Austria vs. Liechtenstein
Introduction
| Austria | Liechtenstein | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the EU in 1995 have altered the meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. | 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. Liechtenstein became fully independent in 1866 when the Confederation dissolved. 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. In 2000, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight resulted in concerns about the use of financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein implemented anti-money laundering legislation and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US that went into effect in 2003. |
Geography
| Austria | Liechtenstein | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland |
| Geographic coordinates | 47 20 N, 13 20 E | 47 16 N, 9 32 E |
| Map references | Europe | Europe |
| Area | total: 83,871 sq km land: 82,445 sq km water: 1,426 sq km | total: 160 sq km land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about the size of South Carolina; slightly more than two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries | total: 2,524 km border countries (8): Czech Republic 402 km, Germany 801 km, Hungary 321 km, Italy 404 km, Liechtenstein 34 km, Slovakia 105 km, Slovenia 299 km, Switzerland 158 km | total: 75 km border countries (2): Austria 34 km, Switzerland 41 km |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 0 km (doubly landlocked) |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | none (landlocked) |
| Climate | temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers |
| Terrain | mostly mountains (Alps) in the west and south; mostly flat or gently sloping along the eastern and northern margins | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m mean elevation: 910 m | highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m |
| Natural resources | oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower | hydroelectric potential, arable land |
| Land use | agricultural land: 38.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 16.5% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 21.1% (2018 est.) forest: 47.2% (2018 est.) other: 14.4% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 37.6% (2018 est.) arable land: 18.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 18.8% (2018 est.) forest: 43.1% (2018 est.) other: 19.3% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 1,170 sq km (2012) | 0 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | landslides; avalanches; earthquakes | avalanches, landslides |
| Environment - current issues | some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe; water pollution; the Danube, as well as some of Austria's other rivers and lakes, are threatened by pollution | some air pollution generated locally, some transfered from surrounding countries |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Antarctic-Environmental Protection | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Law of the Sea |
| Geography - note | note 1: landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere note 2: the world's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi) is the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, about 40 km south of Salzburg; ice caves are bedrock caves that contain year-round ice formations; they differ from glacial caves, which are transient and are formed by melting ice and flowing water within and under glaciers | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation |
| Total renewable water resources | 77.7 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 0 cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | the northern and eastern portions of the country are more densely populated; nearly two-thirds of the populace lives in urban areas | most of the population is found in the western half of the country along the Rhine River |
Demographics
| Austria | Liechtenstein | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,884,864 (July 2021 est.) | 39,425 (July 2021 est.) note: immigrants make up 67% of the total population, according to UN data (2019) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 14.01% (male 635,803/female 605,065) 15-24 years: 10.36% (male 466,921/female 451,248) 25-54 years: 41.35% (male 1,831,704/female 1,831,669) 55-64 years: 14.41% (male 635,342/female 641,389) 65 years and over: 19.87% (male 768,687/female 991,621) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 15.2% (male 3,259/female 2,688) 15-24 years: 11.29% (male 2,238/female 2,181) 25-54 years: 40.22% (male 7,869/female 7,872) 55-64 years: 14.41% (male 2,711/female 2,930) 65 years and over: 18.88% (male 3,403/female 3,986) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 44.5 years male: 43.1 years female: 45.8 years (2020 est.) | total: 43.7 years male: 42 years female: 45.3 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.32% (2021 est.) | 0.73% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 9.48 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 10.35 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 9.85 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 7.89 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | 3.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 4.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.26 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.21 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 82.07 years male: 79.42 years female: 84.85 years (2021 est.) | total population: 82.36 years male: 80.11 years female: 85.19 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.5 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.69 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.1% (2017 est.) | NA |
