Liechtenstein

Full name of country: Principality of Liechtenstein

Region: Europe

Official language: German

Population: 40,272 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Liechtensteiner(s) (noun), Liechtenstein (adjective)

Land area: 160 sq km (62 sq miles)

Capital: Vaduz

National anthem: "Oben am jungen Rhein" (High Above the Young Rhine), by Jakob Joseph Jauch/Josef Frommelt

National holiday: National Day, August 15

Population growth: 0.69% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +1

Flag: Liechtenstein’s flag consists of two horizontal bands of blue (top) and red (bottom), with a gold crown located on the hoist side of the blue band.

Independence: January 23, 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); July 12, 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire); August 24, 1866 (independence from the German Confederation)

Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: civil law system influenced by Swiss, Austrian, and German law

The Principality of Liechtenstein is an Alpine country located in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east and north. Liechtenstein became a fully independent nation in 1866 after the dissolution of the Germanic Confederation. After World War II, Liechtenstein experienced significant economic growth, making this small country one of the richest German-speaking countries. This country’s Alpine location makes it a popular destination for skiing and hiking.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

Principal Cities by Population (2018)

• Schaan (6,014)
• Vaduz (5,000)
• Triesen (5,202)
• Balzers (4,594)

Topography

Liechtenstein is only about 26 kilometers (16 miles) long from north to south, and less than 6.5 kilometers (about 4 miles) across. Geographically, Liechtenstein is split into two regions: the Oberland (Upper Country) in the south and the Unterland (Lower Country) in the north. Both parts of the country feature mountains—in the Oberland, these are the Western and Eastern Alps—but the Unterland is also characterized by the Rhine River floodplain. The Rhine River provides its western border, and the river’s floodplain is the principality’s prime agricultural region. Another major waterway in the country is the Samina River, which originates in Liechtenstein’s south, and feeds into Austria’s Ill River. The Samina is used to produce electricity and to provide drinking water. The country’s highest mountain is the Grauspitz, at 2,599 meters (8,526 feet) above sea level.

Liechtenstein is often referred to as a doubly landlocked country, due to the fact that the microstate itself is landlocked, and the countries surrounding it are all landlocked as well.

Liechtenstein's HDI value for 2022 is 0.942— which put the country in the Very High human development category—positioning it at 12 out of 193 countries and territories.

Cultural Sites & Landmarks

Liechtenstein’s low urban concentration makes the country a good destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Many hiking trails can be found in the mountains, as well as botany walks in the valley area. The Ruggeller Riet, a moor just outside the town of Ruggell, is the lowest point in the principality and one of Liechtenstein’s most biologically diverse nature preserves. The moor was formed some ten thousand years ago, when streams flowing through the valley and feeding into the Rhine dried up. The variety of flora and fauna includes the Siberian iris and the crested shield fern, as well as roughly 146 bird species and 534 different species of butterfly. Alpine skiing also draws tourists to the resort at Malbun, though the skiing season is short, with snows lasting only from early January into April.

The Vaduz Castle (Schloss Vaduz) stands above the capital of Vaduz against a striking Alpine backdrop, visible from anywhere in the city. Built as a fortress in the twelfth century, the prominent landmark was expanded in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The princes of Liechtenstein have owned the castle since 1712, but it has only served as the royal family’s primary residence since 1938. The interior of the castle is not accessible to visitors. Another important landmark in Vaduz is the Red House, located on Prince Franz Joseph Street. It features late-medieval gabled stairs construction—the roof resembles two staircases meeting at the top—and a massive tower was added onto the original house in 1904. The Red House stands in a vineyard and once housed a wine press, a reflection of Liechtenstein’s tradition of vinification (winemaking).

To the north, in Schellenberg, stands the Biedermann House. Originally built in 1518, it is the oldest wooden dwelling in Liechtenstein, but it has been taken apart and moved several times, including in 1993. The latest move included a renovation that repurposed the house into a living history museum, reproducing the lifestyle of peasants in the eighteenth century. Also in the Unterland is the town of Eschen, where archeologists have discovered signs of human settlement from the Neolithic Age (or New Stone Age, beginning about 9500 BCE), as well as the foundation walls of a Roman villa (country house). At the heart of Eschen stands a parish church (as is true in all towns in Liechtenstein), as well as two semidetached homes dating to the Middle Ages and the fourteenth-century Pfrundhaus, used for municipal business, concerts, and art exhibits.

Government Structure

Liechtenstein is a hereditary constitutional monarchy. The head of state is a monarch, whose royal stature and position is inherited. The royal house shares power with a democratically elected parliament, based on the provisions of the country’s 1921 constitution, which has been amended many times. Liechtenstein’s Landtag (parliament) is unicameral, and the twenty-five members are elected by proportional representation to four-year terms. The government is headed by a prime minister, who is appointed by the monarch and typically is the leader of the majority party in the Landtag. Adults may vote from their eighteenth birthday, though women have enjoyed this right only since 1984.

In most other constitutional monarchies, such as Sweden, the monarch serves either a limited role in the actual governing of the country or an entirely ceremonial role. This is not the case in Liechtenstein. In 2003, the citizens of Liechtenstein voted in a constitutional referendum to expand their monarch’s power, granting the monarch the authority to veto legislation, which has generated concern that this infringes upon the country’s democratic system.

Fascinating Facts

• The first known reference to the House of Liechtenstein comes from a document dating to 1136, mentioning “Hugo of Liechtenstein.” Hugo named himself after Liechtenstein Castle, outside of Vienna, Austria. The castle was named after the chalk cliff—the “light stone,” or liecht stein—on which it stands.
• The royal family of Liechtenstein is closely related to the royal family of Luxembourg.
• Liechtenstein had ten Olympic medals by 2020: two gold, two silver, and six bronze. All were won at the Winter Olympics for alpine skiing. Four medals—both gold medals, a silver, and a bronze—were won by skier Hanni Wenzel, while her younger brother Andreas won silver and bronze. In 2018, Tina Weirather won a bronze medal in the super giant slalom event.

Bibliography

Beattie, David. Liechtenstein: A Modern History. Tauris, 2004.

Dodge, Justin, editor. Liechtenstein. Safari, 2012.

Eccardt, Thomas M. Secrets of the Seven Smallest States of Europe: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City. Hippocrene, 2005.

Hoffman, David. Vaduz, Liechtenstein City Travel Guide 2013: Attractions, Restaurants, and More. Doma, 2012.

“Liechtenstein.” The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 2 Jan. 2025, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ls.html. Accessed 16 Jan. 2025.

Liechtenstein in Figures 2020. Office of Statistics Principality of Liechtenstein, 2020, www.llv.li/files/as/liechtenstein‗in‗figures‗2020.pdf. Accessed 11 Mar. 2021.

Miller, Frederic, et al. Liechtenstein Museum. Alphascript, 2010.

“Liechtenstein.” "Human Development Insights." Human Development Reports 2022, United Nations Development Programme, 13th March 2024, hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 16 Jan. 2025.