Liechtenstein is a country in Western Europe bordering
Austria and separated from Switzerland by the Rhine
River. It is one of the smallest independent sovereign
states of Europe, along with San Marino in Italy and
Andorra in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. The
entire country is only about 16 miles long and 4 miles
wide and is part of the European Economic Area (EEA).Liechtenstein
is divided into two traditionally distinct regions,
the Upper and the Lower Country. The Western portion,
the Lower Country, is the flat plain of the Rhine. Most
of Liechtenstein, however, is the mountainous Upper
Country, where the Alpine ranges run East - West.
The country maintains close relations with Switzerland,
sharing customs, currency and postal systems. This practice
has enabled Liechtenstein to share in Switzerland's
prosperity and, along with Liechtenstein's own industrial
development, gives its citizens one of the world's highest
per capita incomes.The population is 90% Roman Catholic
and almost the entire population lives in the communities
near the Rhine, with 20% of the total in Vaduz,
the capital and largest city.
Because
of the employment opportunities in Liechtenstein, about
one third of the population is composed of resident
foreigners.Having a homogenous population, most of the
residents speak Allemanish, a local dialect
of German. English is also understood throughout the
country.
The
principality of Liechtenstein is a stable, constitutional,
hereditary monarchy, with a modern economy and unicameral
parliament. In 1969 the principality celebrated its
250th anniversary.