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Physical geography
Mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third.
Local timeVaduz ·
Europe / Western Europe · Card 029
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein is a country in Western Europe. Its capital is Vaduz.
Find Liechtenstein
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Vaduz
- Languages
- German
- Currency
- Swiss franc (CHF)
- Population
- 41,0242025 · World Bank
- Area
- 160 km²61.78 square miles
- Independence
- 1806Sovereignty followed the end of the Holy Roman Empire.
Liechtenstein in context
Europe and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Vaduz; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
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Languages
Languages used in public life include German.
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Location
Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland.
Flag
Two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red, with a gold crown on the left side of the blue band
History & independence
Liechtenstein was established as a principality in 1719 and became sovereign in 1806 as the Holy Roman Empire dissolved. It developed close economic links with Switzerland, including a customs treaty signed in 1923.
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The principality is established
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Liechtenstein becomes sovereign
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A customs treaty is signed with Switzerland
Economy
Main activities
High-value manufacturing and financial services are major activities. Businesses produce precision tools, machinery and specialized products for export. Liechtenstein uses the Swiss franc and participates in the European Economic Area.
Industry and production
electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Thousands of people41.02025 · thousands of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 21,140 | 21.140 |
| 1980 | 25,512 | 25.512 |
| 1990 | 28,742 | 28.742 |
| 2000 | 32,645 | 32.645 |
| 2010 | 36,022 | 36.022 |
| 2020 | 38,901 | 38.901 |
| 2025 | 41,024 | 41.024 |
Real GDP, 2015–2015
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars6.32015 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 6,268,515,276 | 6.269 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.938Very High human developmentRank 17 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
20000.882
20100.914
20200.929
20230.938
83.6 yearsLife expectancy at birth
12.4 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
A constitutional hereditary monarchy with an elected parliament, the Landtag, and a government headed by a prime minister. The Prince retains substantial constitutional powers.
Knowledge check
Three questions about Liechtenstein.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
What is Liechtenstein’s elected parliament called?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.