Liechtenstein is a landlocked Alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and Austria to the east and north. Its area is 160 km2, with an estimated population of just over 39,000. Its capital is Vaduz and its largest city is Schaan.
A“little paradise on Earth”
It is a small, polite country ruled by a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, with a prince as its sovereign and head of state. In short, Liechtenstein is a principality currently ruled by Prince Hans-Adam II, who ascended the throne upon his father’s death in 1989. Since 2004, his son Alois has effectively assumed all the functions of head of state. The Landtag, Liechtenstein’s parliament, is composed of 25 members elected by the citizens. A government of five ministers manages day-to-day affairs.
According to The World Factbook, Liechtenstein has one of the highest GDPs per capita, the lowest unemployment rate in the world, which is steadily declining, standing at only 1.4% in December 2023 (virtually non-existent), and is the smallest and wealthiest of the German-speaking countries.
The country is divided into eleven municipalities and two electoral districts (comparable to provinces) called Unterland and Oberland. These eleven municipalities are:
It is a country located in the Alps, with two ski resorts: one for alpine skiing and snowboarding, and the other for Nordic sports.
Liechtenstein is part of the Schengen Area but not the EU.
The country’s economy relies primarily on a powerful financial sector located in its capital, Vaduz. It is no longer classified by the OECD as a tax haven. It is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the European Economic Area (EEA), and the Schengen Area, but not the European Union (EU).
château de VaduzLiechtenstein governmentRhin : the border between Liechtenstein and Switzerland seen from the Liechtenstein side.
Only about two-thirds of the population (65.8%) are of Liechtenstein origin. 20.1% of residents come from other German-speaking countries (10.8% from Switzerland, 5.9% from Austria, and 3.4% from Germany). This is closely followed by Italians (3.3%), citizens of the former Yugoslavia (3.3%), Turks (2.6%), and other nationalities (4.8%).
In Liechtenstein, the official language is German, but the spoken language is Liechtensteinese. French is the principality’s first foreign language, taught as a compulsory subject from the sixth grade onward, in upper secondary schools, and in general supplementary courses.
73.4% of the population identify as Catholic, 8.2% identify as Protestant, 5.9% identify as Muslim, 1.5% identify as belonging to another Christian denomination, and 0.8% identify as belonging to another religion. 10.3% provide no response.
The literacy rate in Liechtenstein is 100%. Liechtenstein has four main centers of higher education: the University of Liechtenstein;the private University of the Principality of Liechtenstein; the Liechtenstein Institute;and the International Academy of Philosophy.The country also has nine public high schools.
20 heller of Liechtenstein, 1920.
Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein enjoys a prosperous economy based on the free market and a high level of industrialization (industrial capital goods, tools, etc.).
Liechtenstein participates in a customs and monetary union with Switzerland and therefore uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. The principality has also been a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) since May 1995, and the government seeks to harmonize its economic policy with that of the European Union. In 2008, its GDP reached US$3.97 billion, giving it a per capita GDP of $111,488 for the same year, second only to Monaco. Liechtenstein has no debt; it even has a “negative” debt reserve.
The country’s only television channel is currently the private company 1FLTV, established in 2008. There is no national radio station.
The road on the border between Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
Liechtenstein’s road network is perfectly maintained and approximately 140 km long. There are no motorways and no driving regulations. Road signs, with a few exceptions, are the same as in Switzerland. Every driver is responsible for their own driving. Drivers are taught to be responsible and courteous from an early age. There’s no need to be constantly flashed.
Liechtenstein’s international dialing code is (+423).
The principality has only 9.5 km of railway track maintained and administered by the Austrian national railway company, ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways). Only four stations or stops are located within its territory: Schaanwald, Nendeln, Schaan-Forst-Hilti, and Schaan-Vaduz. Liechtenstein has a good bus network. The principality does not have an airport. The only air infrastructure is a heliport in Balzers. The Swiss airport of Zurich (130 km away) serves as the principality’s main air gateway.
Liechtenstein does not have an army and its defense is provided by Switzerland. Liechtenstein is a member of the WTO (since 1995) and the UN (since 1990). Liechtenstein is also particularly engaged in international economic and financial issues.
What about the police?
The National Police of the Principality of Liechtenstein consists of 125 employees, including 91 officers and 34 staff members. Liechtenstein has concluded a trilateral treaty allowing close cooperation between the police services of the three states, namely Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and Austria.
Liechtenstein is also a member of Interpol and a signatory to various other treaties. Liechtenstein has only one prison, which is located in Vaduz. This prison normally houses remand prisoners and those sentenced to up to two years in prison.
In 2023, there were only 48 prisoners in this country; in 2025, there are only 7 left. There are no serious crimes, as no one is imprisoned for more than 3 years. Prisoners receive their food from good restaurants in the country.
What do You think about Liechtenstein? The little paradize Earth?
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