Liechtenstein

Principality of LiechtensteinFurstentum Liechtenstein

hereditary constitutional monarchy

Liechtenstein as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 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

LocationWestern Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Populationas each edition published it

29,894 people July 1993 est. · 28,292 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.32% 1993 est. · 0.68% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 38.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

77.29 years 1993 est. · 83 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.45 children per woman 1993 est. · 1.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

5.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 5 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$22,300 1990 est. · $210,600 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 11% in 2003

Geography

Western Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

14 fields

Land useshare of 160 km2

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

Area

160km2

land area: 160 km2comparative area: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked

Land boundaries

78km

total · Austria 37 km, Switzerland 41 km

Location

Western Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Map references

Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

claims 620 square miles 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

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

Environment

variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

People

14 fields

Population

29,894

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 1.32% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

13.15Death

6.62Net migration

6.66

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years77.29

73.65 · 80.9

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy100%

100% · 100%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 10 and over can read and write (1981)

Religions(1988)

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

Infant mortality rate

5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective:: Liechtenstein

19,905 of which 11,933 are foreigners; 6,885 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day; by occupation: industry, trade, and building 53.2%, services 45%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 1.8% (1990)

Government

Hereditary constitutional monarchy

20 fields

Names

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

Digraph

Type

hereditary constitutional monarchy

Capital

Vaduz

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)

Constitution

5 October 1921

Legal system

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

National holiday

Assumption Day, 15 August

Political parties and leaders

Fatherland Union (VU), Dr. Otto HASLER;
Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP), Emanuel VOGT;
Free Electoral List (FL)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

Diet:: last held on 7 February 1993 (next to be held by March 1997);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (25 total) FBP 12, VU 11, FL 2

Executive branch

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Diet (Landtag)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for criminal cases, Superior Court (Obergericht) for civil cases

Leaders

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:: Markus BUECHEL (since 7 February 1993); Deputy Head of Government Dr. Herbert WILLE (since 2 February 1986)

Member of

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

Diplomatic representation in US

in routine diplomatic matters, Liechtenstein is represented in the US by the Swiss Embassy

US diplomatic representation

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.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$22,300

(1990 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

5.4%

(1990)

Unemployment rate

1.5%

(1990)

Budget

Revenues

$259 millionExpenditures

$292 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990)

Overview

The prosperous economy is based primarily on small-scale light industry and tourism. Industry accounts for 53% of total employment, the service sector 45% (mostly based on tourism), and agriculture and forestry 2%. 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 Switzerland's economy in a customs union, and incomes and living standards parallel those of the more prosperous Swiss groups.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $630 million (1990 est.)

National product real growth rate

NA%

Exports

$1.6 billion

commodities:: small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery
partners:: EFTA countries 20.9% (Switzerland 15.4%), EC countries 42.7%, other 36.4% (1990)

Imports

$NA

commodities:: machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
partners:: NA

External debt

$NA

Electricity

23,000 kW capacity; 150 million kWh produced, 5,230 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

livestock, vegetables, corn, wheat, potatoes, grapes

Economic aid

none

Currency

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

Exchange rates

Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.4781 (January 1993), 1.4062 (1992), 1.4340 (1991), 1.3892 (1990), 1.6359 (1989), 1.4633 (1988)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

4 fields

Networkskm

Highways

130.66Railroads

18.5

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

limited, but sufficient automatic telephone system;
25,400 telephones;
linked to Swiss networks by cable and radio relay for international telephone, radio, and TV services

Defense Forces

1 field

Note

defense is responsibility of Switzerland

Central Intelligence Agency. “Liechtenstein.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/liechtenstein/1993.

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