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 resulted in concerns about the use of financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein implemented anti-money-laundering legislation over the past several years and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US went into effect in 2003.

Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
47 16 N, 9 32 E
Europe
total: 160 sq km ; land: 160 sq km ; water: 0 sq km
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
total: 76 km ; border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km
0 km (doubly landlocked)
none (landlocked)
continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m ; highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m
hydroelectric potential, arable land
arable land: 25% ; permanent crops: 0% ; other: 75% (2005)
NA


NA
NA
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
along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
34,247 (July 2007 est.)
0-14 years: 17.1% (male 2,902/female 2,963) ; 15-64 years: 70% (male 11,887/female 12,101) ; 65 years and over: 12.8% (male 1,862/female 2,532) (2007 est.)
total: 40.1 years ; male: 39.5 years ; female: 40.5 years (2007 est.)
0.745% (2007 est.)
10.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
4.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female ; under 15 years: 0.979 male(s)/female ; 15-64 years: 0.982 male(s)/female ; 65 years and over: 0.735 male(s)/female ; total population: 0.946 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
total: 4.58 deaths/1,000 live births ; male: 6.13 deaths/1,000 live births ; female: 3.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total population: 79.81 years ; male: 76.24 years ; female: 83.4 years (2007 est.)
1.51 children born/woman (2007 est.)
NA
NA
NA
noun: Liechtensteiner(s) ; adjective: Liechtenstein
Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%
Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)
German (official), Alemannic dialect
definition: age 10 and over can read and write ; total population: 100% ; male: 100% ; female: 100%


conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein ; conventional short form: Liechtenstein ; local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein ; local short form: Liechtenstein
constitutional monarchy
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
11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz

23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)
Assumption Day, 15 August
5 October 1921
local civil and penal codes based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
18 years of age; universal
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 Otmar HASLER (since 5 April 2001); Deputy Head of Government Klaus TSCHUETSCHER (since 21 April 2005) ; 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 if there is a coalition government
unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms) ; elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by 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
Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht
Patriotic Union or VU [Adolf HEEB] (was Fatherland Union); Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Marcus VOGT]; The Free List or FL [Claudia HEEB-FLECK and Egon MATT]
NA
CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
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
the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is accredited to Liechtenstein





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.
$1.786 billion (2001 est.)
$2.487 billion (2001)
11% (1999 est.)
$25,000 (1999 est.)
agriculture: 6% ; industry: 39% ; services: 55% (2001)
29,500 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001)
agriculture: 2% ; industry: 47% ; services: 51% (31 December 2001)
1.3% (September 2002)
NA%
lowest 10%: NA% ; highest 10%: NA%

1% (2001)

revenues: $424.2 million ; expenditures: $414.1 million (1998 est.)

wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments
NA%
















$2.47 billion (1996)
small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products
EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7% (2006)
$917.3 million (1996)
EU, Switzerland (2006)


$0 (2001)


$NA
Swiss franc (CHF)
CHF
Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003)
calendar year

20,000 (2005)
27,500 (2005)
general assessment: automatic telephone system ; domestic: NA ; international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay
AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
21,000 (1997)
NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)
12,000 (1997)
.li
4,753 (2007)
44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)
22,000 (2006)





gas 20 km (2006)
9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) ; note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2006)
total: 380 km ; paved: 380 km (2006)
28 km (2006)





males age 18-49: 7,736 (2005 est.)
males age 18-49: 6,250 (2005 est.)
males age 18-49: 208 (2005 est.)

defense is the responsibility of Switzerland
none

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

