A German-speaking country, this is the only nation in the world to be completely located in the Alps.
Liechtenstein is located between Switzerland and Austria. It is a constitutional monarchy ruled by the hereditary princes of the house of Liechtenstein. The country’s capital is Vaduz. The country has only about 37,000 people in roughly 160.5 square kilometres. There is no airport within its borders. Visitors must go through Switzerland’s Zurich Airport to reach this Alpine country. Liechtenstein has one of the world’s lowest crime rates.
Liechtenstein has no natural resources of commercial value, and virtually all raw materials, including wood, have to be imported.
Despite its small size and limited national resources, Liechtenstein is one of the richest countries in the world, on a per capita GDP basis.
It has developed since the 1940s from a mainly agricultural, to an industrialized country and a prosperous centre of trade and tourism. In 1921, Liechtenstein adopted the Swiss franc as its currency. Tourism is a leading sector of Liechtenstein’s economy.