| Nationality | noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian | noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein |
| Ethnic groups | Austrian 80.8%, German 2.6%, Bosnian and Herzegovinian 1.9%, Turkish 1.8%, Serbian 1.6%, Romanian 1.3%, other 10% (2018 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth | Liechtensteiner 65.8%, Swiss 9.6%, Austrian 5.9%, German 4.4%, Italian 3.1%, other 11.2% (2019 est.) note: data represent population by nationality |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 7,400 (2017 est.) | NA |
| Religions | Catholic 57%, Eastern Orthodox 8.7%, Muslim 7.9%, Evangelical Christian 3.3%, other/none/unspecified 23.1% (2018 est.) note: data on Muslim is a 2016 estimate; data on other/none/unspecified are from 2012-2018 estimates | Roman Catholic (official) 73.4%, Protestant Reformed 6.3%, Muslim 5.9%, Christian Orthodox 1.3%, Lutheran 1.2%, other Protestant .7%, other Christian .3%, other .8%, none 7%, unspecified 3.3% (2015 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | <100 (2017 est.) | NA |
| Languages | German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in southern Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 est.) major-language sample(s): Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | German 91.5% (official) (Alemannic is the main dialect), Italian 1.5%, Turkish 1.3%, Portuguese 1.1%, other 4.6% (2015 est.) major-language sample(s): Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 16 years (2018) | total: 15 years male: 16 years female: 14 years (2018) |
| Education expenditures | 5.4% of GDP (2017) | 2.6% of GDP (2011) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 59% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 14.5% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: total: 100% of population unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: total: 98% of population unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017) |
| Major cities - population | 1.945 million VIENNA (capital) (2021) | 5,000 VADUZ (capital) (2018) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 29.7 years (2019 est.) | 31.3 years (2017) |
Government
| Austria | Liechtenstein | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Austria local long form: Republik Oesterreich local short form: Oesterreich etymology: the name Oesterreich means "eastern realm" or "eastern march" and dates to the 10th century; the designation refers to the fact that Austria was the easternmost extension of Bavaria, and, in fact, of all the Germans; the word Austria is a Latinization of the German name | conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein etymology: named after the Liechtenstein dynasty that purchased and united the counties of Schellenburg and Vaduz and that was allowed by the Holy Roman Emperor in 1719 to rename the new property after their family; the name in German means "light (bright) stone" |
| Government type | federal parliamentary republic | constitutional monarchy |
| Capital | name: Vienna geographic coordinates: 48 12 N, 16 22 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the origin of the name is disputed but may derive from earlier settlements of the area; a Celtic town of Vedunia, established about 500 B.C., came under Roman dominance around 15 B.C. and became known as Vindobona; archeological remains of the latter survive at many sites in the center of Vienna | name: Vaduz geographic coordinates: 47 08 N, 9 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: may be a conflation from the Latin "vallis" (valley) and the High German "diutisk" (meaning "German") to produce "Valdutsch" (German valley), which over time simplified and came to refer specifically to Vaduz, the town |
| Administrative divisions | 9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna) | 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz |
| Independence | no official date of independence: 976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 6 January 1453 (Archduchy of Austria acknowledged); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 30 March 1867 (Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy established); 12 November 1918 (First Republic proclaimed); 27 April 1945 (Second Republic proclaimed) | 23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire); 24 August 1866 (independence from the German Confederation) |
| National holiday | National Day (commemorates passage of the law on permanent neutrality), 26 October (1955) | National Day, 15 August (1940); note - a National Day was originally established in 1940 to combine celebrations for the Feast of the Assumption (15 August) with those honoring the birthday of former Prince FRANZ JOSEF II (1906-1989) whose birth fell on 16 August; after the prince's death, National Day became the official national holiday by law in 1990 |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest adopted 1 October 1920, revised 1929, replaced May 1934, replaced by German Weimar constitution in 1938 following German annexation, reinstated 1 May 1945 amendments: proposed through laws designated "constitutional laws" or through the constitutional process if the amendment is part of another law; approval required by at least a two-thirds majority vote by the National Assembly and the presence of one half of the members; a referendum is required only if requested by one third of the National Council or Federal Council membership; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended many times, last in 2020 | history: previous 1862; latest adopted 5 October 1921 amendments: proposed by Parliament, by the reigning prince (in the form of "Government" proposals), by petition of at least 1,500 qualified voters, or by at least four communes; passage requires unanimous approval of Parliament members in one sitting or three-quarters majority vote in two successive sittings; referendum required only if petitioned by at least 1,500 voters or by at least four communes; passage by referendum requires absolute majority of votes cast; amended many times, last in 2020 |
