Liechtenstein (2002) | Jan Mayen (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz | - |
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.) |
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Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products | - |
Airports | none (2001) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
373 sq km land: 373 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than twice 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. | This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the northernmost active volcano on earth. |
Birth rate | 11.24 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
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Capital | Vaduz | - |
Climate | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers | arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog |
Coastline | 0 km (doubly landlocked) | 124.1 km |
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 |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Jan Mayen |
Currency | Swiss franc (CHF) | - |
Death rate | 6.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $0 (1996) (2001) | - |
Dependency status | - | territory of Norway; administered from Oslo through a governor (sysselmann) resident in Longyearbyen (Svalbard); however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service |
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 |
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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 | - |
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. | Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations located on the island. |
Electricity - consumption | 313.45 million kWh NA kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - exports | NA kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - imports | 232.847 million kWh NA kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% 98% nuclear: NA% other: NA% 2% (2001) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m |
lowest point:
Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 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 |
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Ethnic groups | Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14% | - |
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) | - |
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 |
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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 | the flag of Norway is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $730 million (1998 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% 40% services: NA% (1999) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $23,000 (1998 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 47 16 N, 9 32 E | 71 00 N, 8 00 W |
Geography - note | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation | barren volcanic island with some moss and grass |
Highways | total: 250 km
paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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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 countries, 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 | 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | - |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1% (2001) | - |
International organization participation | CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTrO | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000) | 13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1993) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht | - |
Labor force | 28,783 of which 13,847 are foreigners; 8,231 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day | - |
Labor force - by occupation | industry, trade, and building 48%, services 51%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 1% (37256 est.) | - |
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:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% |
Languages | German (official), Alemannic dialect | - |
Legal system | local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply |
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 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.1 years
male: 75.47 years female: 82.74 years (2002 est.) |
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Literacy | definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1981 est.) |
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Location | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland | Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland |
Map references | Europe | Arctic Region |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | contiguous zone:
10 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 4 NM |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Switzerland | defense is the responsibility of Norway |
National holiday | Assumption Day, 15 August | - |
Nationality | noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein |
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Natural hazards | NA | dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 |
Natural resources | hydroelectric potential, arable land | none |
Net migration rate | 4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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] | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 32,842 (July 2002 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are personnel who operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 0.94% (2002 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | none | none; offshore anchorage only |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: there is one radio and meteorological station (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) |
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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: 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.) |
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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 |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 20,072 (2000) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | - |
Television broadcast stations | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) | - |
Terrain | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third | volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers |
Total fertility rate | 1.5 children born/woman (2002 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 1.3% (1999) | - |
Waterways | none | none |