Liechtenstein (Principality of Liechtenstein)

https://www.humantruth.info/liechtenstein.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2013

Liechtenstein Principality of Liechtenstein
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	24th best
Capital	Vaduz
Land Area	160km²₁
Location	Europe
Population	37 910₂
Life Expectancy	83.26yrs (2017)₃
GNI	$146 830 (2017)₄
ISO3166-1 Codes	LI, LIE, 438₅
Internet Domain	.li₆
Currency	Franc (CHF)₇
Telephone	+423₈

1. Overview

#switzerland

“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 Germanic 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.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“With a history and monarchy as story-book as its melodious mountain scenery, rich old Liechtenstein puts a whole new perspective on `doing a country´. If Liechtenstein didn´t exist, someone would have invented it. A tiny mountain principality governed by an iron-willed monarch in the heart of 21st-century Europe, it certainly has novelty value. Only 25km long by 12km wide (at its broadest point) - just larger than Manhattan - Liechtenstein doesn´t have an international airport, and access from Switzerland is by local bus. However, the country is a rich banking state and, we are told, the world´s largest exporter of false teeth.
Most blaze through Liechtenstein en route to Switzerland, stopping only for snapshots of the castle and a souvenir passport stamp. That´s a shame, as the country has an overwhelming amount of natural beauty for its size. Strike out into the Alpine wilderness beyond Vaduz and, suddenly, this landlocked sliver of a micro-nation no longer seems quite so small.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Liechtenstein National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #liechtenstein #wealth

UN HDI (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better Value₁₁
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
13=	Belgium	0.937
13=	New Zealand	0.937
15	Canada	0.936
16	Liechtenstein	0.935
17	Luxembourg	0.930
18	UK	0.929
19=	S. Korea	0.925
19=	Japan	0.925
	Europe Avg	0.87
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $₁₁
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
4	Luxembourg	$84 649
5	Ireland	$76 169
6	Switzerland	$66 933
7	USA	$64 765
8	Norway	$64 660
9	Brunei	$64 490
10	Hong Kong	$62 607
11	UAE	$62 574
12	Denmark	$60 365
	Europe Avg	$40 512
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index₁₂
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₂
1	Denmark	27.2
2	Norway	31.1
3	Sweden	33.2
	...
21	Slovenia	46.0
22	Monaco	47.3
23	Portugal	48.7
24	Liechtenstein	49.5
25	Taiwan	50.3
26	Estonia	51.9
27	Czechia	52.0
28	S. Korea	53.8
	Europe Avg	55.7
	World Avg	89.3
q=199.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

Some statistical methods are not suited to populations and countries as small as Liechtenstein. For example, in 1977, there were 17 people unemployed plus one "partially unemployed", according to Lichtenstein's State Bank, and 12 jobs currently available₁₃. If just a few people leave a workplace together, it affects national statistics - an unthinking statistician would then see Liechtenstein at the top their list for some warning-label or other. So if some statistics look extreme, it's probably the effect of an anomaly, and it's worth finding longer-term data or a specific explanation.

3. Liechtenstein's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population:

Liechtenstein's population is predicted to rise to 41 553 by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.47. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₄

Population₂
Pos.		2018 Population₂
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
188	Marshall Islands	58 413
189	St Kitts & Nevis	52 441
190	Monaco	38 682
191	Liechtenstein	37 910
192	San Marino	33 785
193	Palau	17 907
194	Tuvalu	11 508
195	Nauru	10 670
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₁
Pos.		2021 Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
6	Malta	83.8
7	S. Korea	83.7
8	Liechtenstein	83.3
9	Norway	83.2
10	Spain	83.0
11	Sweden	83.0
12	Italy	82.9
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₅
Pos.		2022₁₅
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
90	Netherlands	1.49
91	Uruguay	1.48
92=	Latvia	1.47
92=	Liechtenstein	1.47
94	Channel Islands	1.47
95	Germany	1.46
96	Guam	2.55
97	Cuba	1.45
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Migration:

