Liechtenstein

hereditary constitutional monarchy

Liechtenstein as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 64 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalVaduz

Area160 km2

Populationas each edition published it

28,476 people July 1991 · 28,292 in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 1.32% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 38.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 77.29 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.5 children per woman 1991 · 1.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 5 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $22,300 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 11% in 2003

Geography

11 fields

Total area

160km2

land area: 160 km2Comparative area: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

78km total

Austria 37 km, Switzerland 41 km

Climate

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

Terrain

mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Land use

arable land 25%;
permanent crops 0%;
meadows and pastures 38%;
forest and woodland 19%;
other 18%

Environment

variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

People

14 fields

Population

28,476

(July 1991), growth rate 0.6% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

13Death

7Net migration

Religion(1988)

Roman Catholic 87.3%Protestant 8.3%unknown 1.6%other 2.8% (1988)

Literacy

100%

(male 100%, female 100%) age 10 and over can read and write (1981)

Nationality

noun--Liechtensteiner(s); adjective--Liechtenstein

Labor force

12,258;
5,078 foreign workers (mostly from Switzerland and Austria);
industry, trade, and building 54.4%;
services 41.6%;
agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 4.0%

Government

Hereditary constitutional monarchy

16 fields

Diet, 25 seats, elected 5 March 1989one dot, one seat

VU 13FBP 12

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

23 January 1719, Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established

Legal system

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

Executive branch

reigning prince, hereditary prince, head of government, deputy head of government

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for criminal cases and Superior Court (Obergericht) for civil cases 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--Hans BRUNHART (since 26 April 1978);
Deputy Head of Government Dr. Herbert WILLE (since 2 February 1986) Fatherland Union (VU), Dr. Otto HASLER;
Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP), Emanuel VOGT;
Free Electoral List (FW)

Suffrage

universal at age 18 Diet--last held on 5 March 1989 (next to be held by March 1993);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(25 total) VU 13, FBP 12

Member of

CE, CSCE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO

Diplomatic representation

in routine diplomatic matters, Liechtenstein is represented in the US by the Swiss Embassy;
US--the US has no diplomatic or consular mission in Liechtenstein, but the US Consul General at Zurich (Switzerland) has consular accreditation at Vaduz

Flag

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

Economy

The prosperous economy is based primarily on small-scale light industry and tourism.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$630million

per capita $22,300; real growth rate NA% (1990 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

3.0%

(1989 est.)

Unemployment rate

0.1%

(December 1986)

Budget

Revenues

$240 millionExpenditures

$197 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of NA (1988)

The prosperous economy is based primarily on small-scale light industry and tourism. Industry accounts for 54% of total employment, the service sector 42% (mostly based on tourism), and agriculture and forestry 4%. The sale of postage stamps to collectors is estimated at $10 million annually.

Low business taxes (the maximum tax rate is 20%) and easy incorporation rules have induced about 25,000 holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein. Such companies, incorporated solely for tax purposes, provide 30% of state revenues. The economy is tied closely to that of Switzerland in a customs union, and incomes and living standards parallel those of the more prosperous Swiss groups.

Exports

$1.28 billion (1988);
commodities--small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery;
partners--EC 40%, EFTA 22% (Switzerland 18%) (1988)

Imports

$NA;
commodities--machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles;
partners--NA

External debt

$NA

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Electricity

23,000 kW capacity; 150 million kWh produced, 5,340 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture

livestock, vegetables, corn, wheat, potatoes, grapes

Economic aid

none

Currency

Swiss franc, franken, or franco (plural--francs, franken, or franchi); 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi

Exchange rates

Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1--1.2724 (January 1991), 1.3892 (1990), 1.6359 (1989), 1.4633 (1988), 1.4912 (1987), 1.7989 (1986), 2.4571 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

5 fields

Networkskm

Highways

130.66Railroads

18.5

Highways: , 192.27 km byroads · Railroads: , electrified; owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways

automatic telephone system;
25,400 telephones;
stations--no AM, no FM, no TV

Defense Forces

Police Department

2 fields

Branches

Police Department

Note

defense is responsibility of Switzerland

Central Intelligence Agency. “Liechtenstein.” The World Factbook 1991. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/liechtenstein/1991.

How to cite ← 1990 edition 1992 edition →