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Sunday, May 17, 2015

Liechtenstein, Cool Facts #31

30. Luxembourg <=                                                                                                           => 32. Austria 

1. Liechtenstein's name 

The country has got its name from the ruling family Liechtenstein. The House of Liechtenstein got its name originally from the Liechtenstein Castle in Lower Austria which they owned from around 1140 until the 1200s and later again from 1807 onwards. The dynasty acquired land from Moravia, Lower Austria, Silesia and Styria. After the acquisitions of Schallenberg (1699) and Vaduz (1712) Liechtenstein became a principality in 1719. The House of Liechtenstein has ruled the country since 1608.

Liechtenstein Castle

2. Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan

There are 42 landlocked countries who don't have a coastline. From these 42 countries only 2 countries are double landlocked, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan. That means that even their neighbours don't have a coastline.

42 landlocked countries


3. Liechtenstein and Luxembourg 

The Holy Roman Empire ruled a big part of Europe, especially Central Europe from 962 to 1806 when it was dissolved and succeeded by several separate kingdoms, duchies and principalities. Liechtenstein and Luxembourg are the only remaining states of the Holy Roman Empire that have lasted to these days.

The Holy Roman empire around 1600s


4. Financial facts 

With the estimated wealth of 5 billion USD The Prince of Liechtenstein is the world's sixth wealthiest monarch

Liechtenstein has more registered companies than citizens

73,700 holding companies generate 30% of Liechtenstein's state revenue

In 2008, unemployment rate was only 1,5%

Only one hospital in the country

Largest producer of false teeth in the world

15% of state revenue from stamps



5. NO army

Liechtenstein got independence from the German Confederation after the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. A little bit after that in 1868 the army was disbanded for financial reasons. The parliament refused to provide funding to maintain the army after the demise of the German Confederation. The Prince was against it saying that it would leave the country defenceless, but finally he accepted to disband the forces. The last soldier who served the army of Liechtenstein died in 1939 at the age of 95.

There are some other countries who don't have armed forces, like:

Andorra
Costa Rica
Kiribati
Nauru
Vatican City

See the complete list of countries without armed forces here



Timeline

400s Germanic people, called the Alemanni, move to the Valley of Rhein
843 After the death of Charlemagne, the counties of Vaduz and Schellenberg are established
1200s The regions around the Alpine plateau were controlled by the Savoy, Zähringer, Habsburg and Kyburg families
1264 Kyburg dynasty fell and the Habsburgs reign the territory of Liechtenstein
1600s In the 30 Year War first the Swedish occupy the two counties and after them the army of Wallenstein
1699 Johann Adam Andreas Liechtenstein (known as Hans Adam I) buys Schallenberg
1712 The Hohenems are in financial problems and they sell Schellenberg and Vaduz to Johann Adam Andreas Liechtenstein
1719 The two counties of Vaduz and Schallenberg become a principality
1806 In Napoleon wars the Holy Roman Empire broke up and technically Liechtenstein became independent
1815 After the Congress of Vienna Liechtenstein is part of the German Confederation
1866 The German Confederation breaks up after the war between Austria and Prussia. Liechtenstein gets independence since it doesn't join the newly established German Empire
1910s Financial chaos when the Habsburg's Austria collapses, Liechtenstein into a financial union with Switzerland
1921 Liechtenstein becomes a constitutional monarchy
1924 Customs and monetary union, as a result the Swiss franc is still the currency used in Liechtenstein
1986 The last European country where women get the right to vote

Sources: 
Maailman liput maat ja historia - Kimmo Kiljunen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liechtenstein
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Liechtenstein
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_without_armed_forces
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Liechtenstein

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