Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 6.9%, unknown 5.6%, other
7.5% (1995)
Languages: German (official), Alemannic dialect
Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male : 100%
female: 100% (1981 est.)
@Liechtenstein:Government
Country name:
conventional long form : Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein
local long form: Furstentum Liechtenstein
local short form: Liechtenstein
Data code: LS
Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy
National capital: Vaduz
Administrative divisions: 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular -
Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan,
Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Independence: 23 January 1719 (Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein
established)
National holiday: Assumption Day, 15 August
Constitution: 5 October 1921
Legal system: local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Prince Hans ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed
executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS von und
zu Liechtenstein (born 11 June 1968)
head of government: Head of Government Mario FRICK (since 15 December
1993) and Deputy Head of Government Michael RITTER (since 14 April
1997)
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Diet; confirmed by the prince
elections : none; the prince is a hereditary monarch; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is
usually appointed the head of government by the prince and the leader
of the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the
deputy head of government by the prince
Legislative branch: unicameral Diet or Landtag (25 seats; members are
elected by direct popular vote under proportional representation to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 2 February 1997 (next to be held by NA 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party - VU 50.1%, FBP 41.3%, FL
8.5%; seats by party - VU 13, FBP 10, FL 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Superior Court
or Obergericht
Political parties and leaders: Fatherland Union or VU [Dr. Oswald
KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Otmar HASLER]; The Free
List or FL
International organization participation: CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA,
ICRM, IFRCS, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU,
WCL, WIPO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Liechtenstein does not have an
embassy in the US, but is represented by the Swiss embassy in routine
diplomatic matters
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Liechtenstein, but the US Ambassador at Bern (Switzerland) has been
nominated to be the non-resident US Ambassador to Liechtenstein
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red
with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
Economy
Economy - overview: Despite its small size and limited natural
resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly
industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service
sector and living standards on a par with the urban areas of its large
European neighbors. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 18% -
and easy incorporation rules have induced about 25,000 holding or
so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in
Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country
participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss
franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy
requirements. Liechtenstein is a member of the European Economic Area
(an organization serving as a bridge between EFTA and EU) since May
1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies
with those of an integrated Europe.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $713 million (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 0.8% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 22,187 of which 13,576 are foreigners; 7,781 commute from
Austria and Switzerland to work each day
by occupation : industry, trade, and building 45%, services 53%,
agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 2% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 1.1% (1996)
Budget:
revenues: $455 million
expenditures: $435 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996 est.)
Industries: electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics,
pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 23,000 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 150 million kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 8,000 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, maize, potatoes; livestock,
dairy products
Exports:
total value: $2.14 billion (1994)
commodities: small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps,
hardware, pottery
partners: EU and EFTA countries 60.57% (Switzerland 15.7%) (1995)
Imports:
total value : $852.3 million (1994)
commodities: machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor
vehicles
partners : EU countries, Switzerland (1996)
Debt - external: $0 (1996)
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes,
rappen, or centesimi
Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 -
1.3936 (January 1997), 1.2360 (1996), 1.1825 (1995), 1.3677 (1994),
1.4776 (1993), 1.4062 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Liechtenstein:Communications
Telephones: 28,393 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: limited, but sufficient automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio
relay
Radio broadcast stations: 1 broadcast station in Triesea
note: linked to Swiss networks
Radios: 11,203 (1995)
Television broadcast stations: NA
note : linked to Swiss networks
Televisions: 11,421 (1995)
@Liechtenstein:Transportation
Railways:
total: 18.5 km; note - owned, operated, and included in statistics of
Austrian Federal Railways
standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
Highways:
total: 250 km
paved: 250 km
unpaved: 0 km
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: none
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Switzerland
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claims 1,600 sq km of Czech territory
confiscated from its royal family in 1918; the Czech Republic insists
that restitution does not go back before February 1948, when the
communists seized power
______________________________________________________________________
LITHUANIA
@Lithuania:Geography
Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and
Russia
Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 24 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 65,200 sq km
land: 65,200 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,273 km
border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia
(Kaliningrad) 227 km
Coastline: 99 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate
winters and summers
Terrain: lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Juozapine Kalnas 292 m
Natural resources: peat
Land use:
arable land: 35%
permanent crops : 12%
permanent pastures: 7%
forests and woodland: 31%
other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 430 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater
with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
Environment - international agreements:
party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Lithuania:People
Population: 3,617,104 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21% (male 385,959; female 370,100)
15-64 years: 66% (male 1,157,987; female 1,240,850)
65 years and over : 13% (male 157,328; female 304,880) (July 1997
est.)
Population growth rate: -0.49% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 10.64 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 12.96 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years : 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.7 years
male: 62.61 years
female : 75.11 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Lithuanian(s)
adjective: Lithuanian
Ethnic groups: Lithuanian 80.1%, Russian 8.6%, Polish 7.7%,
Byelorussian 1.5%, other 2.1%
Religions: primarily Roman Catholic, others include Lutheran, Russian
Orthodox, Protestant, evangelical Christian Baptist, Islam, Judaism
Languages: Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 98% (1989 est.)
