Vitali wrote: the Principality of Liechtenstein (under 30, 000 residents, area 160 square km)



The problem with population sizes is that people keep breeding and the figures keep changing. According to the 2000 census (



Surprisingly, Liechtenstein has not only increased in population size, but also in area. At least, a tiny bit. Some areas of the country had apparently never been properly measured until a survey last year, using modern measuring techniques, found the country to be slightly larger than had previously been accepted. Its area has now been revised from 160 square kilometres to 160.475 square kilometres (



The problem with population sizes is that people keep breeding and the figures keep changing. According to the 2000 census ( http://www.statoids.com/uli.html ) the population stood at 33,307 whilst the July 2006 estimate ( https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ls.html ) was 33,987.Surprisingly, Liechtenstein has not only increased in population size, but also in area. At least, a tiny bit. Some areas of the country had apparently never been properly measured until a survey last year, using modern measuring techniques, found the country to be slightly larger than had previously been accepted. Its area has now been revised from 160 square kilometres to 160.475 square kilometres ( http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16381664/ ). Despite this increase in size, Liechtenstein remains the sixth smallest nation in the world and needs to find another 20 square kilometres (I wonder if they've checked behind the fridge) to overtake the next nearest rival, The Marshall Islands. Vitali wrote: Parliament, consisting of the reps of two opposing political parties: the Reds and the Blacks



Really? According to the CIA world factbook, there are 3 political parties in Liechtenstein: Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP; The Free List or FL. Maybe one of them is an insignificant party that nobody pays any attention to. Like the Liberal Democrats.



Vitali wrote: modern Liechtenstein has no army



Indeed, defence of Liechtenstein is now the responsibility of Switzerland.



Liechtenstein is, of course, quite interesting for being 50% of all the countries in the world that are doubly landlocked, though I'm sure this has been mentioned on the show before. It's official language is German and, according to wikipedia, it's the only country with a predominantly German-speaking population that does not share a border with the Federal Republic of Germany.