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Location
Western Europe.
Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Area
160 sq km (61.8 sq miles).
Population
34,247 (CIA estimate 2007).
Population Density
214 per sq km.
Capital
Vaduz. Population: 5,000 (UN estimate 2003).
Geography
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.
Government
Imperial principality with a hereditary constitutional monarchy. Principality established in 1719.
Head of State
Prince Hans Adam II since 1989.
Head of Government
Prime Minister Otmar Hasler since 2001.
Recent History
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.
Language
German; a dialect of Alemannish is widely spoken. English is also widely spoken.
Religion
Christian, predominantly Roman Catholic.
Electricity
230 volts AC, 50Hz. European two-pin plugs are used.
Social Conventions
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.
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