| Legal system | civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court | civil law system influenced by Swiss, Austrian, and German law |
| Suffrage | 16 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (since 26 January 2017) head of government: Sebastian KURZ elected chancellor (since 2 January 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held on 24 April 2016 (first round), 22 May 2016 (second round, which was annulled), and 4 December 2016 (second round re-vote) (next election to be held in April 2022); chancellor appointed by the president but determined by the majority coalition parties in the Federal Assembly; vice chancellor appointed by the president on the advice of the chancellor election results: Alexander VAN DER BELLEN elected in second round; percent of vote in first round - Norbert HOFER (FPOe) 35.1%, Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (independent, allied with the Greens) 21.3%, Irmgard GRISS (independent) 18.9%, Rudolf HUNDSTORFER (SPOe) 11.3%, Andreas KHOL (OeVP) 11.1%, Richard LUGNER (independent) 2.3%; percent of vote in second round - Alexander VAN DER BELLEN 53.8%, Norbert HOFER 46.2% | chief of state: Prince HANS-ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers on 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent and Regent of Liechtenstein Prince ALOIS (son of the monarch, born 11 June 1968); note - 15 August 2004, HANS-ADAM II transferred the official duties of the ruling prince to ALOIS, but HANS-ADAM II retains status of chief of state head of government: Prime Minister Daniel RISCH; Deputy Prime Minister Sabine MONAUNI (both since 25 March 2021) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Parliament usually appointed the head of government by the monarch, and the leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a coalition government |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of: Federal Council or Bundesrat (61 seats; members appointed by state parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 seats in proportion to its population; members serve 5- or 6-year terms) National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) (e.g. 2019) elections: Federal Council - last appointed - NA National Council - last held on 29 September 2019 (next to be held in 2024); note - election was originally scheduled for 2022, but President VAN DER BELLEN called for an early election (e.g. 2019) election results: Federal Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 44, women 17, percent of women 27.9% National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP 37.5%, SPOe 21.2%, FPOe 16.2%, The Greens 13.9%, NEOS 8.1%, other 3.1%; seats by party - OeVP 71, SPOe 40, FPOe 31, The Greens 26, NEOS 15; composition - men 115, women 68, percent of women 37.2%; note - total Federal Assembly percent of women 34.8% (e.g. 2019) | description: unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members directly elected in 2 multi-seat constituencies by open-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 7 February 2021 (next to be held in February 2025) election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 35.9%, VU 35.9%, FL 12.9%, DpL 11.1%, independent 4.2%; seats by party - FBP 10, VU 10, FL 3, DpL 2; composition - men 18, women 7, percent of women 28% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice or Oberster Gerichtshof (consists of 85 judges organized into 17 senates or panels of 5 judges each); Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof (consists of 20 judges including 6 substitutes; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof - 2 judges plus other members depending on the importance of the case) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; judges serve for life; Constitutional Court judges nominated by several executive branch departments and approved by the president; judges serve for life; Administrative Court judges recommended by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; terms of judges and members determined by the president subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (4); Regional Courts (20); district courts (120); county courts | highest courts: Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof (consists of 5 judges); Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgericht (consists of 5 judges and 5 alternates) judge selection and term of office: judges of both courts elected by the Landtag and appointed by the monarch; Supreme Court judges serve 4-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed for renewable 5-year terms subordinate courts: Court of Appeal or Obergericht (second instance), Court of Justice (first instance), Administrative Court, county courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Sebastian KURZ] Communist Party of Austria or KPOe [Mirko MESSNER] Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Herbert KICKI] The Greens [Werner KOGLER] NEOS - The New Austria [Beate MEINL-REISINGER] NOW-Pilz List (JETZT-Liste Pilz) or PILZ [Maria STERN] Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Pamela RENDI-WAGNER] | Fatherland Union (Vaterlaendische Union) or VU [Guenther FRITZ] Progressive Citizens' Party (Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei) or FBP [Thomas BANZER] The Free List (Die Freie Liste) or FL [Pepo FRICK and Conny BUECHEL BRUEHWILER] The Independents (Die Unabhaengigen) or DU [Harry QUADERER] |
