CapitalVaduz
Population40,547
Area160 km²
GDP per capita$210,600
LanguagesGerman , Italian, Turkish, Portuguese, other languages
CurrencySwiss francs
Life Expectancy83.0 yr
Governmentconstitutional monarchy
Introduction
Background
The Principality of Liechtenstein was founded in 1719 as part of the Holy Roman Empire. During the Napoleonic Wars, it was invaded by both French and Russian forces, achieving sovereign status in 1806 and subsequently becoming a member of the German Confederation in 1815. Liechtenstein attained complete independence in 1866 with the dissolution of the Confederation. Up until the conclusion of World War I, the nation maintained close ties with Austria; however, the economic ruin brought about by the war compelled Liechtenstein to establish a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Following World War II, during which Liechtenstein maintained a position of neutrality, the country's favorable tax environment has led to remarkable economic development. In the year 2000, deficiencies in banking regulatory oversight raised alarms regarding the potential use of financial institutions for money laundering. In response, Liechtenstein enacted anti-money laundering legislation and entered into a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the United States, which came into force in 2003.
Geography
Area
land
160 sq km
water
0 sq km
total
160 sq km
Climate
characterized by a continental climate featuring cold, overcast winters with regular occurrences of snow or rain; summers that are cool to moderately warm, humid, and predominantly cloudy
Terrain
predominantly mountainous, particularly in the Alps, with the Rhine Valley located in the western third
Land use
other
31.4% (2023 est.)
forest
36.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
32.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 10.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 21.5% (2023 est.)
Location
situated in Central Europe, lying between Austria and Switzerland
Coastline
0 km (doubly landlocked)
Elevation
lowest point
Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point
Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2012)
Map references
Europe
Land boundaries
total
75 km
border countries
Austria 34 km; Switzerland 41 km
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
hazards include avalanches and landslides
Geography - note
alongside Uzbekistan, it ranks as one of only two countries that are doubly landlocked globally; presents a range of microclimatic variations influenced by altitude
Natural resources
possesses hydroelectric potential and cultivable land
Area - comparative
approximately 0.9 times the area of Washington, D.C.
Geographic coordinates
47 16 N, 9 32 E
Population distribution
the majority of the populace resides in the western portion of the nation along the Rhine River
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage
Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)
People & Society
Languages
Languages
German 91.5% (official language, with Alemannic being the predominant dialect), Italian 1.5%, Turkish 1.3%, Portuguese 1.1%, other languages 4.6% (estimation from 2015)
major-language sample(s)
Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic (official) 73.4%, Protestant Reformed 6.3%, Muslim 5.9%, Christian Orthodox 1.3%, Lutheran 1.2%, other Protestant 0.7%, other Christian 0.3%, other 0.8%, none 7%, unspecified 3.3% (2015 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.26 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.25 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.99 male(s)/female
total population
0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.85 male(s)/female
Birth rate
10.31 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
8.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
42.4 years
total
44.4 years (2025 est.)
female
46.1 years
Population
male
20,215
total
40,547 (2025 est.)
female
20,332
Nationality
noun
Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective
Liechtenstein
Urbanization
urban population
14.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
15.3% (male 3,412/female 2,732)
15-64 years
63.9% (male 12,814/female 12,921)
65 years and over
20.8% (2024 est.) (male 3,846/female 4,547)
Ethnic groups
Liechtensteiner 65.6%, Swiss 9.6%, Austrian 5.8%, German 4.5%, Italian 3.1%, other nationalities 11.4% (estimation from 2021)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
57.6 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
23.9 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
3 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
33.6 (2025 est.)
Physician density
1.3 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Net migration rate
4.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.69 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
2.6% of GDP (2011 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
4.3 deaths/1,000 live births
total
3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
0.68% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.75 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
the majority of the populace resides in the western part of the nation along the Rhine River
Life expectancy at birth
male
80.7 years
female
85.8 years
total population
83 years (2024 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: NA
Major urban areas - population
5,000 VADUZ (capital) (2018)
Mother's mean age at first birth
31.3 years (2017)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
64.7% (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
16 years (2021 est.)
total
15 years (2021 est.)
female
14 years (2021 est.)
Environment
Climate
continental; winters that are cold and overcast, characterized by regular occurrences of snow or rain; summers that are cool to moderately warm, humid, and often cloudy
Land use
other
31.4% (2023 est.)
forest
36.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
32.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 10.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 21.5% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
14.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
32,400 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
64.6% (2015 est.)
