Liechtenstein

Radio broadcast stations

1 broadcast station in Triesea note: linked to Swiss networks

Radios

11,203 (1995)

Telephone system

limited, but sufficient automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay

Telephones

28,393 (1995 est.)

Television broadcast stations

NA note : linked to Swiss networks

Televisions

11,421 (1995)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $455 million expenditures: $435 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

Currency

1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi

Debt - external

$0 (1996)

Economic aid

none

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 the urban areas of its large European neighbors. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 18% - and easy incorporation rules have induced about 25,000 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 is a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between EFTA and EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe.

Electricity - capacity

23,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

8,000 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

150 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.3936 (January 1997), 1.2360 (1996), 1.1825 (1995), 1.3677 (1994), 1.4776 (1993), 1.4062 (1992)

Exports

total value: $2.14 billion (1994) commodities: small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery partners: EU and EFTA countries 60.57% (Switzerland 15.7%) (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $713 million (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $23,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Imports

total value : $852.3 million (1994) commodities: machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles partners : EU countries, Switzerland (1996)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism

Inflation rate - consumer price index

0.8% (1996 est.)

Labor force

total: 22,187 of which 13,576 are foreigners; 7,781 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day by occupation : industry, trade, and building 45%, services 53%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 2% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.1% (1996)

Area

total : 160 sq km 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 (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Ruggleller Riet 430 m highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Environment - international agreements

party to : Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

47 10 N, 9 32 E

Geography - note

along with Uzbekistan, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

total: 78 km border countries: Austria 37 km, Switzerland 41 km

Land use

arable land : 25% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 38% forests and woodland: 19% other: 18% (1993 est.)

Location

Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

hydroelectric potential

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

Constitution

5 October 1921

Country name

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

Data code

LS

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US Ambassador at Bern (Switzerland) has been nominated to be the non-resident US Ambassador to Liechtenstein

Diplomatic representation in the US

Liechtenstein does not have an embassy in the US, but is represented by the Swiss embassy in routine diplomatic matters

Executive branch

chief of state: Prince Hans ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS von und zu Liechtenstein (born 11 June 1968) head of government: Head of Government Mario FRICK (since 15 December 1993) and Deputy Head of Government Michael RITTER (since 14 April 1997) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Diet; confirmed by the prince elections : none; the prince is a hereditary monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually appointed the head of government by the prince and the leader of the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the prince

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band

Government type

hereditary constitutional monarchy

Independence

23 January 1719 (Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established)

International organization participation

CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICRM, IFRCS, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Superior Court or Obergericht

Legal system

local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral Diet or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 2 February 1997 (next to be held by NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - VU 50.1%, FBP 41.3%, FL 8.5%; seats by party - VU 13, FBP 10, FL 2

National capital

Vaduz

National holiday

Assumption Day, 15 August

Political parties and leaders

Fatherland Union or VU [Dr. Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Otmar HASLER]; The Free List or FL

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Age structure

0-14 years: 19% (male 3,032; female 2,909) 15-64 years: 70% (male 10,952; female 11,059) 65 years and over: 11% (male 1,410; female 2,027) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

13.03 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

7.33 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

Alemannic 87.5%, Italian, Turkish, and other 12.5%

Infant mortality rate

5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

German (official), Alemannic dialect

Life expectancy at birth

total population : 77.82 years male: 75.38 years female: 80.36 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male : 100% female: 100% (1981 est.)

Nationality

noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein

Net migration rate

4.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

31,389 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

1.02% (1997 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 6.9%, unknown 5.6%, other 7.5% (1995)

Sex ratio

at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population : 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.62 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

claims 1,600 sq km of Czech territory confiscated from its royal family in 1918; the Czech Republic insists that restitution does not go back before February 1948, when the communists seized power LITHUANIA

Airports

none

Highways

total: 250 km paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km

Ports and harbors

none

Railways

total: 18.5 km; note - owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)