| International organization participation | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | CD, CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Martin WEISS (since 6 January 2020) chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750 email address and website: washington-ka@bmeia.gv.at https://www.austria.org/ consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, Washington consulate(s): Chicago | chief of mission: Ambassador Kurt JAEGER (since 16 September 2016) chancery: 2900 K Street NW, Suite 602B, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590 FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221 email address and website: info@embassyli.org https://www.liechtensteinusa.org/ |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant), Mario MESQUITA (since 12 July 2021) embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, 1090, Vienna mailing address: 9900 Vienna Place, Washington DC 20521-9900 telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0 FAX: [43] (1) 310-06-82 email address and website: ConsulateVienna@state.gov https://at.usembassy.gov/ | embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is accredited to Liechtenstein |
| Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red; the flag design is certainly one of the oldest - if not the oldest - national banners in the world; according to tradition, in 1191, following a fierce battle in the Third Crusade, Duke Leopold V of Austria's white tunic became completely blood-spattered; upon removal of his wide belt or sash, a white band was revealed; the red-white-red color combination was subsequently adopted as his banner | two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band; the colors may derive from the blue and red livery design used in the principality's household in the 18th century; the prince's crown was introduced in 1937 to distinguish the flag from that of Haiti |
| National anthem | name: "Bundeshymne" (Federal Hymn) lyrics/music: Paula von PRERADOVIC/Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART or Johann HOLZER (disputed) note: adopted 1947; the anthem is also known as "Land der Berge, Land am Strome" (Land of the Mountains, Land by the River); Austria adopted a new national anthem after World War II to replace the former imperial anthem composed by Franz Josef HAYDN, which had been appropriated by Germany in 1922 and was thereafter associated with the Nazi regime; a gendered version of the lyrics was adopted by the Austrian Federal Assembly in fall 2011 and became effective 1 January 2012 | name: "Oben am jungen Rhein" (High Above the Young Rhine) lyrics/music: Jakob Joseph JAUCH/Josef FROMMELT note: adopted 1850, revised 1963; uses the tune of "God Save the Queen" |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | eagle, edelweiss, Alpine gentian; national colors: red, white | princely hat (crown); national colors: blue, red |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Austria dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Liechtenstein; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy
| Austria | Liechtenstein | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Austria is a well-developed market economy with skilled labor force and high standard of living. It is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's, but also the US', its third-largest trade partner. Its economy features a large service sector, a sound industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector. Austrian economic growth strengthen in 2017, with a 2.9% increase in GDP. Austrian exports, accounting for around 60% of the GDP, were up 8.2% in 2017. Austria's unemployment rate fell by 0.3% to 5.5%, which is low by European standards, but still at its second highest rate since the end of World War II, driven by an increased number of refugees and EU migrants entering the labor market. Austria's fiscal position compares favorably with other euro-zone countries. The budget deficit stood at a low 0.7% of GDP in 2017 and public debt declined again to 78.4% of GDP in 2017, after reaching a post-war high 84.6% in 2015. The Austrian government has announced it plans to balance the fiscal budget in 2019. Several external risks, such as Austrian banks' exposure to Central and Eastern Europe, the refugee crisis, and continued unrest in Russia/Ukraine, eased in 2017, but are still a factor for the Austrian economy. Exposure to the Russian banking sector and a deep energy relationship with Russia present additional risks. Austria elected a new pro-business government in October 2017 that campaigned on promises to reduce bureaucracy, improve public sector efficiency, reduce labor market protections, and provide positive investment incentives. | Despite its small size and lack of natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial services sector and one of the highest per capita income levels in the world. