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Compare Liechtenstein (2001) - British Virgin Islands (2005)
Compare Liechtenstein (2001) z British Virgin Islands (2005)
| Liechtenstein (2001) | British Virgin Islands (2005) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 11 communes (gemeinden, singular - gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years:
18.41% (male 2,992; female 2,996) 15-64 years: 70.6% (male 11,455; female 11,511) 65 years and over: 10.99% (male 1,439; female 2,135) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 21% (male 2,400/female 2,358)
15-64 years: 73.9% (male 8,607/female 8,115) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 614/female 549) (2005 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products | fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish |
| Airports | none | 3 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Area | total:
160 sq km land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 153 sq km
land: 153 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada |
| Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Background | 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 conclude 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. | First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. |
| Birth rate | 11.53 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 14.96 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Budget | revenues:
$424.2 million expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
revenues: $121.5 million
expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997) |
| Capital | Vaduz | Road Town |
| Climate | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers | subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 80 km |
| Constitution | 5 October 1921 | 1 June 1977 |
| Country name | conventional long form:
Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI |
| Currency | Swiss franc (CHF) | - |
| Death rate | 6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Debt - external | $0 (1996) | $36.1 million (1997) |
| Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing |
| 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 | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | Liechtenstein's Ambassador to the US, Claudia FRITSCHE, is dually accredited to the UN in New York | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Disputes - international | Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918 | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | none | NA |
| Economy - overview | 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 the urban areas of its large European neighbors. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 18% - and easy incorporation rules have induced 73,700 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 European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe. | The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998. Tourism suffered in 2002 because of the lackluster US economy. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959. |
| Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 33.74 million kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - exports | NA kWh | 0 kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - imports | NA kWh | 0 kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - production | - | 36.28 million kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
- |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m |
| Environment - current issues | NA | limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments) |
| 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 87.5%, Italian, Turkish, and other 12.5% | black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed |
| Exchange rates | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6303 (January 2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996) | the US dollar is used |
| 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) head of government: Head of Government Mario FRICK (since 15 December 1993) and Deputy Head of Government Michael RITTER (since 2 February 1997) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Diet; 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 |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Orlando D. SMITH (since 17 June 2003) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
| Exports | $2.47 billion (1996) | NA |
| Exports - commodities | small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery | rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand |
| Exports - partners | EU and EFTA countries 60.57% (Switzerland 15.7%) (1995) | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
| Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful) |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $730 million (1998 est.) | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 1.8%
industry: 6.2% services: 92% (1996 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $23,000 (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $38,500 (2004 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 1% (2002 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 47 10 N, 9 32 E | 18 30 N, 64 30 W |
| Geography - note | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation | strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico |
| Highways | total:
250 km paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km |
total: 177 km
paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
| Illicit drugs | multilateral organizations engaged in issuing international guidelines for financial sector oversight have found gaps in Liechtenstein's financial services controls that make it vulnerable to money laundering | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering |
| Imports | $917.3 million (1996) | NA |
| Imports - commodities | machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles | building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery |
| Imports - partners | EU countries, Switzerland (1996) | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US |
| Independence | 23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
| Industries | electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism | tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center |
| Infant mortality rate | 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 18.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.02 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.5% (1997 est.) | 2.5% (2003) |
| International organization participation | CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICRM, IFRCS, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO (observer), WIPO, WTrO | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000) | - |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Superior Court or Obergericht | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction |
| Labor force | 22,891 of which 13,847 are foreigners; 8,231 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day | 12,770 (2004) |
| Labor force - by occupation | industry, trade, and building 45%, services 53%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 2% (1997 est.) | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
| Land boundaries | total:
76 km border countries: Austria 35 km, Switzerland 41 km |
0 km |
| Land use | arable land:
24% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 16% forests and woodland: 35% other: 25% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (2001) |
| Languages | German (official), Alemannic dialect | English (official) |
| Legal system | local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | English law |
| Legislative branch | unicameral Diet or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 9-11 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 |
unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NDP 8, VIP 5 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population:
78.95 years male: 75.32 years female: 82.6 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 76.49 years
male: 75.41 years female: 77.62 years (2005 est.) |
| Literacy | definition:
age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1981 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland | Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
| Map references | Europe | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
| Merchant marine | - | total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,825 GRT/155,909 DWT
by type: cargo 1 registered in other countries: 7 (2005) |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Switzerland | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
| National holiday | Assumption Day, 15 August | Territory Day, 1 July |
| Nationality | noun:
Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein |
noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander |
| Natural hazards | NA | hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) |
| Natural resources | hydroelectric potential, arable land | NEGL |
| Net migration rate | 4.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 10.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Political parties and leaders | Fatherland Union or VU [Dr. Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Dr. Ernst WALCH]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Karin JENNY, Rene HASLER] | Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
| Population | 32,528 (July 2001 est.) | 22,643 (July 2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
| Population growth rate | 0.98% (2001 est.) | 2.06% (2005 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | none | Road Town |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) |
| Radios | 21,000 (1997) | - |
| Railways | total:
18.5 km; note - owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) |
- |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 7.4%, unknown 7.7%, other 4.9% (1996) | Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991) |
| Sex ratio | at birth:
1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
| Suffrage | 20 years of age; universal | 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 |
general assessment: worldwide telephone service
domestic: NA international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 20,000 (1997) | 11,700 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 8,000 (2002) |
| Television broadcast stations | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) | 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) |
| Terrain | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third | coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly |
| Total fertility rate | 1.5 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.72 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 1.8% (February 1999) | 3% (1995) |
| Waterways | none | - |
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