Liechtenstein (2002) | French Polynesia (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 3,003; female 3,001)
15-64 years: 70.5% (male 11,530; female 11,639) 65 years and over: 11.2% (male 1,494; female 2,175) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 28.3% (male 37,804; female 36,249)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 90,421; female 83,304) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 7,226; female 7,121) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products | coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee |
Airports | none (2001) | 45 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 8 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002) |
Area | total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut |
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. | The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. |
Birth rate | 11.24 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 17.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996) |
Capital | Vaduz | Papeete |
Climate | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers | tropical, but moderate |
Coastline | 0 km (doubly landlocked) | 2,525 km |
Constitution | 5 October 1921 | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein |
conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania |
Currency | Swiss franc (CHF) | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003 |
Death rate | 6.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 (1996) (2001) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of France since 1946 |
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 France) |
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 |
none (overseas territory of France) |
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 | $367 million (1997) |
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. 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 a large number of 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. | Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services. |
Electricity - consumption | 313.45 million kWh NA kWh (2001) | 398.3 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | NA kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 232.847 million kWh NA kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | - | 428.3 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% 98% nuclear: NA% other: NA% 2% (2001) |
fossil fuel: 60.7%
hydro: 39.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0%; note - sun, wind, biomass (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | 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% | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% |
Exchange rates | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6668 (January 2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997) | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 126.41 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998)
note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro |
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 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 |
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001)
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly |
Exports | $2.47 billion (1996) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products | cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997) |
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% | France 37.4%, Japan 35.5%, US 17.5% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar 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 | two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $730 million (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% 40% services: NA% (1999) |
agriculture: 6%
industry: 18% services: 76% (1997) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $23,000 (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 4% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 47 16 N, 9 32 E | 15 00 S, 140 00 W |
Geography - note | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation | includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru |
Highways | total: 250 km
paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km |
total: 2,590 km
paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999) |
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 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) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles | fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment |
Imports - partners | EU countries, Switzerland | France 58.9%, Australia 12.2%, New Zealand 6.9%, US 6.6% (2002) |
Independence | 23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire | none (overseas territory of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates |
Infant mortality rate | 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 8.78 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1% (2001) | 1.5% |
International organization participation | CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTrO | ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif |
Labor force | 28,783 of which 13,847 are foreigners; 8,231 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day | 70,000 (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | industry, trade, and building 48%, services 51%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 1% (37256 est.) | agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997) |
Land boundaries | total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 6.01% other: 92.35% (1998 est.) |
Languages | German (official), Alemannic dialect | French (official), Tahitian (official) |
Legal system | local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on French system |
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 |
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (49 seats - changed from 41 seats for May 2001 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 6 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 13, New Fatherland Party 7, other 1 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.1 years
male: 75.47 years female: 82.74 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 75.45 years
male: 73.08 years female: 77.93 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1981 est.) |
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) |
Location | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia |
Map references | Europe | Oceania |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 12,679 GRT/13,915 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Switzerland | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | - | no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie |
National holiday | Assumption Day, 15 August | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein |
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian |
Natural hazards | NA | occasional cyclonic storms in January |
Natural resources | hydroelectric potential, arable land | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Fatherland Union or VU [Dr. Heinz FROMMELT]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Johannes MATT]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Karin JENNY, Rene HASLER] | Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api) [leader NA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 32,842 (July 2002 est.) | 262,125 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.94% (2002 est.) | 1.62% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none | Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 21,000 (1997) | - |
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 (2001) |
0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002) | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 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 (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 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: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 20,072 (2000) | 52,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 5,427 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) | 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs |
Total fertility rate | 1.5 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.14 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 1.3% (1999) | 11.8% (1994) |
Waterways | none | none |