Key Facts
- Population: 25,220 total
- Liechtensteiners: 15,974
- Foreigners: 9,246
- Surface Area: 160 sq km / 62 sq miles
- Length (N–S): 25 km / 15.5 miles
- Width (W–E): 6 miles
- Principality founded: 1719
- Customs union with Austria: 1852–1919
- Postal/customs union with Switzerland: 1923–present
- Religion: 91% Catholic, 8% Protestant, 1% Other
- Political Status: Constitutional monarchy; parliamentary democracy
- Voting: Only men over 21 may vote (women do not have the right)
- Parliament: 15 members; ruling Prince holds veto power
- Distinction: Only remaining German-speaking monarchy
- Capital: Vaduz
Overview
The pocket-sized principality of Liechtenstein sits on the Rhine River at the crossroads of Switzerland and Austria, with Germany and Italy only a short distance beyond. It is a nation ideally suited to mathematical description: small, compact and easily measured in both geography and population. Despite its tiny size, it maintains full independence and a distinctive cultural identity.
Its political arrangement is unusual in Europe: a constitutional monarchy where the ruling Prince wields significant authority, including veto power. Its close alignment with Switzerland dates to 1923, with open borders, economic integration and use of the Swiss franc. Light industry and financial services, supported by low corporate taxes, have propelled Liechtenstein to one of the highest per-capita incomes in Europe.
Vaduz
The capital city, Vaduz, has a population of 4,614, including the royal family whose residence, Vaduz Castle, overlooks the town. The compact center is filled with cafés, souvenir shops, restaurants and banks. Its largest public buildings are the Post Office and the Postal Museum—Liechtenstein stamps are famous among collectors and form a notable national “export.”
Vaduz retains a rural charm extraordinary for a European capital: traffic can still be halted by cows being herded through the main street. Each autumn, cattle descend from the Alpine pastures in a festive procession, led by the best milker wearing a crown fashioned from an upturned milking stool.
In 1923, roughly 70% of the population worked in agriculture. Today, that figure has dropped to around 3%, with most residents employed in light manufacturing, tourism and finance. Products include calculators, knitting machines, false teeth and even sausage casings.
The Royal Family
The same princely family has ruled Liechtenstein since its establishment in 1719, originally under the authority of the Austrian Emperor. Strong ties with Austria continued for many years, and the family still owns the Liechtenstein Palace outside Vienna. Thirteen princes have ruled to date.
Prince Johann II (“John the Good”), who reigned from 1858 to 1929—a remarkable 71 years—created the constitution that remains largely unchanged. Following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, the principality aligned itself more closely with neutral Switzerland. The army was disbanded in 1868; the final soldier lived peacefully to age ninety. Today, law and order is maintained by a police force of 15 officers and one notably docile dog.
National Folk Hero: Jean Costaud
Liechtenstein’s folk hero Jean Costaud was a lumberjack famed for his prodigious strength. He resolved a long-standing border dispute with Switzerland by hoisting the 1,040-lb boundary stone and carrying it a full mile. Where he collapsed in exhaustion, the stone was set permanently—and remains there more than 250 years later.
The French-speaking Swiss still use the word costaud to mean someone strong or muscular, honouring the legendary feat.
The Walensee
The Walensee, one of the deepest lakes in the Alps, lies along the main route between Zürich, Liechtenstein and Austria. Sheer cliffs long formed a natural barrier for travellers; historically, the only way across was by boat.
Benvenuto Cellini, the Renaissance sculptor and goldsmith, once passed this way while fleeing Florence after a fatal street brawl. Forced to cross the lake, he and his companions encountered a sudden violent storm. Their boatman sought shelter beneath the cliffs, and the travellers attempted to climb a perilous path to safety. Many slipped and fell hundreds of feet into the icy waters below. Cellini survived and later recounted the ordeal in his famously colourful autobiography.