Liechtenstein (2006) | West Bank (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.4% (male 2,922/female 2,988)
15-64 years: 70.2% (male 11,842/female 12,022) 65 years and over: 12.4% (male 1,773/female 2,440) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: 43.8% (male 518,470; female 493,531)
15-64 years: 52.8% (male 623,785; female 595,376) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 34,226; female 45,816) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products | olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products |
Airports | - | 3 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 5,860 sq km
land: 5,640 sq km water: 220 sq km note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967 |
Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Delaware |
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. | The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external and internal security and for public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bank that began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, were derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability within the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine progress toward a permanent agreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor Mahmud ABBAS in January 2005 could bring a turning point in the conflict. |
Birth rate | 10.21 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 33.21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
revenues: $676.6 million
expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (includes Gaza Strip) (2003 est.) |
Capital | name: Vaduz
geographic coordinates: 47 09 N, 9 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
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Climate | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers | temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters |
Coastline | 0 km (doubly landlocked) | 0 km (landlocked) |
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: West Bank |
Currency | - | new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD) |
Death rate | 7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 4.07 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 (2001) | $108 million (includes Gaza Strip) (1997 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 | - |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
chancery: 888 17th Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590 FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221 |
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Disputes - international | in February 2005, the ICJ refused to rule on the restitution of Liechtenstein's land and property assets in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1945 as German property | West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation |
Economic aid - recipient | $0 | $2 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (2001-02 est.) |
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. | Real per capita GDP for the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS) declined by about one-third between 1992 and 1996 due to the combined effect of falling aggregate incomes and rapid population growth. The downturn in economic activity was largely the result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of border closures in response to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted labor and commodity market relationships between Israel and the WBGS. The most serious social effect of this downturn was rising unemployment, which in the WBGS during the 1980s was generally under 5%; by 1995 it had risen to over 20%. Israel's use of comprehensive closures during the next three years decreased and, in 1998, Israel implemented new policies to reduce the impact of closures and other security procedures on the movement of Palestinian goods and labor. These changes fueled an almost three-year-long economic recovery in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in 1999. Recovery was upended in the last quarter of 2000 with the outbreak of violence, which triggered tight Israeli closures of Palestinian self-rule areas and severely disrupted trade and labor movements. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in Palestinian Authority areas resulted in the destruction of much capital plant and administrative structure, widespread business closures, and a sharp drop in GDP. Including Gaza Strip, the UN estimates that more than 100,000 Palestinians out of the 125,000 who used to work in Israel, in Israeli settlements, or in joint industrial zones have lost their jobs. In addition, about 80,000 Palestinian workers inside the Territories are losing their jobs. International aid of $2 billion in 2001-02 to the West Bank and Gaza Strip prevented the complete collapse of the economy. In 2004, on-going border issues and the death of Yasser ARAFAT continued to complicate the economic situation. |
Electricity - consumption | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - imports | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - production | - | NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m |
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
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Ethnic groups | Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14% | Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17% |
Exchange rates | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001) | new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999); Jordanian dinars per US dollar - fixed rate of 0.7090 (from 1996) |
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 Ottmar 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 Landtag is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch |
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Exports | $2.47 billion (1996) | $603 million f.o.b., includes Gaza Strip |
Exports - commodities | small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products | olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone |
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% (2004) | Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year (since 1 January 1992) |
Flag description | 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 - $1.7 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 6% NA%
industry: 39% services: 55% NA% (1999) |
agriculture: 9%
industry: 28% services: 63% note: includes Gaza Strip (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 11% (1999 est.) | -22% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 47 16 N, 9 32 E | 32 00 N, 35 15 E |
Geography - note | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation | landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are 244 West Bank settlements and 29 East Jerusalem settlements in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts(August 2003 est.) |
Highways | - | total: 4,500 km
paved: 2,700 km unpaved: 1,800 km note: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish settlements (1997 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Illicit drugs | has strengthened money-laundering controls, but money laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated offshore financial services sector | - |
Imports | $917.3 million (1996) | $1.9 billion c.i.f., includes Gaza Strip |
Imports - commodities | agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles | food, consumer goods, construction materials |
Imports - partners | EU, Switzerland (2004) | Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000) |
Independence | 23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA |
Industries | electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments | generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers |
Infant mortality rate | total: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
total: 20.16 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22.28 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1% (2001) | 2.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO | - |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht | - |
Labor force | 29,500 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 2%
industry: 47% services: 51% (31 December 2001) |
agriculture 13%, industry 21%, services 66% (1996) |
Land boundaries | total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km |
total: 404 km
border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km |
Land use | arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (2005) |
arable land: 16.9%
permanent crops: 18.97% other: 64.13% (2001) |
Languages | German (official), Alemannic dialect | Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood) |
Legal system | 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 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by NA 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 48.7%, VU 38.2%, FL 13%; seats by party - FBP 12, VU 10, FL 3 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.68 years
male: 76.1 years female: 83.28 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 72.88 years
male: 71.14 years female: 74.72 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% |
definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
Location | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland | Middle East, west of Jordan |
Map references | Europe | Middle East |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | none (landlocked) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Switzerland | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA |
National holiday | Assumption Day, 15 August | - |
Nationality | noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein |
noun: NA
adjective: NA |
Natural hazards | NA | droughts |
Natural resources | hydroelectric potential, arable land | arable land |
Net migration rate | 4.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 2.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 20 km (2006) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Adolf HEEB]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Otmar HASLER]; The Free List or FL | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 33,987 (July 2006 est.) | 2,311,204
note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 60% (2003 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.78% (2006 est.) | 3.21% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an AM station in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations are reported to be in operation (2000) |
Railways | 9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2006) |
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Religions | Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002) | Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 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: NA
domestic: NA international: NA note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for communication services in the West Bank |
Telephones - main lines in use | 19,900 (2002) | 301,600 (total for West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 11,400 (2002) | 480,000 (cellular subscribers in both West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) | NA |
Terrain | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third | mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east |
Total fertility rate | 1.51 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 4.52 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 1.3% (September 2002) | 50% (includes Gaza Strip) (2002 est.) |
Waterways | 28 km (2005) | - |