Liechtenstein
The Country of the Week
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Vaduz
- Population
- 40,547 (2025 est.)
- Area
- 160 sq km
- Government
- constitutional monarchy
- 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.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Liechtensteiner 65.6%, Swiss 9.6%, Austrian 5.8%, German 4.5%, Italian 3.1%, other 11.4% (2021 est.)
- Currency
- Swiss francs (CHF)
- Life Expectancy
- 83 years (2024 est.)
- Internet Domain
- .li
- Climate
- continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
- Terrain
- mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
- Natural Resources
- hydroelectric potential, arable land
- Major Exports
- small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Overview
The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719. Occupied by both French and Russian troops during the Napoleonic Wars, it became a sovereign state in 1806 and joined the German Confederation in 1815.