Liechtenstein (2004) | Lesotho (2008) | |
Administrative divisions | 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz | 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.8% (male 2,950; female 3,014)
15-64 years: 70.5% (male 11,745; female 11,837) 65 years and over: 11.6% (male 1,598; female 2,292) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 35.7% (male 382,308/female 377,303)
15-64 years: 59.3% (male 613,979/female 645,818) 65 years and over: 5% (male 42,621/female 63,233) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products | corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock |
Airports | none (2003 est.) | 28 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 21 (2007) |
Area | total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 30,355 sq km
land: 30,355 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Maryland |
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 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. | Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections of February 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties continue to periodically demonstrate their distrust of the results. |
Birth rate | 10.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 24.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1998 est.) |
revenues: $951.4 million
expenditures: $855.4 million (2007 est.) |
Capital | Vaduz | name: Maseru
geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers | temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers |
Coastline | 0 km (doubly landlocked) | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 5 October 1921 | 2 April 1993 |
Country name | conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
conventional short form: Lesotho local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho local short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland |
Currency | Swiss franc (CHF) | - |
Death rate | 6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 22.49 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 (2001) | $693 million (31 December 2007 est.) |
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 | chief of mission: Ambassador Robert NOLAN
embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 22 312666 FAX: [266] 22 310116 |
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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mabasia MOHOBANE
chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815 |
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 | $68.82 million (2005) |
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 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. | Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa and also generates royalties for Lesotho. Lesotho produces about 90% of its own electrical power needs. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown significantly mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF. In July 2007 Lesotho signed a Millennium Challenge Account Compact with the US worth $362.5 million. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 338.5 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | - | 13 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005) |
Electricity - production | - | 350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m |
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 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 |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14% | Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, |
Exchange rates | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999) | maloti per US dollar - 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003) |
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 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: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995 while his father was in exile
head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998) cabinet: Cabinet elections: none - according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution, that came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession, or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age |
Exports | $2.47 billion (1996) | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
Exports - commodities | small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products | manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) |
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% | US 81.9%, Belgium 15%, Canada 1.9% (2006) |
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 | three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $825 million (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: 40% services: NA (1999) |
agriculture: 15.2%
industry: 45% services: 39.7% (2007 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 11% (1999 est.) | 4.8% (2007 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 47 16 N, 9 32 E | 29 30 S, 28 30 E |
Geography - note | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation | landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level |
Highways | total: 250 km
paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: 0.9%
highest 10%: 43.4% (2002 est.) |
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) | 1,400 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles | food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | EU, Switzerland | Hong Kong 33.4%, China 31.2%, Germany 7.7%, India 7.3% (2006) |
Independence | 23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire) | 4 October 1966 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | 12% (2007 est.) |
Industries | electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments | food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: 4.77 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 79.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 84.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 75.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1% (2001) | 12% (2007 est.) |
International organization participation | CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 30 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht | High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional court |
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) | 838,000 (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1.3%, industry 47.4%, services 51.3% (31 December 2001 est.) | agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
industry and services: 14% (2002 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km |
total: 909 km
border countries: South Africa 909 km |
Land use | arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (2001) |
arable land: 10.87%
permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2005) |
Languages | German (official), Alemannic dialect | Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa |
Legal system | local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; 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 |
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: last held 17 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LCD 61, NIP 21, ABC 17, LWP 10, ACP 4, BNP 3, other 4 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.4 years
male: 75.8 years female: 83.02 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 39.97 years
male: 40.73 years female: 39.18 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.8% male: 74.5% female: 94.5% (2003 est.) |
Location | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland | Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | none (landlocked) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Switzerland | the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening in political affairs |
Military branches | - | Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 2.6% (2006) |
National holiday | Assumption Day, 15 August | Independence Day, 4 October (1966) |
Nationality | noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein |
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
adjective: Basotho |
Natural hazards | NA | periodic droughts |
Natural resources | hydroelectric potential, arable land | water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone |
Net migration rate | 4.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | -0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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] | Alliance of Congress Parties or ACP; All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas THABANE]; Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE]; Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justin Metsing LEKHANYA]; Kopanang Basotho Party or KPB [Pheelo MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD (the governing party) [Pakalitha MOSISILI]; Lesotho Education Party or LEP [Thabo PITSO]; Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; New Lesotho Freedom Party or NLFP [Manapo MAJARA]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU [Bofihla NKUEBE]; Social Democratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 33,436 (July 2004 est.) | 2,125,262
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | 49% (1999) |
Population growth rate | 0.86% (2004 est.) | 0.144% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002) | Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.013 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.674 male(s)/female total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 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 |
general assessment: rudimentary system consisting of a modest but growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a small radiotelephone communication system; mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding
domestic: privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho tasked with providing an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a target not met; mobile-cellular service is expanding with a subscribership approaching 15 per 100 persons; rural services are scant international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 19,900 (2002) | 48,000 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 11,400 (2002) | 249,800 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) | 1 (2000) |
Terrain | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third | mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains |
Total fertility rate | 1.51 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 3.21 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 1.3% (September 2002) | 45% (2002) |
Waterways | 28 km (2004) | - |