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small and medium-sized businesses, particularly in the services sector. Low business taxes - a flat tax of 12.5% on income is applied - and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding 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 and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated EU. As of 2015, 54% of Liechtenstein's workforce consisted of cross-border commuters, largely from Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Since 2008, Liechtenstein has faced renewed international pressure - particularly from Germany and the US - to improve transparency in its banking and tax systems. In December 2008, Liechtenstein signed a Tax Information Exchange Agreement with the US. Upon Liechtenstein's conclusion of 12 bilateral information-sharing agreements, the OECD in October 2009 removed the principality from its "grey list" of countries that had yet to implement the organization's Model Tax Convention. By the end of 2010, Liechtenstein had signed 25 Tax Information Exchange Agreements or Double Tax Agreements. In 2011, Liechtenstein joined the Schengen area, which allows passport-free travel across 26 European countries. In 2015, Liechtenstein and the EU agreed to clamp down on tax fraud and evasion and in 2018 will start automatically exchanging information on the bank accounts of each other's residents. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $498.78 billion (2019 est.) $491.803 billion (2018 est.) $479.433 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $4.978 billion (2014 est.) $3.2 billion (2009 est.) $3.216 billion (2008 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 1.42% (2019 est.) 2.58% (2018 est.) 2.4% (2017 est.) | 1.8% (2012 est.) -0.5% (2011 est.) 3.1% (2007 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $56,188 (2019 est.) $55,631 (2018 est.) $54,496 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $139,100 (2009 est.) $90,100 (2008 est.) $91,300 (2007 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1.3% (2017 est.) industry: 28.4% (2017 est.) services: 70.3% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 7% (2014) industry: 41% (2014) services: 52% (2014) |
| Population below poverty line | 13.3% (2018 est.) | NA |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 23.5% (2012 est.) | lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (2019 est.) 2% (2018 est.) 2% (2017 est.) | -0.4% (2016 est.) -0.2% (2013) |
| Labor force | 3.739 million (2020 est.) | 38,520 (2012) (2015 est.) note: 51% of the labor force in Liechtenstein commute daily from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 0.7% industry: 25.2% services: 74.1% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 0.8% industry: 36.9% services: 62.3% (2015) |
| Unemployment rate | 7.35% (2019 est.) 7.7% (2018 est.) | 2.4% (2015) 2.4% (2014) |
| Budget | revenues: 201.7 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 204.6 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 995.3 million (2012 est.) expenditures: 890.4 million (2011 est.) |
| Industries | construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and paper, electronics, tourism | electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments |
| Industrial production growth rate | 6.5% (2017 est.) | NA |
| Agriculture - products | milk, maize, sugar beet, wheat, barley, potatoes, pork, triticale, grapes, apples | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products |
| Exports | $270.888 billion (2019 est.) $263.145 billion (2018 est.) $249.312 billion (2017 est.) | $3.217 billion (2015 est.) $3.774 billion (2014 est.) note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland |
| Exports - commodities | cars, packaged medical supplies, vehicle parts, medical vaccines/cultures, flavored water (2019) | small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products |
| Imports | $253.276 billion (2019 est.) $247.225 billion (2018 est.) $235.385 billion (2017 est.) | $2.23 billion (2014 est.) note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland |
| Imports - commodities | cars, vehicle parts, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, packaged medical supplies (2019) | agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles |
| Debt - external | $688.434 billion (2019 est.) $686.196 billion (2018 est.) | $0 (2015 est.) note: public external debt only; private external debt unavailable |
| Exchange rates | euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.82771 (2020 est.) 0.90338 (2019 est.) 0.87789 (2018 est.) 0.885 (2014 est.) 0.7634 (2013 est.) | Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 0.9875 (2017 est.) 0.9852 (2016 est.) 0.9852 (2015 est.) 0.9627 (2014 est.) 0.9152 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $445.025 billion (2019 est.) | $6.672 billion (2014 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: AA+ (2015) Moody's rating: Aa1 (2016) Standard & Poors rating: AA+ (2012) | Standard & Poors rating: AAA (1996) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 78.7 (2020) Starting a Business score: 83.2 (2020) Trading score: 100 (2020) Enforcement score: 75.5 (2020) | Overall score: 64.8 (2020) Starting a Business score: 73 (2020) Trading score: 96.1 (2020) Enforcement score: 59.8 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 48.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 14.9% (of GDP) (2012 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -0.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 1.6% (of GDP) (2012 est.) |
Energy
