Wikipedia about Liechtenstein: Liechtenstein on our wiki pages.

Principality Liechtenstein
Fürstentum Liechtenstein.


Motto: "Für Gott, Fürst und Vaterland" "For God, Prince and Fatherland"
Anthem: Oben Am Jungen Rhein "High in young Rhine"

Based	1719
Independence date	1866 (from the German Union)
Official language	german
Capital

Form of government	nominally constitutional monarchy
Prince Prime Minister	Hans Adam II Adrian Hasler
GosReligia	catholicism
Territory Total % water surface.	189th in the world 160 km² insignificant
Population Score (12/31/2012) Census (2000) Density	▲ 36 838 people (217th) 33 307 people. 229,56 people / km²
GDP TOTAL (2010) Per capita	$ 3.545 billion (168th) 98 432 dollars
ICR (2013)	▼ 0,889 (very high) (28th place)
Currency	Swiss franc (CHF, code 756)
Internet domains	.li
ISO code	LI
IOC code	Lie
Telephone code	+423
Time Zones	+1, in summer +2

Principality Liechtenstein (it. Fürstentum Liechtenstein. [Fʏɐstəntuːm LiːːtənʃTaɪn]) - Dwarf (160 km²) State in associated with CO. The name of the country comes from the ruling Dynasty of Liechtenstein. Capital -. Liechtenstein borders on the east and in the West, its territory is completely surrounded by the territories of these states. The form of the Board is a constitutional monarchy.

Not being a member of the European Union, is a member of the European Economic Space, a participant in the Schengen Agreement.

Political structure

Liechtenstein is a constitutional monarchy. The current Constitution entered into force on October 5, 1921. Head of State - Hans-Adam II, Prince Von Und Tsu Liechtenstein, Duke Troppau and Engmandorf, Graf Ritberg. In fact, ruled the country since 1984, and joined the throne on November 13, 1989. The prince carries out the management of the state, the legislative acts taken by Landtag (Parliament), represents Liechtenstein in relations with other states, appoints civil servants, has the right of pardon. As a result of the 2003 constitutional referendum, the Prince received very broad powers, including the right to impose a veto on any bills and decisions of referendums, to dissolve the government, to appoint and disable members of the Government, unlikely to make particularly important laws and appoint judges. Thus, the power of the prince became close to absolute. An attempt to limit the powers of the prince and cancel his veto's right to decisions the referendum was not supported at the 2012 constitutional referendum.

The Legislative Body - Landtag, which consists of 25 deputies elected by direct secret voting on a proportional representation system (15 deputies from the overall and 10 deputies from nonberland) for a period of 4 years.

Executive body - Government ( Regierung), consisting of a government boss ( Regierungschef.) and government advisers ( Regierungsrat).

Constitutional supervisory authority - the State Justice Court ( Staatsgerichtshof.), the highest judicial instance is the Supreme Court of Justice ( Oberster Gerichtshof), Court of appeal - 1 Supreme Court ( Obergericht.), First Instance Courts - 1 Land Court ( Landgericht.), the courts of administrative justice - administrative courts of justice ( Verwaltungsgerichtshof.).

There are four parties in the country - the progressive civil party (PGP) is the right, independent - the centered centered, Patriotic Union (PS) - the Liberal Bourgeois Party and the Free List (SS) - the left center of the Ecological Party.

History

Territory of Liechtenstein from 15 years to n. e. He entered the Roman province of the Region. Frank invaded the country in 536. Later, with Carlo Great, the bishop was displaced from the post of the governor, and secular rulers began to be appointed. The district was under the rule of caroling until 911, when the East-Frank Kingdom broke up on large and small dukes.

Within the duke of Schwabia on the territory of the current Liechtenstein there were feudal possessions of Shellenberg and Vaduzh, who then became part of the Sacred Roman Empire. In 1507, Emperor Maximilian provided Vadutsi special rights and privileges, including sovereignty and tax collection. These rights were transferred to the Austrian family of Liechtensteins.

The genus Liechtenstein really wanted to get a place in the Reichstage of the Sacred Roman Empire. To do this, he had to own the lands, which will be the emperor himself (UNMITTELBAR). For this, Hans Adam I acquired two tiny feud at the impoverished owners on the border of Solvenberg (in 1699) and Vaduz (in 1712). These lands had the necessary legal status.

Thanks to the promotion of Evgenia Savoy (having kinteyu Liechtenstein Svat) in 1719 the emperor recognized the head of the family, Anton Florian, the prince of sovereign dignity. So the Principality of Liechtenstein appeared.

From 1815 to 1866, Liechtenstein was part of the German Union, and in 1860 Liechtensteins became hereditary members of the Upper Chamber of Parliament, and in 1866, with Johanne II Liechtenstein (1840-1929), the principality gained. In the Austro-Prussian war of 1866, Liechtenstein acted as an ally of Austria, from 1876 to 1918 he had close ties with Austria-Hungary.

After World War I, Liechtenstein is a corner of the contract with Austria and reoriented to Switzerland: in 1921, an agreement on trade and postal service was signed, in 1924 the Customs Union was concluded. Since then, the currency of Liechtenstein is the Swiss franc. Since 1919, the diplomatic and consular interests of Liechtenstein abroad.

During World War II, the principality observed neutrality. In 1990, Liechtenstein joined the UN, in 1991 - to the European Free Trade Association, December 19, 2011 - to the Schengen Zone.

