No airport, no currency of its own: What makes Liechtenstein, one of world’s richest countries, unique?

Prince Alois’ four-day India visit has brought a focus to Liechtenstein, a tiny European nation that is hidden among the Alps mountains and has a population of just 40,000. But despite its population, Liechtenstein is one of the wealthiest nations in the world and is quite famous among the tourists.

According to World Atlas, Liechtenstein’s gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (PPP) was USD 195,372 in 2026. This made Liechtenstein, which has neither has an airport nor a currency, the richest country across the world in 2026.

Why Liechtenstein is unique?

Liechtenstein is surrounded by countries like Switzerland and Austria. The capital is Vaduz, and Liechtenstein does not have its own currency and a central bank; instead, it uses the Swiss franc (CHF), which is issued by the Swiss National Bank, through a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. 

Even though it depends largely on Switzerland, Liechtenstein enjoys complete sovereignty, with the US Department of State stating on its official website that the tiny European nation has existed as an independent state since 1719.

“The Austrian Liechtenstein family acquired the fiefs of Vaduz and Schellenberg in 1699 and 1713 respectively, and they became an independent principality under the Holy Roman Empire in 1719 under the name Liechtenstein,” it said. 

“The French under Napoleon occupied the country for a few years, but Liechtenstein regained its independence in 1815 within the new German Confederation. In 1868, after the Confederation dissolved, Liechtenstein disbanded its army of 80 men and declared its permanent neutrality, which was respected during both World Wars,” it added.

No airport, no seaport

Liechtenstein has no seaport or an airport. Travellers generally fly into neighbouring Switzerland or Austria. However, it does have a heliport in Balzers. People can also travel to Liechtenstein through train or bus or by a car.

Who rules Liechtenstein?

Liechtenstein has a hereditary constitutional monarchy. The prince is the head of the state, represents the country in foreign lands and signs international treaties. Talking about the government, it is a collegiate body that comprises head of government and four governmental councilors, who are appointed by the prince following an approval of the Parliament.

“The Prince’s involvement in legislation includes the right to take initiatives in the form of government bills and the right to veto parliamentary proposals. The Prince has the power to enact princely decrees. Emergency princely decrees are possible when the security and welfare of the country is at stake. A countersignature by the head of government is, nevertheless, required,” the US Department of State said.

Prince Alois’ India visit

Coming to Prince Alois’ India visit, it began on Sunday. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), it is aimed at increasing bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, science, technology and innovation. He would also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar during his visit.

“The visit is expected to provide further impetus to the growing engagement between India and Liechtenstein, particularly since the operationalisation of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) in 2025,” the MEA said in a statement. “The visit will provide an opportunity to further deepen the friendly ties between India and Liechtenstein and build partnerships in new areas of mutual interest.”

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