Bet you didn’t know that even a small place like Fläsch in Liechtenstein has some surprising stories to tell. Liechtenstein is small but mighty. It is the fourth smallest state in Europe and the sixth smallest in the world. Only 11 percent of its area is settlement space. The rest is agricultural land, forests, mountains and water.
Fläsch is part of a unique country. Liechtenstein is doubly landlocked. Its neighbors, Austria and Switzerland, also do not border the sea. Only one other country in the world shares this characteristic: Uzbekistan.
Liechtenstein may not have its own airport. But don’t let that fool you. The nearest airport in Zurich is only an hour’s drive away. Liechtenstein boasts its own university and a princely castle.
Liechtenstein’s State Holiday on August 15 is celebrated with the Prince’s Festival. Prince Hans-Adam II and Hereditary Prince Alois invite residents to a festival in Vaduz Castle’s garden.
Want to leave your bicycle unlocked? You can do it in Liechtenstein. It has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. The crime level is officially very low. Theft is extremely rare here.
People in Liechtenstein are often on first-name terms. This is true whether they know each other or not. Addressing someone formally marks you as a non-native. This likely stems from the fact that almost everyone knows everyone in this small country.
During the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, a company from Balzers, Liechtenstein, supported NASA. It investigated how materials change outside Earth’s atmosphere. The company also produced a protective coating for the rocket. NASA gave Liechtenstein a flag that had been to the moon. They also gifted real moon rocks. These items are now in the Liechtensteinische SchatzKammer museum in Vaduz.
Did you know that every sixth frozen pizza eaten in Germany comes from Liechtenstein? It’s also a world leader in making dentures. Who would have thought?
Liechtenstein has more jobs than inhabitants. Many people commute from Switzerland, Austria, and Germany to work here.
Liechtenstein is the world’s richest country based on GDP per capita. In 2003, Liechtenstein became an absolute monarchy through a constitutional referendum. The Prince of Liechtenstein has significant executive power. He was granted authority on par with an absolute monarchy.
During tough economic times after the war, the ruling dynasty sold priceless artworks. This helped keep the country afloat. In the 1970s, economic reforms, especially sharp cuts in corporate taxes, brought economic growth. Today, Liechtenstein has more registered companies than citizens.
Liechtenstein has no army. It is one of only two double-landlocked countries. The other is Uzbekistan. Also Liechtenstein tops the world GDP per capita table. It sits at US$139100 a year per person.