstein

Net migration rate

5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 25

Population

37,937 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 214

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

0.82% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Religions

Roman Catholic (official) 75.9%, Protestant Reformed 6.5%, Muslim 5.4%, Lutheran 1.3%, other 2.9%, none 5.4%, unspecified 2.6% (2010 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years | male: 16 years | female: 13 years (2014)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.26 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.17 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female | total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.69 children born/woman (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174

Urbanization

urban population: 14.3% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 0.48% 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

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HB (2016)

Pipelines

gas 20 km (2013)

Railways

total: 9 km | standard gauge: 9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) | note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2008) | country comparison to the world: 136

Roadways

total: 380 km | paved: 380 km (2012) | country comparison to the world: 202

Waterways

28 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 105