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Europe
Page last updated: May 22, 2024
The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719. Occupied by both French and Russian troops during the Napoleonic Wars, it became a sovereign state in 1806 and joined the German Confederation in 1815. Liechtenstein became fully independent in 1866 when the Confederation dissolved. 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. In 2000, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight resulted in concerns about the use of financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein implemented anti-money laundering legislation and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US that went into effect in 2003.
Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
47°16' N, 09°32' E
Europe
Total: 160 km²
Land: 160 km²
Water: 0 km²
About 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Total: 75 km
Border countries (2): Austria 34 km; Switzerland 41 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
Highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m
Lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
Hydroelectric potential, arable land
Agricultural land: 37.6% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 18.8% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 18.8% (2018 est.)
Forest: 43.1% (2018 est.)
Other: 19.3% (2018 est.)
0 km² (2012)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 km²)
Most of the population is found in the western half of the country along the Rhine River
Avalanches, landslides
Along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
Total: 40,272
Male: 20,072
Female: 20,200 (2024 est.)
Comparison rankings: female 213; male 212; total 212
Noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
Adjective: Liechtenstein
Liechtensteiner 65.6%, Swiss 9.6%, Austrian 5.8%, German 4.5%, Italian 3.1%, other 11.4% (2021 est.)
Note: data represent population by nationality
German 91.5% (official) (Alemannic is the main dialect), Italian 1.5%, Turkish 1.3%, Portuguese 1.1%, other 4.6% (2015 est.)
Major-language sample(s):
Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Roman Catholic (official) 73.4%, Protestant Reformed 6.3%, Muslim 5.9%, Christian Orthodox 1.3%, Lutheran 1.2%, other Protestant 0.7%, other Christian 0.3%, other 0.8%, none 7%, unspecified 3.3% (2015 est.)
0-14 years: 15.3% (male 3,412/female 2,732)
15-64 years: 63.9% (male 12,814/female 12,921)
65 years and over: 20.8% (2024 est.) (male 3,846/female 4,547)
2023 population pyramid:
Total dependency ratio: 50.2
Youth dependency ratio: 21.8
Elderly dependency ratio: 28.3
Potential support ratio: 3.5 (2021)
Total: 44.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 42.4 years
Female: 46.1 years
0.69% (2024 est.)
10.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Most of the population is found in the western half of the country along the Rhine River
Urban population: 14.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
5,000 VADUZ (capital) (2018)
At birth: 1.26 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.25 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
31.3 years (2017)
Total: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Total population: 83 years (2024 est.)
Male: 80.7 years
Female: 85.8 years
1.69 children born/woman (2024 est.)
0.75 (2024 est.)
NA
Improved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 100% of population
Unimproved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 0% of population (2020)
NA
NA
Improved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 100% of population
Unimproved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 0% of population (2020)
NA
65.2% (2023 est.)
2.6% of GDP (2011 est.)
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA
Total: 15 years
Male: 16 years
Female: 14 years (2020)
Some air pollution generated locally, some carried over from surrounding countries
Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Law of the Sea
Continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
Agricultural land: 37.6% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 18.8% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 18.8% (2018 est.)
Forest: 43.1% (2018 est.)
Other: 19.3% (2018 est.)
Urban population: 14.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
0% of GDP (2017 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 0.05 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 0.02 megatons (2020 est.)
Municipal solid waste generated annually: 32,382 tons (2015 est.)
Municipal solid waste recycled annually: 20,919 tons (2015 est.)
Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 64.6% (2015 est.)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 km²)
Municipal: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
0 cubic meters (2017 est.)
Conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
Conventional short form: Liechtenstein
Local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
Local short form: Liechtenstein
Etymology: named after the Liechtenstein dynasty that purchased and united the counties of Schellenburg and Vaduz and that was allowed by the Holy Roman Emperor in 1719 to rename the new property after their family; the name in German means "light (bright) stone"
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
Etymology: may be a conflation from the Latin vallis (valley) and the High German diutisk (meaning "German") to produce Valdutsch ("German valley"), which over time simplified and came to refer specifically to Vaduz, the town
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); 24 August 1866 (independence from the German Confederation)
National Day, 15 August (1940); note - a National Day was originally established in 1940 to combine celebrations for the Feast of the Assumption (15 August) with those honoring the birthday of former Prince FRANZ JOSEF II (1906-1989) whose birth fell on 16 August; after the prince's death, National Day became the official national holiday by law in 1990
History: previous 1862; latest adopted 5 October 1921
Amendments: proposed by Parliament, by the reigning prince (in the form of "Government" proposals), by petition of at least 1,500 qualified voters, or by at least four communes; passage requires unanimous approval of Parliament members in one sitting or three-quarters majority vote in two successive sittings; referendum required only if petitioned by at least 1,500 voters or by at least four communes; passage by referendum requires absolute majority of votes cast; amended many times, last in 2023
Civil law system influenced by Swiss, Austrian, and German law
Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Liechtenstein; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
18 years of age; universal
Chief of state: Prince HANS-ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers on 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent and Regent of Liechtenstein Prince ALOIS (son of the monarch, born 11 June 1968); note - on 15 August 2004, HANS-ADAM II transferred the official duties of the ruling prince to ALOIS, but Prince HANS-ADAM II retains status of chief of state
Head of government: Prime Minister Daniel RISCH; Deputy Prime Minister Sabine MONAUNI (both since 25 March 2021)
Cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
Elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in Parliament usually appointed the head of government by the monarch, and the leader of the largest minority party in Parliament usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a coalition government
Description: unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members directly elected in 2 multi-seat constituencies by open-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 7 February 2021 (next to be held on 7 February 2025)
Election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 40%, VU 40%, FL 12%, DpL 8%; seats by party - FBP 10, VU 10, FL 3, DpL 2; composition - men 18, women 7, percentage women 28%
Highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supreme Court or Fürstlicher Oberster Gerichtshof (consists of 5 judges and 5 substitutes); Constitutional Court or Staatsgerichtshof (consists of 5 judges, and 5 alternates)
Judge selection and term of office: judges of both courts elected by the Landtag and appointed by the monarch; Supreme Court judges serve 4-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed for renewable 5-year terms
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeal (second instance), Regional Court (first instance), Administrative Court, Tribunal Court, district courts
Democrats for Liechtenstein (Demokraten pro Liechtenstein) or DpL [Thomas REHAK]
Fatherland Union (Vaterlaendische Union) or VU [Thomas ZWIEFELHOFER]
Progressive Citizens' Party (Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei) or FBP [Rainer GOPP]
The Free List (Die Freie Liste) or FL [Daniel WALSER, Joy WALSER, Mauela HALDNER-SCHIERSCHER, Sebastian MEIER, Stefan BECKER]
The Independents (Die Unabhaengigen) or DU [Harald "Harry" QUADERER]
CD, CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTO
Two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band; the colors may derive from the blue and red livery design used in the principality's household in the 18th century; the prince's crown was introduced in 1937 to distinguish the flag from that of Haiti
Princely hat (crown); national colors: blue, red
Name: "Oben am jungen Rhein" (High Above the Young Rhine)
Lyrics/music: Jakob Joseph JAUCH/Josef FROMMELT
Note: adopted 1850, revised 1963; uses the tune of "God Save the King"
High-income European economy; Schengen Area participant; key European financial leader; integrated with Swiss economy and franc currency user; one of the highest GDP per capita countries; relies on US and Eurozone markets for exports
$4.978 billion (2014 est.)
$3.2 billion (2009 est.)
$3.216 billion (2008 est.)
1.8% (2012 est.)
-0.5% (2011 est.)
3.1% (2007 est.)
$139,100 (2009 est.)
$90,100 (2008 est.)
$91,300 (2007 est.)
$7.71 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
-0.4% (2016 est.)
-0.2% (2013)
Standard & Poors rating: AAA (1996)
Note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Agriculture: 7% (2014)
Industry: 41% (2014)
Services: 52% (2014)
Comparison rankings: services 168; industry 25; agriculture 109
Wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
Electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments
4.3% (2014 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
38,520 (2015 est.) (2012)
Note: 51% of the labor force in Liechtenstein commute daily from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany
2.4% (2015)
2.4% (2014)
Revenues: $995.3 million (2012 est.)
Expenditures: $890.4 million (2011 est.)
1.6% (of GDP) (2012 est.)
14.9% (of GDP) (2012 est.)
$3.217 billion (2015 est.)
$3.774 billion (2014 est.)
Note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland
Small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products
$2.23 billion (2014 est.)
Note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland
Agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
$0 (2015 est.)
Note: public external debt only; private external debt unavailable
Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.955 (2022 est.)
0.914 (2021 est.)
0.939 (2020 est.)
0.994 (2019 est.)
0.978 (2018 est.)
Electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Total subscriptions: 11,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2022 est.)
Total subscriptions: 50,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2022 est.)
General assessment: possesses a number of modern communications systems, some of which are shared with the neighboring country of Switzerland (2022)
Domestic: fixed-line roughly 30 per 100 and mobile-cellular services 126 per 100 (2021)
International: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay
N
Relies on foreign terrestrial and satellite broadcasters for most broadcast media services; first Liechtenstein-based TV station established August 2008; Radio Liechtenstein operates multiple radio stations; a Swiss-based broadcaster operates one radio station in Liechtenstein
.li
Total: 37,440 (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 96% (2021 est.)
Total: 18,050 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2020 est.)
HB
2 (2024)
434.5 km gas (2018)
Total: 9 km (2018)
Standard gauge: 9 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
Note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland
Total: 420 km (2022)
28 km (2010)
Total: 17 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 14, general cargo 1, other 2 (includes Switzerland)
No regular military forces; the National Police maintain internal security and report to the Department of Civil Defense
Has strengthened money laundering controls, but money laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated offshore financial services sector