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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 have resulted in concerns about the use
of the financial institutions for money laundering.
Liechtenstein has, however, implemented new
anti-money-laundering legislation and recently concluded a
Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US. |
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Location:
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Central Europe,
between Austria and Switzerland |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 160
sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 160 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about 0.9 times
the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 76
km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km |
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Coastline:
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0 km (doubly
landlocked) |
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Climate:
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continental;
cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to
moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers |
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Terrain:
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mostly
mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m |
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Natural resources:
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hydroelectric
potential, arable land |
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Land use:
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arable land:
25%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 75% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 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 |
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Geography - note:
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along with
Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the
world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation |
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Population:
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33,436 (July 2004
est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
17.8% (male 2,950; female 3,014)
15-64 years: 70.5% (male 11,745; female 11,837)
65 years and over: 11.6% (male 1,598; female 2,292)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
38.8 years
male: 38.3 years
female: 39.3 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.86% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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10.65
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.94 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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4.85 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
4.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 79.4 years
male: 75.8 years
female: 83.02 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein |
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Ethnic groups:
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Alemannic 86%,
Italian, Turkish, and other 14% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic
76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002) |
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Languages:
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German
(official), Alemannic dialect |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein
local short form: Liechtenstein
local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein |
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Government type:
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hereditary
constitutional monarchy on a democratic and parliamentary
basis |
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Capital:
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Vaduz |
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Administrative divisions:
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11
communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen,
Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg,
Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz |
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Independence:
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23
January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein
established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the
Holy Roman Empire |
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National holiday:
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Assumption
Day, 15 August |
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Constitution:
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5
October 1921 |
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Legal system:
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local
civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations |
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Executive branch:
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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)
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
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed
by the monarch
head of government: Head of Government Otmar HASLER
(since 5 April 2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK
(since 5 April 2001) |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by
direct, popular vote under proportional representation to
serve four-year terms)
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
elections: last held 11 February 2001 (next to be held
by NA 2005) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Patriotic
Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Heinz FROMMELT];
Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Matt JOHANNES]; The Free
List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Elisabeth TELLENBACH-FRICK, Adolf
RITTER] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the
US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US
Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein |
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $825 million (1999 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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11% (1999 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $25,000 (1999 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
NA%
industry: 40%
services: NA% (1999) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1% (2001) |
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Labor force:
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29,000 of whom
19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria,
Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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industry 47.4%,
services 51.3%, agriculture 1.3% (31 December 2001 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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1.3% (September
2002) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
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Industries:
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electronics,
metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics,
pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments,
tourism, optical instruments |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley,
corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products |
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Exports:
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$2.47 billion
(1996) |
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Exports - commodities:
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small specialty
machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor
vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs,
electronic equipment, optical products |
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Exports - partners:
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EU 62.6% (Germany
24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US
18.9%, Switzerland 15.7% |
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Imports:
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$917.3 million
(1996) |
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Imports - commodities:
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agricultural
products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods, textiles,
foodstuffs, motor vehicles |
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Imports - partners:
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EU, Switzerland |
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Debt - external:
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$0 (2001) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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none |
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Currency:
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Swiss franc (CHF) |
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Currency code:
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CHF |
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Exchange rates:
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Swiss francs per
US dollar - 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001),
1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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19,900 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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11,400 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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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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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 0, FM 4,
shortwave 0 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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NA (linked to
Swiss networks) (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.li |
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Internet users:
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20,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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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 (2002) |
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Highways:
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total: 250
km
paved: 250 km
unpaved: 0 km |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Pipelines:
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gas 20 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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none |
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Airports:
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none (2003 est.) |
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Military - note:
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defense is the
responsibility of Switzerland |
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Disputes - international:
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Liechtenstein's
royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the
Czech Republic confiscated in 1918 |
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Illicit drugs:
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has strengthened
money-laundering controls, but money laundering remains a
concern due to Liechtenstein sophisticated offshore financial
services sector |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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