Liechtenstein
Principality of Liechtenstein
Capital: Vaduz
History
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.
Geography
Metric Units
Economy
Budget & Debt
Trade
| Exports |
$3.76 billion |
| Export Items |
small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products |
| Export Partners |
No data |
| Imports |
$2.22 billion |
| Import Items |
agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles |
| Import Partners |
No data |
People
Energy