Environmental issues
localized air pollution, along with some pollutants transported from neighboring nations
Total water withdrawal
municipal
10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified
Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Maritime Law
Government
Flag
description: consisting of two equal horizontal bands, the upper band is blue and the lower one is red, accompanied by a golden crown positioned on the left side of the blue band
history: the colors are believed to originate from the blue-and-red livery utilized by the principality's household during the 18th century; the prince's crown was incorporated in 1937 to differentiate it from the flag of Haiti
Capital
name
Vaduz
etymology
may be a mixture of the Latin vallis (valley) and the Old German dutsch (German), leading to the term Valdutsch ("German valley"), which eventually evolved into Vaduz
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, in Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, commencing on the last Sunday in March and concluding on the last Sunday in October
geographic coordinates
47 08 N, 9 31 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
the father must hold citizenship in Liechtenstein; if the child is born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Constitution
history
previous 1862; latest adopted 5 October 1921
amendment process
can be proposed by Parliament, by the ruling prince (through "Government" proposals), by a petition from at least 1,500 eligible voters, or by at least four communes; for adoption, it requires either unanimous consent from Parliament members in a single session or a three-quarters majority in two consecutive sessions; a referendum is necessary only if initiated by at least 1,500 voters or four communes; a referendum's passage demands an absolute majority of the votes cast
Country name
etymology
named after the Liechtenstein family, who acquired and consolidated the counties of Schellenburg and Vaduz in 1719; the family name originates from their Austrian castle of the same name, which translates to "light stone" in German
local long form
Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
local short form
Liechtenstein
conventional long form
Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form
Liechtenstein
Independence
23 January 1719 (establishment of the Principality of Liechtenstein); 12 July 1806 (gained independence from the Holy Roman Empire); 24 August 1866 (secured independence from the German Confederation)
Legal system
civil law system influenced by Swiss, Austrian, and German legal frameworks
Government type
constitutional monarchy
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Supreme Court or Fürstlicher Oberster Gerichtshof (composed of 5 judges and 5 substitutes); Constitutional Court or Staatsgerichtshof (includes 5 judges and 5 alternates)
subordinate courts
Court of Appeal (second instance), Regional Court (first instance), Administrative Court, Tribunal Court, and district courts
judge selection and term of office
judges for both courts are elected by the Landtag and appointed by the monarch; Supreme Court judges serve renewable 4-year terms; judges on the Constitutional Court are appointed for renewable 5-year terms
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet is elected by the Parliament and confirmed by the monarch
chief of state
Prince HANS-ADAM II (in power since 13 November 1989, having assumed executive powers on 26 August 1984)
head of government
Prime Minister Brigitte HAAS (since 10 April 2025)
election/appointment process
the monarchy is hereditary; typically, after legislative elections, the monarch appoints the head of government from the leader of the majority party in Parliament, and the leader of the largest minority party as the deputy head if a coalition government is in place
National holiday
National Day, 15 August (1940)
National color(s)
blue, red
Political parties
Democrats for Liechtenstein (Demokraten pro Liechtenstein) or DpL
Fatherland Union (Vaterlaendische Union) or VU
Progressive Citizens' Party (Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei) or FBP
The Free List (Die Freie Liste) or FL
The Independents (Die Unabhaengigen) or DU
Legislative branch
term in office
4 years
number of seats
25 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
Diet (Landtag)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
2/9/2025
expected date of next election
February 2029
percentage of women in chamber
32%
parties elected and seats per party
Patriotic Union (VU) (10); Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) (7); Democrats for Liechtenstein (DpL) (6); Free List (FL) (2)
National anthem(s)
title
"Oben am jungen Rhein" (High Above the Young Rhine)
history
adopted in 1850, revised in 1963; utilizes the melody of the United Kingdom's anthem, "God Save the King"
lyrics/music
Jakob Joseph JAUCH/Josef FROMMELT
National symbol(s)
princely hat (crown)
National coat of arms
the six motifs on the coat of arms illustrate the history of the royal House of Liechtenstein since 1719, when the nation was founded; the central small shield displays the royal family’s gold-and-red coat of arms, the gold-crowned eagle represents the Silesia family, the diamond wreath symbolizes the Kuenringer family, the red-and-silver shield signifies the Duchy of Troppau, the black eagle is derived from the coat of arms of a family that intermarried with the royal lineage, and the golden hunting horn denotes the Duchy of Jägerndorf
Administrative divisions
11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 331-3221
chancery
2900 K Street NW, Suite 602B, Washington, DC 20007
telephone
[1] (202) 331-0590
chief of mission
Ambassador Georg SPARBER (since 1 December 2021)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://www.liechtensteinusa.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy
the United States does not maintain an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein
International organization participation
CD, CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTO
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; acknowledges ICCt jurisdiction
Economy
Exports
Exports 2014
$3.774 billion (2014 est.)
Exports 2015
$3.217 billion (2015 est.)
Industries
electronics, metal production, dental equipment, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food items, precision instruments, tourism, optical devices
Exchange rates
Currency
Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
0.939 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
0.914 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
0.955 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
0.898 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
0.88 (2024 est.)
Economic overview
wealthy European economy; member of the Schengen Area; significant financial hub in Europe; closely linked to the Swiss economy and utilizes the franc currency; among the nations with the highest GDP per capita; depends on markets in the US and Eurozone for exports
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$187,700 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$201,200 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$210,600 (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
wheat, barley, maize, potatoes; livestock and dairy products
Exports - commodities
compact specialized machinery, audio and video connectors, automotive parts, dental equipment, hardware
Imports - commodities
agricultural goods, raw materials, energy resources, machinery, metal products, textiles, food items, vehicles
GDP (official exchange rate)
$8.395 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
-0.7% (2020 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
0.6% (2021 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
2.8% (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$6.885 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$7.031 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$7.172 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
40.6% (2022 est.)
services
55.6% (2022 est.)
agriculture
0.2% (2022 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
97% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
depends on overseas terrestrial and satellite broadcasting services for the majority of its media offerings; the initial television station based in Liechtenstein was founded in 2008; Radio Liechtenstein runs several radio stations; one radio station is managed by a broadcaster based in Switzerland
Internet country code
.li
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
10,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
26 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
51,400 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
129 (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
20,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
50 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Railways
total
9 km (2018)
standard gauge
9 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
Heliports
2 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
17 (2023)
by type
14 bulk carriers, 1 general cargo vessel, 2 others (including Switzerland)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
HB
Military & Security
Military and security forces
lacks conventional armed forces; the National Police of the Principality of Liechtenstein (Landespolizei des Fürstentums Liechtenstein)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees
875 (2024 est.)
