Liechtenstein - Österreich#

Liechtenstein - Austria: In 1699 Hans Adam von Liechtenstein acquired the Schellenberg estate and in 1712 Vaduz county; raised to the status of principality in 1719; Liechtenstein was a member of the Rheinbund (Confederation of the Rhine) between 1806-1814 and member of Deutscher Bund (German Confederation) between 1815-1866. 1852 customs union with Austria, which remained valid until 1919. Since 1912 Liechtenstein has sold its own postage stamps. After the collapse of the Habsburg monarchy the principality´s dependence on Austria ended (only the railway crossing the country is run by the Austrian Federal Railways), In 1921 Liechtenstein joined the Swiss postal union, in 1923 the customs union, it is represented abroad by Switzerland. Since 1960 member of EFTA ( European Free Trade Association) and since 1994 member of EEA ( European Economic Area). Head of church is the archbishop of Vaduz since 1998, before then the bishop of Chur (Switzerland). Liechtenstein is a constitutional hereditary monarchy, the Landtag has 25 members, women´s suffrage since 1984. Area: 160 km2, pop. 32,000, gainfully employed people: 23,800, among them about 4,800 frontier commuters from Vorarlberg.

Strong relations between the House of Liechtenstein and Austria (palace in Vienna, estates in Styria, in Vienna and Lower Austria), also close contacts to the neighbouring regions in Vorarlberg. Due to the special economic situation of Liechtenstein, numerous commercial and industrial links with Austria. Liechtenstein is home to 20 large firms: Hilti (drills), Balzers (vacuum technology), Ivoclar (dental medicine), Presta (joints/hinges), Hilcona (foodstuffs) and Hoval (boilers), and numerous small and medium-sized companies (approx. 2,200) as well as thousands of "letter-box firms". In 1999 the banks managed assets of more than 90 billion Swiss francs; taxes are very low (income tax for employees 3.6-17.8 %, tax on capital 0.2 % and profits tax 7.5-20 %).

Literature#