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Compare Liechtenstein (2008) - Paracel Islands (2005)
Compare Liechtenstein (2008) z Paracel Islands (2005)
| Liechtenstein (2008) | Paracel Islands (2005) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz | - |
| 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.) |
- |
| Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products | - |
| Airports | - | 1 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Area | total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: NA sq km
land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | NA |
| 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. | The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. |
| Birth rate | 10.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | - |
| Budget | revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million (1998 est.) |
- |
| 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 |
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| Climate | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers | tropical |
| Coastline | 0 km (doubly landlocked) | 518 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: Paracel Islands |
| Death rate | 7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | - |
| Debt - external | $0 (2001) | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is 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 | none | occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam |
| 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. | China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m |
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m |
| Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
| 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% | - |
| Exchange rates | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (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); 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 |
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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% (2006) | - |
| 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 | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 6%
industry: 39% services: 55% (2001) |
- |
| GDP - real growth rate | 11% (1999 est.) | - |
| Geographic coordinates | 47 16 N, 9 32 E | 16 30 N, 112 00 E |
| Geography - note | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation | composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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| 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) | - |
| Imports - commodities | agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles | - |
| Imports - partners | EU, Switzerland (2006) | - |
| Independence | 23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (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 | 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.) |
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| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1% (2001) | - |
| International organization participation | CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO | - |
| Irrigated land | NA | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
| 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) | - |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 2%
industry: 47% services: 51% (31 December 2001) |
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| 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% (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
| Languages | German (official), Alemannic dialect | - |
| Legal system | local civil and penal codes based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations | - |
| 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 |
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| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.81 years
male: 76.24 years female: 83.4 years (2007 est.) |
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| Literacy | definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% |
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| Location | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland | Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines |
| Map references | Europe | Southeast Asia |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | NA |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Switzerland | occupied by China |
| National holiday | Assumption Day, 15 August | - |
| Nationality | noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein |
- |
| Natural hazards | NA | typhoons |
| Natural resources | hydroelectric potential, arable land | none |
| Net migration rate | 4.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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] | - |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
| Population | 34,247 (July 2007 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
| Population growth rate | 0.745% (2007 est.) | - |
| Ports and harbors | - | small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | - |
| Railways | 9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2006) |
- |
| 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: 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.) |
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| 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 |
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| Telephones - main lines in use | 20,000 (2005) | - |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 27,500 (2005) | - |
| Television broadcast stations | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) | - |
| Terrain | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third | mostly low and flat |
| Total fertility rate | 1.51 children born/woman (2007 est.) | - |
| Unemployment rate | 1.3% (September 2002) | - |
| Waterways | 28 km (2006) | - |
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