Match 143 DB Rec# - 7,595 Dataset-WOFACT
Title :Liechtenstein
Text :
Liechtenstein
Geography
Location:
Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total area:
160 sq km
land area:
160 sq km
comparative area:
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total 78 km, Austria 37 km, Switzerland 41 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none; landlocked
International disputes:
claims 1,600 square kilometers of Czech territory confiscated from its royal
family in 1918; the Czech Republic insists that restitution does not go back
before February 1948, when the Communists seized power
Climate:
continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to
moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
Terrain:
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
Natural resources:
hydroelectric potential
Land use:
arable land:
25%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
38%
forest and woodland:
19%
other:
18%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
NA
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate
Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity,
Law of the Sea
Note:
landlocked; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
People
Population:
30,654 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
19% (female 2,897; male 2,974)
15-64 years:
71% (female 10,853; male 10,777)
65 years and over:
10% (female 1,930; male 1,223) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.2% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
12.95 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
6.56 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate:
5.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
77.52 years
male:
73.86 years
female:
81.17 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.47 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective:
Liechtenstein
Ethnic divisions:
Alemannic 95%, Italian and other 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 87.3%, Protestant 8.3%, unknown 1.6%, other 2.8% (1988)
Languages:
German (official), Alemannic dialect
Literacy:
age 10 and over can read and write (1981)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%
Labor force:
19,905 of which 11,933 are foreigners; 6,885 commute from Austria and
Switzerland to work each day
by occupation:
industry, trade, and building 53.2%, services 45%, agriculture, fishing,
forestry, and horticulture 1.8% (1990)
Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form:
Liechtenstein
local long form:
Furstentum Liechtenstein
local short form:
Liechtenstein
Digraph:
LS
Type:
hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Vaduz
Administrative divisions:
11 communes (gemeinden, singular - gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin,
Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Independence:
23 January 1719 (Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established)
National holiday:
Assumption Day, 15 August
Constitution:
5 October 1921
Legal system:
local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
Prince Hans ADAM II (since 13 November 1989; assumed executive powers 26
August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS von und zu Liechtenstein (born 11
June 1968)
head of government:
Mario FRICK (since 15 December 1993); Deputy Head of Government Dr. Thomas
BUECHEL (since 15 December 1993)
cabinet:
Cabinet; elected by the Diet; confirmed by the sovereign
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Diet (Landtag):
elections last held on 24 October 1993 (next to be held by March 1997);
results - VU 50.1%, FBP 41.3%, FL 8.5%; seats - (25 total) VU 13, FBP 11, FL
1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for criminal cases, Superior Court
(Obergericht) for civil cases
Political parties and leaders:
Fatherland Union (VU), Dr. Oswald KRANTZ; Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP),
Otmar HASLER; The Free List (FL)
Member of:
CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, GATT, IAEA, ICRM, IFRCS, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU,
OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO
Diplomatic representation in US:
in routine diplomatic matters, Liechtenstein is represented in the US by the
Swiss Embassy
Government
US diplomatic representation:
the US has no diplomatic or consular mission in Liechtenstein, but the US
Consul General at Zurich (Switzerland) has consular accreditation at Vaduz
Flag:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the
hoist side of the blue band
Economy
Overview:
Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has
developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy
with a vital service sector and living standards on par with its large
European neighbors. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% - and
easy incorporation rules have induced about 25,000 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.
Liechtenstein plans to join the European Economic Area (an organization
serving as a bridge between EFTA and EU) in 1995.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power parity - $630 million (1990 est.)
National product real growth rate:
NA%
National product per capita:
$22,300 (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.4% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
1.5% (1994)
Budget:
revenues:
$259 million
expenditures:
$292 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
Exports:
$NA
commodities:
small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery
partners:
EC countries 42.7%, EFTA countries 20.9% (Switzerland 15.4%), other 36.4%
(1990)
Imports:
$NA
commodities:
machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
partners:
NA
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
capacity:
23,000 kW
production:
150 million kWh
consumption per capita:
5,230 kWh (1992)
Industries:
electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food
products, precision instruments, tourism
Agriculture:
livestock, vegetables, corn, wheat, potatoes, grapes
Economic aid:
none
Currency:
1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi
Economy
Exchange rates:
Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.2880 (January 1995),
1.3677 (1994), 1.4776 (1993), 1.4062 (1992), 1.4340 (1991), 1.3892 (1990)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Transportation
Railroads:
total:
18.5 km; note - owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian
Federal Railways
standard gauge:
18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
Highways:
total:
322.93 km
paved:
322.93 km
Ports:
none
Airports:
none
Communications
Telephone system:
25,400 telephones; limited, but sufficient automatic telephone system
local:
NA
intercity:
NA
international:
linked to Swiss networks by cable and radio relay
Radio:
broadcast stations:
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
radios:
NA
note:
linked to Swiss networks
Television:
broadcast stations:
NA
televisions:
NA
note:
linked to Swiss networks
Defense Forces
Note:
defense is responsibility of Switzerland
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This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).
The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995
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