Map of Liechtenstein

Administrative division

Liechtenstein consists of two historically established administrative parts: Oberland (Upper Liechtenstein) with a center in the city of Vaduz, and Unternland (Nizhtenstein) with a center in Shellenberg. Principality Liechtenstein is divided into 11 communes. Communes mainly consist of the only one. Five communes are within the constituency of Nizhny Liechtenstein, the remaining six belong to the top Liechtenstein.

Geographical data

The principality is located in the spurs of the Alps, the highest point is the mountain of gracepitz (2599 m). On the western part of the country, one of the largest rivers of Western Europe - Rhine flows. Climate is moderate, precipitation 700-1200 mm per year. About a quarter of the territory is covered (spruce, beech, oak), in the mountains - subalpine and alpine meadows.

Climate

Moderately continental, alpine. The average temperature of January - about 0 ° C, July +19.

Economy

Liechtenstein is a prosperous industrial country with a developed sector of financial services and a high standard of living.

GDP Liechtenstein in 2007 amounted to 4.16 billion dollars. GDP per capita - 134 thousand US dollars (2nd place in the world). In February 2012, GDP per capita amounted to $ 141,000, which puts it in second place after.

The main sector of the economy is the manufacturing industry: metalworking, accurate instrument making, optics, production of vacuum equipment, electronic systems, microprocessors. The basis of the industry is accurate machine and instrument making. The largest firms are "Hilti AG" (fastener, small-sized construction equipment with autonomous food) and "Oerlikon Balzers Coating AG" (services and equipment for mechanical engineering to apply wear-resistant thin-film coatings by the PVD method). Industry is almost fully focused on export. A significant place is occupied by the dowling (in particular, the production of canned and wines), textile, ceramic and pharmaceutical industry.

With the development of the manufacturing industry and the growth of entrepreneurial activity, the labor resources of Liechtenstein himself ceased to meet the demand for labor. In different areas of the economy, approximately 32.4 thousand people are occupied, with more than a third of them (12.9 thousand people) comes daily to work from Austria, Switzerland and Germany. In the industrial sector, 43% of those operating, in the field of services 55%, in agriculture - less than 2%.

A significant source of income of the population and treasury is foreign tourism, as well as the release of postage stamps.

Agriculture

Agriculture specializes in the pasture animal breeding meat-milk profile (75% of agricultural products). Grain crops, potatoes and vegetables. Traditionally developed winemaking. Floor and lower slopes of the mountains are busy gardens and vineyards. From local grape varieties produce high quality wines.

International trade

Exports in 2008 - 2.47 billion dollars. In the export structure, accurate devices, electronics, postage stamps, ceramics prevail. Exports are directed mainly to EU countries and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is the largest exporter of dentures.

Imports in 2008 - 0.92 billion dollars. In the structure of imports, machinery, metal products, food, cars appear in the import structure. Main imports on imports - EU countries and Switzerland.

Banking system

The country has an effective banking system (a total balance of about 32.5 billion Swiss francs). The largest banks are the National Bank, Liechtensteiner Global Trust, "Fervaltungs-Und Privatbank" (since 2005 has a representative office in Moscow). Due to low taxes on placed capital and profits, as well as strictly protected banking secrets, Liechtenstein retains the position of a large financial center.

Liechtenstein's banks were critically criticized after in February 2008, the prosecutor's office had a disk with data from several hundred citizens suspected of tax evasion by transferring money to the accounts of various funds in Liechtenstein.

Music and theater are an important part of culture. A lot of music organizations are presented, for example, Liechtenstein Music Company, Annual Guitar Day and the International Society of Joseph Gabriel Rainberger, which is based in two main theaters.

Palace Liechtenstein

Prince Liechtenstein Prince's private collection is one of the world's leading private collections of works of art shown in the Liechtenstein Palace.

Amateur radio is a hobby of some citizens and visitors. However, unlike almost all other sovereign nations, Liechtenstein does not have its own ITU number. It uses the reaffies of Switzerland (usually "HB"), following zero.

Law Enforcement and Justice

Police of Liechtenstein (Him. Landespolizei.) There are 120 employees who serve in the criminal police, security police and road control and in the coordination service. In addition, there is a communal police (it. Gemeindepolizei.).

The principality refused armed forces in 1868. The Constitution, however, consolidated the Regulations on military service.

International relationships

In 2004, Liechtenstein concluded an agreement with the European Union to expand the European Economic Zone. For a long time, the signing of the Agreement was postponed due to the entry into the EU in 2004 by the Czech and Slovak Republic. And they refused to recognize Liechtenstein by the state due to the unsolved issues of the ownership of the ruling prince. On decidents of Benesh, the property of German (including the Austrian and Liechtenstein) private and legal entities in Czechoslovakia were expropriated by this state. On September 8, 2009, a cooperation agreement was concluded between and Liechtenstein, which marked the diplomatic recognition of Liechtenstein. In December of the same year, a similar agreement was signed.

The principality has its embassies in the USA, Germany, Belgium (at the same time represents Liechtenstein in the Vatican and is a mission under the European Union), Switzerland and Austria. In other states, the interests of Liechtenstein are the Embassies of the Swiss Confederation.

Official holidays

January 1 - New Year;
January 6 - the Epiphany;
March 19 - St. Joseph Day;
May 1 - Labor Day;
August 15 - National Day, the anniversary of the found sovereignty;
September 8 - Christmas of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
November 1 - the day of all saints;
December 25 - Christmas;
December 26 - St. Stephen's Day.