Western Europe.

GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

160 sq km (61.8 sq miles).

34,247 (CIA estimate 2007).

214 per sq km.

Vaduz. Population: 5,000 (UN estimate 2003).

Liechtenstein shares borders with Austria and Switzerland and lies between the upper reaches of the Rhine Valley and the Austrian Alps. The principality is noted for its fine vineyards.

Imperial principality with a hereditary constitutional monarchy. Principality established in 1719.

Prince Hans Adam II since 1989.

Prime Minister Klaus Tschuetscher since 2009.

Prince Hans-Adam, a successful banker, became head of state after the death of his father, Prince Franz Josef, in 1989. In August 2004 he handed over the day-to-day running of the principality to his son, Crown Prince Alois, while retaining his title as head of state. Following elections in spring 2005, the Progressive Citizens Party (PCP) and Patriotic Union (PU) formed a coalition government, with Otmar Hasler of the PCP continuing as prime minister.

German; a dialect of Alemannish is widely spoken. English is also widely spoken.

Christian, predominantly Roman Catholic.

230 volts AC, 50Hz. European two-pin plugs are used.

Similar to northwest Europe. The government is proposing a law on the protection of non-smokers with a smoking ban in publicly-accessible premises and in public administration buildings, this entails a smoking ban in restaurants in principle.