Immigrants₁₆
Pos.		2017 %₁₆
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
4	Liechtenstein	65.1%
5	Monaco	54.9%
6	Andorra	53.3%
7	Bahrain	48.4%
8	Singapore	46.0%
9	Luxembourg	45.3%
10	Oman	44.7%
11	Hong Kong	39.1%
12	Saudi Arabia	37.0%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants₁₇
Pos.		2010 %₁₇
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
32	Belarus	18.4%
33	Eritrea	18.0%
34	Croatia	17.1%
35	Liechtenstein	17.1%
36	Cyprus	17.0%
37	Marshall Islands	16.6%
38	Ireland	16.1%
39	Belize	16.1%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#china #equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #Liechtenstein #liechtenstein_politics #mass_media #morals #politics #prejudice #russia #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₁₈
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₈
1	Sweden	6.1
2	Denmark	8.6
3	Norway	9.0
	...
41	Argentina	53.3
42	St Vincent & Grenadines	54.2
43	Croatia	54.9
44	Liechtenstein	54.9
45	Dominica	57.3
46	Hungary	58.5
	Europe Avg	47.4
	World Avg	86.6
q=199.

Liechtenstein performs very well in ensuring human rights and freedom compared to most other countries. Liechtenstein comes in the best 20 for supporting press freedom₁₉. It does better than average in its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₀, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₁ (but low for Europe), its average Freedom in the World rating, freethought₂₂ and in LGBT equality₂₃ (but bad for Europe). Human Rights Watch has declared that Liechtenstein "has worked incredibly hard, beyond all expectations given its size and resources, to establish routes to combat mass genocide at the United Nations in circumstances where investigations are being blocked by countries such as Russia and China"₂₄.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

Human Rights and Freedom in Liechtenstein

5. Liechtenstein's Health

#birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #overpopulation #parenting #population

Compared to Europe (2025)₂₅
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₅
1	Monaco	14.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Isle of Man	32.1
4	San Marino	37.2
5	Norway	39.9
6	Gibraltar	40.6
7	Sweden	43.3
8=	France	44.1
9	Iceland	45.9
10	Finland	46.9
11	Denmark	47.2
12	Switzerland	48.5
13	Netherlands	50.2
	Europe Avg	86.9
q=52.

Health (2025)₂₅
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₅
1	Monaco	14.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Isle of Man	32.1
4	Greenland	34.3
5	San Marino	37.2
6	Norway	39.9
7	Gibraltar	40.6
8	Sweden	43.3
9=	Japan	44.1
9=	France	44.1
11	Iceland	45.9
12	Finland	46.9
	World Avg	96.7
q=212.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man₂₆. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria₂₆.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans₂₆, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₂₆.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Public health in Liechtenstein is very good. Liechtenstein comes in the best 20 in terms of its average life expectancy₁₁ and in its adolescent birth rate₂₇. It does better than average when it comes to its fertility rate₁₅ (but high for Europe). The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Liechtenstein in the 2000s-2010s remained amongst the top 10 in the world, peaking at second-best in 2008. Overall it improved by +8.4yrs in the 30 years from 1990, just over the global average improvement of +7.9yrs. No data from before year 2000. Its peak fertility rate since then was 1.71 in 2009.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₁
Pos.		2021 Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
6	Malta	83.8
7	S. Korea	83.7
8	Liechtenstein	83.3
9	Norway	83.2
10	Spain	83.0
11	Sweden	83.0
12	Italy	82.9
	Europe Avg	78.36
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₅
Pos.		2022₁₅
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
90	Netherlands	1.49
91	Uruguay	1.48
92=	Latvia	1.47
92=	Liechtenstein	1.47
94	Channel Islands	1.47
95	Germany	1.46
96	Guam	2.55
97	Cuba	1.45
	Europe Avg	1.53
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better₂₇
Pos.		2022 Per 1000₂₇
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
8	Netherlands	2.7
9	Japan	2.8
10	UAE	2.8
11	Liechtenstein	3.0
12	Sweden	3.3
13	San Marino	3.7
14	Italy	3.9
15	Finland	4.1
	Europe Avg	11.4
	World Avg	43.8
q=195.

Throughout the 1990s to the 2010s, Liechtenstein was amongst the 10 countries with the lowest adolescent birth rate.