@Lithuania:Government
Country name:
conventional long form : Republic of Lithuania
conventional short form: Lithuania
local long form: Lietuvos Respublika
local short form: Lietuva
former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: LH
Government type: independent, democratic republic
National capital: Vilnius
Administrative divisions: 44 regions (rajonai, singular - rajonas) and
11 municipalities*: Akmenes Rajonas, Alytaus Rajonas, Alytus*,
Anyksciu Rajonas, Birsionas*, Birzu Rajonas, Druskininkai*, Ignalinos
Rajonas, Jonavos Rajonas, Joniskio Rajonas, Jurbarko Rajonas,
Kaisiadoriu Rajonas, Marijampoles Rajonas, Kaunas*, Kauno Rajonas,
Kedainiu Rajonas, Kelmes Rajonas, Klaipeda*, Klaipedos Rajonas,
Kretingos Rajonas, Kupiskio Rajonas, Lazdiju Rajonas, Marijampole*,
Mazeikiu Rajonas, Moletu Rajonas, Neringa* Pakruojo Rajonas, Palanga*,
Panevezio Rajonas, Panevezys*, Pasvalio Rajonas, Plunges Rajonas,
Prienu Rajonas, Radviliskio Rajonas, Raseiniu Rajonas, Rokiskio
Rajonas, Sakiu Rajonas, Salcininky Rajonas, Siauliai*, Siauliu
Rajonas, Silales Rajonas, Siltues Rajonas, Sirvinty Rajonas, Skuodo
Rajonas, Svencioniu Rajonas, Taurages Rajonas, Telsiu Rajonas, Traky
Rajonas, Ukmerges Rajonas, Utenos Rajonas, Varenos Rajonas,
Vilkaviskio Rajonas, Vilniaus Rajonas, Vilnius*, Zarasu Rajonas
Independence: 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 16 February (1918)
Constitution: adopted 25 October 1992
Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of
legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (acting
president since 25 November 1992, president since 15 February 1993)
head of government : Premier Gediminas VAGNORIUS (since 28 November
1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
nomination of the premier
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 February 1993 (next to be held spring 1997);
premier appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament
election results: Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS elected president; percent of
vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71
members are directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by
proportional representation; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 October and 10 November 1996 (next to be held
NA October 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Conservative Party 70, LKDP 16, Center Union 13, LDDP 12, LSDP 12, DP
2, independents 4, others 8, vacant 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the Parliament;
Court of Appeal, judges appointed by the Parliament
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party or LKDP
[Algirdas SAUDARGAS, chairman]; Democratic Labor Party of Lithuania or
LDDP [Mindaugas STANKEVICIUS, chairman]; Lithuanian Nationalist Union
or LTS [Rimantas SMETONA, chairman]; Lithuanian Social Democratic
Party or LSDP [Aloyzas SAKALAS, chairman]; Farmers' Union [Jonas
CIULEVICIUS, chairman]; Center Union [Romualdas OZOLAS, chairman];
Homeland Union/Conservative Party [Vytautas LANDSBERGIS, chairman];
Lithuanian Polish Union or LLS [Rsztardas MACIEKIANIEC, chairman];
Democratic Party or DP [Lydie WURTH-POLFER, president]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Lithuanian Future Forum
International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EBRD,
ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alfonsas EIDINTAS
chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860
FAX : [1] (202) 328-0466
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James W. SWIHART, Jr.
embassy: Akmenu 6, Vilnius 2600
mailing address: PSC 78, Box V, APO AE 09723
telephone : [370] 670-6083
FAX: [370] 670-6084
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green,
and red
Economy
Economy - overview: Since declaring independence in 1990, Lithuania
has implemented reforms aimed at eliminating the vestiges of the
former socialist system. With the help of the IMF and other
international institutions, the government has adopted a disciplined
program to restrain inflation, abolish most price controls, lower the
budget deficit, and privatize the economy. More than two-thirds of its
industrial facilities as well as most housing and agricultural
enterprises have been privatized. Although some important "strategic"
enterprises remain exempt from privatization, the new government has
outlined plans to privatize large companies dealing with transport,
pipelines, communications, and energy. While Lithuania has reduced its
trade dependence on Russia and other republics of the FSU from 85% in
1991 to about 40% in 1995, Russia remains Lithuania's leading trading
partner. Lithuania has made great strides in reducing its annual rate
of inflation - from over 1,100% in 1992 to about 35% in 1995 and 13.1%
in 1996. Although the government tried to stay the course on economic
reform and fiscal discipline in 1996, the new government, which took
office in 1996 inherited high debts for energy supplies. As for real
resources, Lithuania's growth depends largely on its ability to
exploit its strategic location - with its ice-free port at Klaipeda
and its rail and highway hub in Vilnius connecting it with Eastern
Europe, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. Lacking important natural
resources, it will remain dependent on imports of fuels and raw
materials.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $14.1 billion (1996 estimate as
extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,870 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 32%
services: 55% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 13.1% (1996 official est.)