| Austria | Liechtenstein | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 60.78 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 68.43 million kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 64.6 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 393.6 million kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 19.21 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 0 kWh (2015 est.) (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 26.37 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 325.2 million kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Austria | Liechtenstein | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 3,722,128 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 42.17 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 13,727 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35.34 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 10.726 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121.53 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 47,748 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 122.92 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .at | .li |
| Internet users | total: 7,712,665 percent of population: 87.71% (July 2018 est.) | total: 37,815 percent of population: 98.1% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: mature telecom market benefitting from effective competition; government and regulator are focused on improving telecom infrastructure; program to provide a national gigabit service by 2030 based on 5G networks; fixed-line broadband market is dominated by DSL sector, while cable broadband enjoys steady share of connections; fiber penetration remains low pending build out network infrastructure; EU-funded projects develop infrastructure to enable an 'Internet of Services; Vienna is a smart city; importer of broadcasting equipment from Vietnam and China (2021) (2020)domestic: developed and efficient; 41 per 100 fixed-line for households, 174 per 100 for companies; 120 per 100 mobile-cellular; broadband: 138 per 100 on smartphones; 62 per 100 fixed broadband, 54 per 100 mobile broadband (2019) international: country code - 43; earth stations available in the Astra, Intelsat, Eutelsat satellite systems (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: automatic telephone system; 44 Internet service providers in Liechtenstein and Switzerland combined; FttP (fiber to the home) penetration marketed 3rd highest in EU; fiber network reaches 3/4 of the population (2020) domestic: fixed-line 37 per 100 and mobile-cellular services 127 per 100 (2019) international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 2.519 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28.54 (2019 est.) | total: 17,173 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44.21 (2019 est.) |
| Broadcast media | worldwide cable and satellite TV are available; the public incumbent ORF competes with three other major, several regional domestic, and up to 400 international TV stations; TV coverage is in principle 100%, but only 90% use broadcast media; Internet streaming not only complements, but increasingly replaces regular TV stations (2019) | relies on foreign terrestrial and satellite broadcasters for most broadcast media services; first Liechtenstein-based TV station established August 2008; Radio Liechtenstein operates multiple radio stations; a Swiss-based broadcaster operates one radio station in Liechtenstein |
Transportation
| Austria | Liechtenstein | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 5,800 km (2017) standard gauge: 5,300 km 1.435-m gauge (3,826 km electrified) (2016) | total: 9 km (2018) standard gauge: 9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) (2018) note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland |
| Roadways | total: 137,039 km (2018) paved: 137,039 km (includes 2,232 km of expressways) (2018) | total: 630 km (2019) |
| Waterways | 358 km (2011) | 28 km (2010) |
| Pipelines | 1888 km gas, 594 km oil, 157 km refined products (2017) | 434.5 km gas (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | OE | HB |
Military
| Austria | Liechtenstein | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Austrian Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Forces, Cyber Forces, Special Forces (2021) | no regular military forces; the National Police is responsible for all matters relating to the safety and security of Liechtenstein (2021) |
Transnational Issues
| Austria | Liechtenstein | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | none | none |
| Illicit drugs | transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; increasing consumption of European-produced synthetic drugs | has strengthened money laundering controls, but money laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated offshore financial services sector |
Environment
| Austria | Liechtenstein | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 12.43 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 61.45 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 6.34 megatons (2020 est.) | carbon dioxide emissions: 0.05 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 0.02 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 720 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 2.695 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 77.1 million cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 7.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.07% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2017 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.836 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,240,918 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 25.7% (2015 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 32,382 tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 20,919 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 64.6% (2015 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
