Liechtenstein
Globally, Liechtenstein places #4 in life expectancy. This ranking reflects a standout track record. Ready to explore more about Liechtenstein?
Liechtenstein is a country in Europe with a population of 40.5K and an area of 160 km². Life expectancy is 84.8 years.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
Life Expectancy
84.8 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Life Expectancy
83.6 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Human Development Index
0.94The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Internet Users (%)
97.0%The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
Population Density
249.038How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
CO2 Per Capita
3.30How many tonnes of CO2 the average person produces per year.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
❤️Life Expectancy
84.8 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
🌱Protected Land (%)
44.8%The percentage of land area designated as protected natural reserves or parks.
🌍Lowest Elevation
430Lowest point elevation from CIA World Factbook.
🚀Human Development Index
0.94The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
📡Internet Users (%)
97.0%The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Only ranks #136 in railway length
Railway Length: 9.00
Total railway length from CIA World Factbook.
Ranks #4 globally in life expectancy
Life Expectancy: 84.8 years
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Ranks #5 globally in protected land (%)
Protected Land (%): 44.8%
The percentage of land area designated as protected natural reserves or parks.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #226 in urban population (%)
Urban Population (%): 14.7%
The percentage of people living in cities and urban areas.
World Bank 2023Ranks #8 globally in lowest elevation
Lowest Elevation: 430
Lowest point elevation from CIA World Factbook.
Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Liechtenstein Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
Life Expectancy
Above avgHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Human Development Index
Above avgThe Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Internet Users
Above avgThe percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Liechtenstein
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 German 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.
- Location
- Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
- Climate
- continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
- Terrain
- mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
- Natural Resources
- hydroelectric potential, arable land
- Natural Hazards
- avalanches, landslides
- Size Comparison
- about 0.9 times the size of Washington, D.C.
- Languages
- German 91.5% (official, Alemannic is the main dialect), Italian 1.5%, Turkish 1.3%, Portuguese 1.1%, other 4.6% (2015 est.)
- Religions
- Roman Catholic (official) 73.4%, Protestant Reformed 6.3%, Muslim 5.9%, Christian Orthodox 1.3%, Lutheran 1.2%, other Protestant 0.7%, other Christian 0.3%, other 0.8%, none 7%, unspecified 3.3% (2015 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Liechtensteiner 65.6%, Swiss 9.6%, Austrian 5.8%, German 4.5%, Italian 3.1%, other 11.4% (2021 est.)
- Major Cities
- 5,000 VADUZ (capital) (2018)
- Government Type
- constitutional monarchy
- Capital
- Vaduz
- Capital Coordinates
- 47 08 N, 9 31 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Principality of Liechtenstein
- Name Origin
- named after the Liechtenstein family that purchased and united the counties of Schellenburg and Vaduz in 1719; the family name was taken from its Austrian castle of the same name, which in German means "light stone"
- Independence
- 23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire); 24 August 1866 (independence from the German Confederation)
- National Symbols
- princely hat (crown)
- National Anthem
- "Oben am jungen Rhein" (High Above the Young Rhine)
- Overview
- high-income European economy; Schengen Area participant; key European financial leader; integrated with Swiss economy and franc currency user; one of the highest GDP per capita countries; relies on US and Eurozone markets for exports
- Industries
- electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments
- Agricultural Products
- wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
- Export Commodities
- small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware
- Import Commodities
- agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
- Military Forces
- no regular military forces; National Police of the Principality of Liechtenstein (Landespolizei des Fürstentums Liechtenstein)
- Broadcast Media
- relies on foreign terrestrial and satellite broadcasters for most broadcast media services; first Liechtenstein-based TV station established in 2008; Radio Liechtenstein operates multiple radio stations; a Swiss-based broadcaster operates one radio station
Deep Dive
38 of 44 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
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Share something surprising about Liechtenstein!
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Frequently Asked Questions about Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein has a population of 40.5K, ranking #210 globally by population.
Liechtenstein is located in Europe. It has an area of 160 km².
Life expectancy in Liechtenstein is 84.8 years, ranking #4 globally.
Liechtenstein ranks particularly high in Life Expectancy (#4), Life Expectancy (#14), Human Development Index (#17).
Liechtenstein has an HDI of 0.938, ranking #17 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
Liechtenstein has a population density of 249.0 people per km², ranking #53 globally.
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