People of Liechtenstein

Situated in Central Europe, Liechtenstein is the one of the smallest countries in the world. Its population is mostly ethnic Alemannic, however its resident population is roughly one-third foreign-born, primarily Germans from Germany, Austria, Swiss Confederation, Italians and Turks.

Foreigners constitute two-thirds of the country’s workforce. Liechtenstein’s overall population in 2006 stood at 33,987. The natives of this landlocked country are called Liechtensteiners and they have been largely influenced by their southern German speaking neighbours like Austria, Bavaria, Switzerland and Tyrol. Most of the country's population lives in the Rhine Valley in the western third. As a result of the miniscule population, Liechtensteinian society is extremely close-knit.

The official language of Liechtenstein is Swiss German, however majority converse in an Alemannic dialect. The nation is staunchly Roman Catholic; around 7% of the populace is Protestant and the remainder are atheist, agnostic or followers of minority religions like Islam, Hinduism or Judaism. Earlier before World War II, Liechtenstein was an agrarian state. But the situation changed drastically after the war, and now the country has one of the most highly industrialized societies in Europe. Only a small fraction of the population is still actively involved in agriculture (dairying & the raising of livestock and cereals).

The ruling prince is Hans-Adam II and the country does not maintain an army. Apart from the prince, the most famous person from Liechtenstein is Hanni Wenzel, of German origin, who won two Olympic titles in 1980 in alpine skiing.

Liechtensteiners are a warm and genial people, given to spending more time outdoors. Since the country is endowed with natural beauty, it comes as no surprise that the locals are nature enthusiasts and great sportsmen. Most of them are avid soccer fans.