Liechtenstein (Principality of Liechtenstein)

Liechtenstein Principality of Liechtenstein
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	21st 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
2. Liechtenstein National and Social Development
3. Liechtenstein's Demographics and Migration
4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Liechtenstein's Health
6. Liechtenstein's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Liechtenstein's Modernity and Learning
8. Religion and Beliefs
9. Enabling Tax Evasion, Until 2009
10. Links

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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	27.0
2	Norway	29.9
3	Sweden	31.8
	...
18	France	42.9
19	Spain	44.5
20	Slovenia	45.6
21	Liechtenstein	46.2
22	Italy	47.2
23	Portugal	47.5
24	Taiwan	50.3
25	Uruguay	52.4
	Europe Avg	55.7
	World Avg	88.6
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.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

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	47.37
	World Avg	86.55
q=199.

Liechtenstein performs very well in ensuring human rights and freedom compared to most other countries. Liechtenstein comes in the best 20 in supporting press freedom₁₉. It does better than average in its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₀, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₁ (but bad 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	86.87
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	96.74
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 for its average life expectancy₁₁ and in its adolescent birth rate₂₇. It does better than average for its fertility rate₁₅ (but bad for Europe). The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% between 1976 and 2016. 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 #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #internationalism #over-exploitation #the_environment

Compared to Europe (2025)28
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank28
1	Switzerland	45.0
2	Denmark	50.4
3	Liechtenstein	56.8
4	Portugal	58.0
5	Germany	58.2
6	Spain	59.5
7	Austria	59.6
8	Greece	61.4
9	Italy	63.1
10	Ireland	63.1
11	Cyprus	64.8
12	Hungary	65.8
13	Norway	66.9
	Europe Avg	86.45
q=48.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)28
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank28
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
15	Rwanda	56.4
16	Chile	56.4
17	Peru	56.7
18	Liechtenstein	56.8
19	Japan	57.4
20	Uganda	57.8
21	Kenya	57.9
22	Portugal	58.0
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• " Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

One of the lowest in Europe Liechtenstein comes 18th-best in the world in terms of its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is calculated from 2 data sets. Liechtenstein does better than average for its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₂₉.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better29
Pos.		Total29
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.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
47	Nepal	67%
48	Niger	67%
49	Pakistan	67%
50	Liechtenstein	66%
51	Gambia	66%
52	Hungary	66%
53	Azerbaijan	66%
54	New Zealand	66%
	Europe Avg	62.7%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197.

Liechtenstein was one of the 19 countries that signed the Basel Convention on its very first day.

7. Liechtenstein's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Europe (2020)30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank30
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	39.81
q=45.

Modernity & Learning (2020)30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank30
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	86.31
q=190.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Belgium and Denmark₃₁. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone₃₁. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₃₂.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₃₃

15 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Intellectual Endeavours, Maths, Science & Reading, Religiosity, IQ, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₃₁, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₃₁.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Modernity and Education:

Length of Schooling Higher is better34
Pos.		2021 Years34
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 better35
Pos.		201635
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 better36
Pos.		2017 Ratio36
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 below₃₇:

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)₃₈.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)₃₉, 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)₄₀

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems

9. Enabling Tax Evasion, Until 2009₄₁

#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 removed₄₂. 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 accounts₄₂. 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.