Arctic Ocean (2008) | Liechtenstein (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | - | 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 17.6% (male 2,938/female 3,009)
15-64 years: 70.4% (male 11,795/female 11,927) 65 years and over: 12% (male 1,685/female 2,363) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products |
Airports | - | none (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 14.056 million sq km
note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies |
total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean. | 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. |
Birth rate | - | 10.41 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | - | Vaduz |
Climate | polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers |
Coastline | 45,389 km | 0 km (doubly landlocked) |
Constitution | - | 5 October 1921 |
Country name | - | conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein |
Death rate | - | 7.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $0 (2001) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | 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 | - | chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
chancery: 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 550W, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 216-0460 FAX: [1] (202) 216-0459 |
Disputes - international | some maritime disputes (see littoral states) | 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 |
Economic aid - recipient | - | none |
Economy - overview | Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals. | 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. |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m
highest point: sea level 0 m |
lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m |
Environment - current issues | endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack | NA |
Environment - international agreements | - | 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 |
Ethnic groups | - | Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14% |
Exchange rates | - | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000) |
Executive branch | - | 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 |
Exports | - | $2.47 billion (1996) |
Exports - commodities | - | small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products |
Exports - partners | - | EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7% |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
Flag description | - | two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: NA%
industry: 40% services: NA% (1999) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 11% (1999 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 90 00 N, 0 00 E | 47 16 N, 9 32 E |
Geography - note | major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation |
Highways | - | total: 250 km
paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | has strengthened money-laundering controls, but money laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein sophisticated offshore financial services sector |
Imports | - | $917.3 million (1996) |
Imports - commodities | - | agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles |
Imports - partners | - | EU, Switzerland |
Independence | - | 23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 4.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 1% (2001) |
International organization participation | - | CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO |
Irrigated land | - | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht |
Labor force | - | 29,000 of whom 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 1.3%, industry 47.4%, services 51.3% (31 December 2001 est.) |
Land boundaries | - | total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km |
Land use | - | arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (2001) |
Languages | - | German (official), Alemannic dialect |
Legal system | - | local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | - | 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 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 79.55 years
male: 75.96 years female: 83.16 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% |
Location | body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north of the Arctic Circle | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland |
Map references | Arctic Region | Europe |
Maritime claims | - | none (landlocked) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Switzerland |
National holiday | - | Assumption Day, 15 August |
Nationality | - | noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein |
Natural hazards | ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May | NA |
Natural resources | sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales) | hydroelectric potential, arable land |
Net migration rate | - | 4.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 20 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Heinz FROMMELT]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Johannes MATT]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Elisabeth TELLENBACH-FRICK, Adolf RITTER] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | - | 33,717 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 0.82% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Religions | - | Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002) |
Sex ratio | - | 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: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 19,900 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 11,400 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | - | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) |
Terrain | central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that, on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure ridges may be three times that thickness; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge) | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.51 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Transportation - note | sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways | - |
Unemployment rate | - | 1.3% (September 2002) |
Waterways | - | 28 km (2004) |