Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719. Occupied by both French and Russian troops during the Napoleanic wars, it became a sovereign state in 1806 and joined the Germanic 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.
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Location:
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Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
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Geographic coordinates:
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47 16 N, 9 32 E
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km
water: 0 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km
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Coastline:
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0 km (doubly landlocked)
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked)
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Climate:
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continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
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Terrain:
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mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m
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Natural resources:
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hydroelectric potential, arable land
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Land use:
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arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 75% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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NA
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Natural hazards:
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NA
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Environment - current issues:
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NA
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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Geography - note:
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along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
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Population:
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34,761 (July 2009 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 16.6% (male 2,877/female 2,901)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 11,917/female 12,220)
65 years and over: 13.9% (male 2,085/female 2,761) (2009 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 41 years
male: 40.4 years
female: 41.5 years (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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0.702% (2009 est.)
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Birth rate:
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9.75 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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Death rate:
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7.42 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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4.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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Urbanization:
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urban population: 14% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 80.06 years
male: 76.59 years
female: 83.53 years (2009 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.52 children born/woman (2009 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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Nationality:
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noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein
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Ethnic groups:
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Liechtensteiner 65.6%, other 34.4% (2000 census)
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)
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Languages:
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German (official), Alemannic dialect
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Literacy:
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definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
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total: 15 years
male: 16 years
female: 13 years (2004)
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Education expenditures:
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NA
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein
local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
local short form: Liechtenstein
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Government type:
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constitutional monarchy
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Capital:
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name: Vaduz
geographic coordinates: 47 08 N, 9 31 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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Administrative divisions:
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11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
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Independence:
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23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)
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National holiday:
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Assumption Day, 15 August
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Constitution:
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5 October 1921; amended 15 September 2003
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Legal system:
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local civil and penal codes based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968); note - on 15 August 2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state
head of government: Head of Government Klaus TSCHUTSCHER (since 25 March 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a coalition government
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 February 2009 (next to be held February 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - VU 47.6%, FBP 43.5%, FL 8.9%; seats by party - VU 13, FBP 11, FL 1
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht
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Political parties and leaders:
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Die Freie Liste (The Free List) or FL [Claudia HEEB-FLECK and Egon MATT]; Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei (Progressive Citizens' Party) or FBP [Marcus VOGT]; Vaterlaendische Union (Fatherland Union) or VU [Adolf HEEB]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA
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International organization participation:
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CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
chancery: 2900 K Street, NW, Suite 602B, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590
FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is accredited to Liechtenstein
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Flag description:
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two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
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Economy - overview:
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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 the highest per capita income in the world. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding 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 has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe. In 2008 Liechtenstein came under renewed international pressure - particularly from Germany - to improve transparency in its banking and tax systems.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$4.16 billion (2007)
$4.035 billion (2006)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$4.993 billion (2007)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.1% (2007 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$118,000 (2007 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 8%
industry: 39%
services: 54% (2007)
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Labor force:
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31,000 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2006)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 1.7%
industry: 43.5%
services: 55.4% (31 December 2006)
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Unemployment rate:
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1.5% (31 December 2007)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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Budget:
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revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million (1998 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1% (2001)
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Market value of publicly traded shares:
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$NA
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
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Industries:
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electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA%
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Exports:
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$2.47 billion (1996)
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Exports - commodities:
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small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products
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Imports:
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$917.3 million (1996)
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Imports - commodities:
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agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
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Debt - external:
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$0 (2001)
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Exchange rates:
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Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.0774 (2008 est.), 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004)
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This page was last updated on 14 May 2009
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