Coral Sea Islands (2004) | Liechtenstein (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | - | 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 18.1% (male 2,979; female 3,008)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 11,646; female 11,740) 65 years and over: 11.3% (male 1,538; female 2,234) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products |
Airports | - | none (2002) |
Area | total: less than 3 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important |
total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs. | 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. However, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money laundering. |
Birth rate | - | 10.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | - | Vaduz |
Climate | tropical | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers |
Coastline | 3,095 km | 0 km (doubly landlocked) |
Constitution | - | 5 October 1921 |
Country name | conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands |
conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein |
Currency | - | Swiss franc (CHF) |
Death rate | - | 6.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $0 (2001) |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | 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 | none (territory of Australia) | 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 | none | Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918 |
Economic aid - recipient | - | none |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 0%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m |
lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m |
Environment - current issues | no permanent fresh water resources | NA |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | - | Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14% |
Exchange rates | - | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998) |
Executive branch | administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | 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)
head of government: Head of Government Otmar 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 Diet is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Diet 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 | the flag of Australia is used | two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $825 million (1999 est.) |
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 | 18 00 S, 152 00 E | 47 16 N, 9 32 E |
Geography - note | important nesting area for birds and turtles | 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 | - | multilateral organizations engaged in issuing international guidelines for financial sector oversight found gaps in Liechtenstein's financial services controls that made it vulnerable to money laundering, but Liechtenstein has become less attractive as a haven for illicit funds, based on implementation in 2001 of new anti-money-laundering legislation and improved mutual legal assistance cooperation with other countries |
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 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established 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: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 1% (2001) |
International organization participation | - | CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht |
Labor force | - | 29,000 of which 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (37256) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | industry 47.4%, services 51.3%, agriculture 1.3% (37256 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001) |
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (1998 est.) |
Languages | - | German (official), Alemannic dialect |
Legal system | the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply | 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 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 49.90%, VU 41.35%, FL 8.71%; seats by party - FBP 13, VU 11, FL 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 79.25 years
male: 75.63 years female: 82.87 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1981 est.) |
Location | Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland |
Map references | Oceania | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
none (landlocked) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors | defense is the responsibility of Switzerland |
National holiday | - | Assumption Day, 15 August |
Nationality | - | noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein |
Natural hazards | occasional tropical cyclones | NA |
Natural resources | NEGL | hydroelectric potential, arable land |
Net migration rate | - | 4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 20 km (2003) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Fatherland Union or VU [Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Ernst WALCH]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Karin JENNY, Rene HASLER] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (2004 est.) |
33,145 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 0.9% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | none |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | - | total: 18.5 km
standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) note: owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways (2002) |
Religions | - | Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002) |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 20,072 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | NA |
Television broadcast stations | - | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) |
Terrain | sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays) | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.5 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 1.3% (37500) |
Waterways | - | none |