Liechtenstein Economy - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

NOTE: Liechtenstein has a prosperous economy based primarily on small-scale light industry and some farming, metal industry is by far the most prominent sector; high-frequency installations, boilers for central heating, hardware, small machinery, canned goods, furniture and upholstery, chemical and pharmaceutical goods, vacuum installs tions, optical and measuring instruments, oil tanks, artificial teeth, ceramics, and textiles are the principal manufactures, intended almost entirely for export, industry accounts for 54% of total employment, service sector 42%, and agriculture and forestry 4%; livestock raising and dairying are the main sources of income in the small farm sector, the sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors, estimated at $10 million annually, provides for 10% of state expenditures; companies incorporated in Liechtenstein solely for tax purposes provide a further 30% of the state budget; low business taxes (the maximum tax rate is 20%) and easy incorporation rules have induced between 20 000 and 30,000 holding companies, so-called letter box companies, to establish nominal offices in the principality; economy is tied closely to that of Switzerland in a customs union; no national accounts data are available

GNP: approximately $15,000 per capita (1984)

Natural resources: hydroelectric power

Agriculture: livestock vegetables, corn wheat, potatoes, grapes

Major industries: electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products

Electric pouer: 23,000 kW capacity (1985); 150 million kWh produced (1985), 5.357 kWh per capita

Exports: (19841 $440 million; 39% EC, 32% EFT A (24% Switzerland), 29% other

Budget: (1933) revenues, $108 million; expenditures, $86 million

Monetary conversion rate: 2.17 Swiss francs=US$l (October 1985)

NOTE: The information regarding Liechtenstein on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Liechtenstein 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Liechtenstein 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.