Labor force:
total : 1.836 million
by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry
18%, other 40% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 8% (January 1997)
Budget:
revenues: $1.4 billion
expenditures: $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $168
million (1995)
Industries: metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television
sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding
(small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing,
fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic
components, computers, amber
Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (1996)
Electricity - capacity: 5.46 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 9.57 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 2,151 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: grain, potatoes, sugar beets, vegetables;
meat, milk, eggs; fish; flax fiber
Exports:
total value: $3.3 billion (1996 est.)
commodities : textiles 15%, agriculture and food 14%, chemicals 12%,
fuels 12%, machinery 11% (1995)
partners: Russia, Germany, Belarus, Latvia, Ukraine (1995)
Imports:
total value: $4.56 billion (1996 est.)
commodities: oil 25%, machinery 17%, textiles 10%, chemicals 9% (1995)
partners: Russia, Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Belarus
Debt - external: $895 million
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $144 million (1993)
note : commitments from the West and international financial
institutions, $765 million (1992-95)
Currency: 1 Lithuanian litas = 100 centas
Exchange rates: litai per US$1 - 4.000 (January 1997), 4.000 (1996),
4.000 (1995), 3.978 (1994), 4.344 (1993), 1.773 (1992); note - fixed
rate since 1 May 1994
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Lithuania:Communications
Telephones: 1.012 million (1995)
Telephone system: telecommunications system ranks among the most
modern of the former Soviet republics
domestic: an NMT-450 analog cellular telephone network operates in
Vilnius and other cities; landlines and microwave radio relay connect
switching centers
international: international connections no longer depend on the
Moscow international gateway switch, but are established by satellite
through Oslo from Vilnius and through Copenhagen from Kaunas;
satellite earth stations - 1 Eutelsat and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
cellular network linked internationally through Copenhagen by
Eutelsat; international electronic mail is available; landlines or
microwave radio relay to former Soviet republics
Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 26, shortwave 1, longwave 1
Radios: 1.42 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3
Televisions: 1.77 million (1993 est.)
@Lithuania:Transportation
Railways:
total: 2,002 km
broad gauge: 2,002 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) (1994)
Highways:
total : 61,442 km
paved: 53,086 km (including 394 km of expressways)
unpaved: 8,356 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 600 km perennially navigable
Pipelines: crude oil, 105 km; natural gas 760 km (1992)
Ports and harbors: Kaunas, Klaipeda
Merchant marine:
total : 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 275,871 GRT/305,943 DWT
ships by type: cargo 24, combination bulk 11, oil tanker 2, railcar
carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea
passenger 3 (1996 est.)
Airports: 96 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m : 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m : 2
under 914 m: 14 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 71
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m : 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 63 (1994 est.)
Military
Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force,
Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard (Skat)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 904,096 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 712,366 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 26,204 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $31.7 million (1996 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (1996 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: dispute with Russia over the position of the
riparian and maritime boundary with Kaliningrad Oblast; disputes
maritime border with Latvia (primary concern is oil exploration
rights); treaty with Belarus defining the border awaits demarcation
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs
from Southwest Asia and Latin America to Western Europe and
Scandinavia
______________________________________________________________________
LUXEMBOURG
@Luxembourg:Geography
Location: Western Europe, between France and Germany
Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 6 10 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 2,586 sq km
land: 2,586 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
total: 359 km
border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
Terrain: mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys;
uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to
Moselle floodplain in the southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
highest point: Burgplatz 559 m
Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited)
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland : 21%
other: 34%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in urban areas
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified : Desertification, Environmental
Modification, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: landlocked
@Luxembourg:People
Population: 420,416 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years : 18% (male 39,219; female 37,459)
15-64 years: 67% (male 143,754; female 138,493)
65 years and over: 15% (male 24,653; female 36,838) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.16% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 11.92 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 9.29 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 8.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.33 years
male : 74.24 years
female: 80.52 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun : Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg
Ethnic groups: Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese,
Italian, and European (guest and worker residents)
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant and Jewish 3%
Languages: Luxembourgish, German, French, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male : 100%
female: 100% (1980 est.)
@Luxembourg:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form : Luxembourg
local long form: Grand-Duche de Luxembourg
local short form: Luxembourg
Data code: LU
Government type: constitutional monarchy
National capital: Luxembourg
Administrative divisions: 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher,
Luxembourg
Independence: 1839
National holiday: National Day, 23 June (1921) (public celebration of
the Grand Duke's birthday)
Constitution: 17 October 1868, occasional revisions