| Principality of Liechtenstein
Fürstentum Liechtenstein (German)
| |
|---|---|
Motto: "Für Gott, Fürst und Vaterland"
"For God, Prince, and Fatherland" | |
Anthem:
(English: "High on the Young Rhine") | |
![Location of Liechtenstein (green)in Europe (dark grey) – [Legend]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europe-Liechtenstein.svg)
| |
| Capital | Vaduz |
| Largest municipality | Schaan 47°10′00″N9°30′35″E |
| Official languages | German |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Demonym | Liechtensteiner |
| Government | Unitaryparliamentaryconstitutional monarchy |
• Monarch
| Hans-Adam II |
• Regent
| Alois |
| Adrian Hasler | |
| Legislature | Landtag |
| Independence as principality | |
• Union between
Vaduz and Schellenberg | 23 January 1718 |
| 12 July 1806 | |
• Separation from
German Confederation | 24 August 1866 |
| Area | |
• Total
| 160 km2(62 sq mi) (191st) |
• Water (%)
| 2.7[1] |
| Population | |
• 2017 estimate
| 38,111[2] (190st) |
• Density
| 227/km2(587.9/sq mi) (57th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2013 estimate |
• Total
| $5.3 billion [3](149th) |
• Per capita
| $98,432[2][4][5](2nd) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2010 estimate |
• Total
| $5.155 billion[4][5](147th) |
• Per capita
| $143,151[2][4][5](2nd) |
| HDI (2015) |  0.912[6]very high · 15th |
| Currency | Swiss franc (CHF) |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
• Summer (DST)
| CEST (UTC+2) |
| Drives on the | right |
| Calling code | +423 |
| ISO 3166 code | LI |
| Internet TLD | .li |
Liechtenstein (/ˈlɪktənstaɪn/ (
listen); LIK-tən-styne; German: [ˈlɪçtn̩ʃtaɪn]), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein),[7] is a doubly landlocked German-speaking microstate in Central Europe.[8] The principality is a constitutional monarchy headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein.
listen); LIK-tən-styne; German: [ˈlɪçtn̩ʃtaɪn]), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein),[7] is a doubly landlocked German-speaking microstate in Central Europe.[8] The principality is a constitutional monarchy headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein.
Liechtenstein is bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and Austria to the east and north. It has an area of just over 160 square kilometres (62 square miles), the fourth smallest in Europe, and an estimated population of 37,000. Divided into 11 municipalities, its capital is Vaduz, and its largest municipality is Schaan.
Economically, Liechtenstein has one of the highest gross domestic products per person in the world when adjusted for purchasing power parity,[9] and the highest when not adjusted by purchasing power parity. The unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the world at 1.5%. Liechtenstein has been known in the past as a billionaire tax haven; however, it is no longer on any blacklists of uncooperative tax haven countries (see taxation section).
An Alpine country, Liechtenstein is mainly mountainous, making it a winter sport destination. Many cultivated fields and small farms are found both in the south (Oberland, upper land) and north (Unterland, lower land). The country has a strong financial sector centered in Vaduz. Liechtenstein is a member of the United Nations, the European Free Trade Association, and the Council of Europe, and although not a member of the European Union, the country participates in both the Schengen Area and the European Economic Area. It also has a customs union and a monetary union with Switzerland.