Internet country code [time series]

.li

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

4,697 (2006)

Internet users [time series]

20,000 (2002)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

19,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

11,400 (2002)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $424.2 million expenditures: $414.1 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

Swiss franc (CHF)

Debt - external [time series]

$0 (2001)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$0

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 its large European neighbors. 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 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 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.

Exchange rates [time series]

Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001)

Exports [time series]

$2.47 billion (1996)

Exports - commodities [time series]

small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products

Exports - partners [time series]

EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7% (2004)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$2.487 billion

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$1.786 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 6% NA% industry: 39% services: 55% NA% (1999)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$25,000 (1999 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

11% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$917.3 million (1996)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

EU, Switzerland (2004)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1% (2001)

Labor force [time series]

29,500 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 2% industry: 47% services: 51% (31 December 2001)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

1.3% (September 2002)

Area [time series]

total: 160 sq km land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

0 km (doubly landlocked)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

NA

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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 [time series]

47 16 N, 9 32 E

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

NA

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Map references [time series]

Europe

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

NA

Natural resources [time series]

hydroelectric potential, arable land

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

name: Vaduz geographic coordinates: 47 09 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 [time series]

5 October 1921

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE chancery: 888 17th Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590 FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 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 Ottmar HASLER (since 5 April 2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April 2001) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

constitutional monarchy

Independence [time series]

23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)

International organization participation [time series]

CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by NA 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 48.7%, VU 38.2%, FL 13%; seats by party - FBP 12, VU 10, FL 3

National holiday [time series]

Assumption Day, 15 August

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Adolf HEEB]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Otmar HASLER]; The Free List or FL

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

NA

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. 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. Shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money laundering. Liechtenstein has, however, implemented new anti-money-laundering legislation and recently concluded a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US.

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 7,736 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 6,250 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]

males age 18-49: 208 (2005 est.)

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 17.4% (male 2,922/female 2,988) 15-64 years: 70.2% (male 11,842/female 12,022) 65 years and over: 12.4% (male 1,773/female 2,440) (2006 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

10.21 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Languages [time series]

German (official), Alemannic dialect

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 79.68 years male: 76.1 years female: 83.28 years (2006 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Median age [time series]

total: 39.6 years male: 39.2 years female: 40.1 years (2006 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein

Net migration rate [time series]

4.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Population [time series]

33,987 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.78% (2006 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.51 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

in February 2005, the ICJ refused to rule on the restitution of Liechtenstein's land and property assets in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1945 as German property

Illicit drugs [time series]

has strengthened money-laundering controls, but money laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated offshore financial services sector

Pipelines [time series]

gas 20 km (2006)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

none

Railways [time series]

9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2006)

Roadways [time series]

total: 380 km paved: 380 km (2006)

Waterways [time series]

28 km (2005)