Tokelau (2004) | Liechtenstein (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (territory of New Zealand) | 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2004 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products |
Airports | none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2003 est.) | none (2001) |
Area | total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925. | 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. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | 11.24 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.) |
revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | none; each atoll has its own administrative center | Vaduz |
Climate | tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers |
Coastline | 101 km | 0 km (doubly landlocked) |
Constitution | administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970 | 5 October 1921 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau |
conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein |
Currency | New Zealand dollar (NZD) | Swiss franc (CHF) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 6.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 | $0 (1996) (2001) |
Dependency status | self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans are drafting a constitution and developing institutions and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of New Zealand) | 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 | none (territory of New Zealand) | 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 |
Disputes - international | none | Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918 |
Economic aid - recipient | from New Zealand about $4 million annually | none |
Economy - overview | Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 313.45 million kWh NA kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | NA kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 232.847 million kWh NA kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | - |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% 98% nuclear: NA% other: NA% 2% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand | 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 |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian | Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14% |
Exchange rates | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.154 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999) | 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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by Administrator Neil WALTER (since NA 2002)
head of government: Aliki Faipule Kuresa NASAU (since 2004) note - position rotates annually among members of the cabinet cabinet: the Council of Faipule, consisting of three elected leaders - one from each atoll - functions as a cabinet elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term |
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 |
Exports | $98,000 f.o.b. (1983) | $2.47 billion (1996) |
Exports - commodities | stamps, copra, handicrafts | small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products |
Exports - partners | New Zealand (2000) | 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 | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of New Zealand is used | 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 - $1.5 million (1993 est.) | purchasing power parity - $730 million (1998 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% 40% services: NA% (1999) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.) | purchasing power parity - $23,000 (1998 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 9 00 S, 172 00 W | 47 16 N, 9 32 E |
Geography - note | consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three meters above sea level | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation |
Highways | total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
total: 250 km
paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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 | $323,000 c.i.f. (1983) | $917.3 million (1996) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, building materials, fuel | agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles |
Imports - partners | New Zealand (2000) | EU countries, Switzerland |
Independence | none (territory of New Zealand) | 23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA% |
Industries | small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing | electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | 1% (2001) |
International organization participation | UNESCO (associate), UPU | 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) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau | Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht |
Labor force | NA | 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 | 0 km | total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km |
Land use | arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English | German (official), Alemannic dialect |
Legal system | New Zealand and local statutes | local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | unicameral General Fono (48 seats; 15 members from each of the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms and the 3 island village mayors [pulenuku]); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono | 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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: 68 years female: 70 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 79.1 years
male: 75.47 years female: 82.74 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1981 est.) |
Location | Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland |
Map references | Oceania | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | none | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand | defense is the responsibility of Switzerland |
National holiday | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) | Assumption Day, 15 August |
Nationality | noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan |
noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein |
Natural hazards | lies in Pacific typhoon belt | NA |
Natural resources | NEGL | hydroelectric potential, arable land |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | 4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | 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 | none | NA |
Population | 1,405 (July 2004 est.) | 32,842 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.01% (2004 est.) | 0.94% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: each atoll has a radio broadcast station of unknown type that broadcasts shipping and weather reports (1998) |
AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (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) |
Religions | Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant |
Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002) |
Sex ratio | NA | 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.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations, established in 1997 |
general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay |
Telephones - main lines in use | 300 (2002) | 20,072 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (2001) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | - | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) |
Terrain | low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 1.5 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA | 1.3% (1999) |
Waterways | - | none |