6. Liechtenstein's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #deforestation #over-exploitation #the_environment

This rank is derived from 2 data sets. Liechtenstein does better than average in its forested percent change 2000-2020₂₈. And finally, it does worse than average in how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better₂₈
Pos.		Total₂₈
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
129=	Isle of Man	0.0%
129=	Tokelau	0.0%
129=	St Martin	0.0%
129=	Liechtenstein	0.0%
129=	Libya	0.0%
129=	Montserrat	0.0%
129=	Kiribati	0.0%
129=	Saudi Arabia	0.0%
	Europe Avg	8.2%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Convention on Biological Diversity Earlier is better
Pos.		Total Signed
1=	China	1993 Dec 29
1=	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
1=	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
	...
168	Gabon	1997 Jun 12
169	Burundi	1997 Jul 14
170	Tajikistan	1998 Jan 27
171	Liechtenstein	1998 Feb 17
172	Macedonia	1998 Mar 02
173	Angola	1998 Jun 30
174	Tonga	1998 Aug 17
175	Palau	1999 Apr 06
	Europe Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

7. Liechtenstein's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Europe (2020)₂₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₉
1	Finland	7.1
2	Belgium	12.9
3	Denmark	13.6
	...
28	Ukraine	47.7
29	Bulgaria	47.8
30	Croatia	47.8
31	Liechtenstein	48.8
32	Romania	51.0
33	Belarus	51.5
34	Cyprus	55.6
35	Turkey	55.9
36	Serbia	57.1
	Europe Avg	39.8
q=45.

Modernity & Learning (2020)₂₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₉
1	Finland	7.1
2	Belgium	12.9
3	Denmark	13.6
	...
42	Ukraine	47.7
43	Bulgaria	47.8
44	Croatia	47.8
45	Liechtenstein	48.8
46	St Kitts & Nevis	48.8
47	Chile	48.8
48	Romania	51.0
49	Belarus	51.5
	World Avg	86.3
q=190.

Modernity and Education:

Length of Schooling Higher is better₃₀
Pos.		2021 Years₃₀
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
53	Peru	15.4
54	Kuwait	15.3
55	Japan	15.2
56	Liechtenstein	15.2
57	Mauritius	15.2
58	Belarus	15.2
59	Croatia	15.1
60	Montenegro	15.1
	Europe Avg	16.1
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users Higher is better₃₁
Pos.		2016₃₁
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
4	Bermuda	97%
5	Andorra	97%
6	Denmark	96%
7	Liechtenstein	96%
8	Luxembourg	95%
9	Netherlands	94%
10	Sweden	93%
11	Monaco	93%
12	UK	93%
	Europe Avg	76.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better₃₂
Pos.		2017 Ratio₃₂
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
77=	Croatia	0.1
77=	Costa Rica	0.1
77=	Serbia	0.1
80	Liechtenstein	0.0
81=	Cyprus	0.0
82	Philippines	0.0
83=	Macedonia	0.0
83=	Pakistan	0.0
	Europe Avg	8.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

8. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #catholicism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₃₃:

Christian	91.9%
Muslim	5%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	0.1%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	2.9%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Roman Catholic (official) 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)₃₄.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)₃₅, in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Liechtenstein states:

“The constitution and other laws and policies protect freedom of religion or belief. However, the constitution makes the Catholic Church the "National Church" of the country, and as such it enjoys the full protection of the state. The government gives money not only to the Catholic Church, but also to other denominations. Catholic and Protestant churches receive regular annual contributions from the government in proportion to membership as determined in the 2000 census; smaller religious groups are eligible to apply for grants for associations of foreigners or specific projects. Religious education is part of the curriculum at public schools. Catholic or Protestant religious education is compulsory in all primary schools. The curriculum for Catholic confessional education is determined by the Roman Catholic Church with only a minor complementary supervisory role by the municipalities. At the secondary school level, parents and pupils choose between traditional confessional education organized by their religious community and the nonconfessional (secular) subject "Religion and Culture." Since its introduction in 2003, 90 percent of Catholic pupils have chosen the non-confessional subject.”
"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₃₆

Links:

A List of All Religions and Belief Systems

9. Enabling Tax Evasion, Until 2009₃₇

#Andorra #liechtenstein #Monaco #tax_evasion

Liechtenstein, Andorra and Monaco were on the OECD's blacklist of uncooperative tax havens, but positive reforms meant that come 2009, all three were removed₃₈. Lichtenstein came to a deal with several countries that account holders would have a chance to declare their assets to their countries and pay appropriate tax (plus a fine), or, simply lose the accounts₃₈. This has since been adopted as a general model as to how to close-down a tax haven in a civil manner, although, it prevents the media from reporting about rich abusers, and feels to be the public like a denial of justice.

See: Tax Evasion.