Liechtenstein (2008) | Botswana (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz | 10 districts and four town councils*; Central, Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Ngamiland, North-East, Selebi-Pikwe*, South-East, Southern |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.1% (male 2,902/female 2,963)
15-64 years: 70% (male 11,887/female 12,101) 65 years and over: 12.8% (male 1,862/female 2,532) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years:
40.3% (male 321,164; female 318,007) 15-64 years: 55.56% (male 423,954; female 457,227) 65 years and over: 4.14% (male 26,691; female 39,076) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products | sorghum, corn, millet, pulses, groundnuts (peanuts), beans, cowpeas, sunflower seed; livestock |
Airports | - | 92 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total:
11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
81 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 56 under 914 m: 22 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
600,370 sq km land: 585,370 sq km water: 15,000 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Texas |
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 resulted in concerns about the use of financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein implemented anti-money-laundering legislation over the past several years and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US went into effect in 2003. | Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. The economy, one of the most robust on the continent, is dominated by diamond mining. |
Birth rate | 10.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 28.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million (1998 est.) |
revenues:
$1.6 billion expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $560 million (FY96) |
Capital | name: Vaduz
geographic coordinates: 47 08 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 |
Gaborone |
Climate | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers | semiarid; warm winters and hot summers |
Coastline | 0 km (doubly landlocked) | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 5 October 1921 | March 1965, effective 30 September 1966 |
Country name | conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein |
conventional long form:
Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland |
Currency | - | pula (BWP) |
Death rate | 7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 24.18 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 (2001) | $455 million (2000) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is accredited to Liechtenstein | chief of mission:
Ambassador John E. LANGE embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353982 FAX: [267] 356947 |
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 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Kgosi SEEPAPITSO IV chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $73 million (1995) |
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. | Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $6,600 in 2000. Diamond mining has fueled much of Botswana's economic expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for three-fourths of export earnings. Tourism, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. The government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is 19%, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 1.517 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | - | 950 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | - | 610 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m |
lowest point:
junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources |
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 |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14% | Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7% |
Exchange rates | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003) | pulas per US dollar - 5.4585 (January 2001), 5.1018 (2000), 4.6244 (1999), 4.2259 (1998), 3.6508 (1997), 3.3242 (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 Otmar HASLER (since 5 April 2001); Deputy Head of Government Klaus TSCHUETSCHER (since 21 April 2005) 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 if there is a coalition government |
chief of state:
President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004); vice president appointed by the president election results: Festus MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 54.3% |
Exports | $2.47 billion (1996) | $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products | diamonds 72%, vehicles, copper, nickel, meat (1998) |
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% (2006) | EU 77%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 18%, Zimbabwe 3% (1998) |
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 | light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $10.4 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 6%
industry: 39% services: 55% (2001) |
agriculture:
4% industry: 46% (including 36% mining) services: 50% (1998 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $6,600 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 11% (1999 est.) | 6% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 47 16 N, 9 32 E | 22 00 S, 24 00 E |
Geography - note | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation | landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country |
Highways | - | total:
18,482 km paved: 4,343 km unpaved: 14,139 km (1996) |
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) | $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles | foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | EU, Switzerland (2006) | Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 76%, Europe 10%, South Korea 5% (1998) |
Independence | 23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire) | 30 September 1966 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 6.2% (2000 est.) |
Industries | electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments | diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing |
Infant mortality rate | total: 4.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
63.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1% (2001) | 8.6% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO | ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 3 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | 20 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht | High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district) |
Labor force | 29,500 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001) | 235,000 formal sector employees (1995) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 2%
industry: 47% services: 51% (31 December 2001) |
100,000 public sector; 135,000 private sector, including 14,300 who are employed in various mines in South Africa; most others engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1995 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km |
total:
4,013 km border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km |
Land use | arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (2005) |
arable land:
1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 47% other: 6% (1993 est.) |
Languages | German (official), Alemannic dialect | English (official), Setswana |
Legal system | local civil and penal codes based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations | based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by 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 |
bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selected by the other 12) and the National Assembly (44 seats, 40 members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 appointed by the majority party; members serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly elections last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 57.2%, BNF 26%, other 16.8%; seats by party - BDP 33, BNF 6, other 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.81 years
male: 76.24 years female: 83.4 years (2007 est.) |
total population:
37.13 years male: 36.77 years female: 37.51 years (2001 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: 69.8% male: 80.5% female: 59.9% (1995 est.) |
Location | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland | Southern Africa, north of South Africa |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | none (landlocked) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Switzerland | - |
Military branches | - | Botswana Defense Force (includes Army and Air Wing), Botswana National Police |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $61 million (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.2% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
380,152 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
199,995 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
19,479 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Assumption Day, 15 August | Independence Day, 30 September (1966) |
Nationality | noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein |
noun:
Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) |
Natural hazards | NA | periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility |
Natural resources | hydroelectric potential, arable land | diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver |
Net migration rate | 4.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 20 km (2007) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Patriotic Union or VU [Adolf HEEB] (was Fatherland Union); Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Marcus VOGT]; The Free List or FL [Claudia HEEB-FLECK and Egon MATT] | Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus MOGAE]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Kenneth KOMA]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Michael DINGAKE]; Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]
note: main parties are: BDP, BNF, BCP; other minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim SETSHWAELO, chairman] but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO], the Botswana Peoples Party, the Independence Freedom Party [Motsamai MPHO], and the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 34,247 (July 2007 est.) | 1,586,119
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 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 47% (2000 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.745% (2007 est.) | 0.47% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 7, FM 15, shortwave 5 (1998) |
Radios | - | 237,000 (1997) |
Railways | 9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2006) |
total:
888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2000) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002) | indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.979 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.982 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.735 male(s)/female total population: 0.946 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 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:
sparse system domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations international: two international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 20,000 (2005) | 86,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 27,500 (2005) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) | 0 (1997) |
Terrain | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third | predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest |
Total fertility rate | 1.51 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 3.7 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 1.3% (September 2002) | 40% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | 28 km (2006) | none |