Liechtenstein Cliches and Comparisons

Because of its small size, the Principality of Liechtenstein has been the subject of many cliches and comparisons. This may be an effort to comprehend how a viable country can be so small and survive. One of the most common ways of comparing is by size. I have scoured the Internet and present here for your enjoyment and interest some of the comparisons that I have found.

With a total land area of approximately 62 square miles, the country is about 11 miles long and at its widest maybe 5 miles. It is approximately the size of Washington D.C. in the United States and as big as an average Melbourne suburb in Australia. It is smaller than Belgium and smaller than most Caribbean Islands. Liechtenstein is, however, three hundred and sixty times bigger than the Vatican City. Sixteen Liechtensteins would fit into the Duchy of Luxembourg but only two would in the republic of Andorra in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. You would need roughly a hundred Monacos or San Marinos to fill Liechtenstein.

Another visitor remarked that if you nod off you might miss the little country. He also felt that it was more like a big ski run than a regular country.

Americans might suggest that Liechtenstein is no bigger than a fair-sized Texan ranch. Others have compared it to Grand Fenwick in the movie "The Mouse That Roared". Some visitors claim that it is the only country in Europe where they did not have to get off the bus to see it.

True, the country is so small that you need a magnifying glass to find in on a map and you can drive through it in about half an hour. But does size make a country?

According to some people it does. In fact, many people resort to cliches even though they have not seen the real country behind the tourist façade. They claim that the citizens of Liechtenstein pay no taxes and that the government is financed through the sales of stamps. Wrong! Liechtensteiners do pay taxes both direct and indirect though the rates 18.75 % to 20 % are the lowest in Europe. As for stamps, while big with collectors, income from their sales amounts to only 3 percent of the government's annual income.

Another common misconception is that the Principality is a part of Switzerland. While Liechtenstein has an economic and postal union with Switzerland and is usually represent abroad by it, the Principality is a politically sovereign country. It is a full member of the United Nations, Council of Europe, and the World Trade Organization.

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