83-638: Sargans is a municipality in the Wahlkreis (constituency) of Sarganserland in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland . Sargans is known for its castle , which dates from before the founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291. Sargans was also a County of the Holy Roman Empire ; see County of Sargans . There are traces of Neolithic settlement in the area. A significant Roman-era estate
166-511: A tax affair in 2008, but the principality has since made significant efforts to shed this reputation. An Alpine country , Liechtenstein is mountainous, making it a winter sport destination. The oldest traces of human existence in the area of present-day Liechtenstein date back to the Middle Paleolithic era. Neolithic farming settlements appeared in the valleys around 5300 BCE. The Hallstatt and La Tène cultures flourished during
249-451: A "Landesausschuss" (National Committee) made up of the president of the parliament and four additional members. The National Committee is charged with performing functions of parliamentary supervision. Parliament shares the authority to propose new legislation with the Prince, and with the citizenry, as both parliament and the citizenry may initiate referendums. Judicial authority is vested in
332-824: A Nazi sympathy movement arose within its National Union party. Local Liechtenstein Nazis identified Elisabeth as their Jewish "problem". Pro-Nazi agitation remained in Liechtenstein throughout the 1930s, with an attempted coup in March 1939 while Franz Joseph II was on a state visit to Berlin . In March 1938, just after the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany , Franz named as regent his 31-year-old grandnephew and heir-presumptive, Prince Franz Joseph . After making his grandnephew regent he moved to Feldberg, Czechoslovakia and on 25 July, he died while at one of his family's castles, Castle Feldberg, and Franz Joseph formally succeeded him as
415-471: A certain time in Switzerland are also allowed to participate in municipal politics. As at the cantonal and federal level, citizens enjoy political rights, including direct democratic ones, in their municipality. Municipalities are financed through direct taxes (such as income tax ), with rates varying more or less within a framework set by the canton (see Taxation in Switzerland ). As among the cantons, there
498-404: A couple with children. There were 267 (or 5.6%) people who lived in single parent home, while there are 27 persons who were adult children living with one or both parents, 25 persons who lived in a household made up of relatives, 19 who lived household made up of unrelated persons, and 110 who are either institutionalized or live in another type of collective housing. In the 2007 federal election
581-747: A full member, and since 1995 Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). In 2008, Liechtenstein joined the Schengen/Dublin Agreement together with Switzerland. From an economic and integration policy perspective, relations within the framework of the EEA and the EU occupy a special position in Liechtenstein's foreign policy. The Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein also participates in
664-569: A somewhat enigmatic political system, which combines elements of absolute monarchy , representative democracy , and direct democracy . The monarch retains extensive executive and legislative powers, and plays a strong active role in the day to day politics of the country, and over all three branches of government —the only European monarch to have retained such a role. Representative democracy and direct democracy coexist in that an elected parliament enacts legislation , and voters can propose and enact laws and constitutional amendments independently of
747-456: Is Europe's fourth-smallest country , with an area of just over 160 square kilometres (62 square miles) and a population of 40,023. It is the world's smallest country to border two countries, and is one of the few countries with no debt. Liechtenstein is divided into 11 municipalities . Its capital is Vaduz , and its largest municipality is Schaan . It is a member of the United Nations ,
830-488: Is 456 people or 9.6% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 339 people or 7.1% are between 70 and 79, there are 139 people or 2.9% who are between 80 and 89, and there are 26 people or 0.5% who are between 90 and 99. In 2000 there were 654 persons (or 13.7% of the population) who were living alone in a private dwelling. There were 1,108 (or 23.3%) persons who were part of a couple (married or otherwise committed) without children, and 2,555 (or 53.6%) who were part of
913-657: Is August during which time Sargans receives an average of 153 mm (6.0 in) of rain or snow. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 14.3 days. The month with the most days of precipitation is June, with an average of 14.5, but with only 136 mm (5.4 in) of rain or snow. The driest month of the year is October with an average of 82 mm (3.2 in) of precipitation over 14.3 days. Municipalities of Switzerland Municipalities ( German : Gemeinden , Einwohnergemeinden or politische Gemeinden ; French : communes ; Italian : comuni ; Romansh : vischnancas ) are
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#1733093762221996-449: Is a tax transfer among the municipalities to balance various levels of tax income. Switzerland has a relatively high number of small municipalities, with a population of 1,000 or less, especially in rural areas. Because of the increasing difficulty in providing professional government services and in finding volunteers for political offices in small municipalities, the cantons tend to encourage voluntary mergers of municipalities. This led to
1079-632: Is non-productive (rivers or lakes). The municipality is the capital of the Sarganserland Wahlkreis . It is located at the foot of the Mt Gonzen . The eastern border of the municipality is the Rhine river and Liechtenstein . As it is located at the intersection of the Rhine and Seez valleys, Sargans has long been important in both a strategic and commercial sense. It consists of the village of Sargans and
1162-585: Is one of the few countries in Europe (along with Monaco and San Marino ) not to have a tax treaty with the United States , and efforts towards one seem to have stalled. As of September 2019 the Prince of Liechtenstein is the world's sixth wealthiest monarch , with an estimated wealth of US$ 3.5 billion. The country's population enjoys one of the world's highest standards of living . Liechtenstein has
1245-636: The Reichstag . Even though several Liechtenstein princes served several Habsburg rulers as close advisers, without any territory held directly from the Imperial throne, they held little power in the Holy Roman Empire. For this reason, the family sought to acquire lands that would be classed as unmittelbar , or held without any intermediate feudal tenure, directly from the Holy Roman Emperor . During
1328-679: The Alemanni , a Germanic people who later settled in the area around 450. In the Early Middle Ages , the Alemanni settled the eastern Swiss plateau by the 5th century and the valleys of the Alps by the end of the 8th century, with Liechtenstein located at the eastern edge of Alamannia . In the 6th century the entire region became part of the Frankish Empire following Clovis I 's victory over
1411-798: The Bürgerrecht (citizenship), regardless of where they were born or where they may currently live. Instead of the place of birth , Swiss legal documents, e.g. passports, contain the Bürgerort (place of citizenship, or place of origin ). The Bürgergemeinde also often holds and administers the common property in the village for the members of the community. Each canton determines the powers and responsibilities of its municipalities. These may include providing local government services such as education, medical and social services, public transportation, and tax collection. The degree of centralization varies from one canton to another. The federal constitution protects
1494-673: The Confederation of the Rhine was founded, the Prince of Liechtenstein was a member, in fact a vassal, of its hegemon , styled protector , the French Emperor Napoleon I, until the dissolution of the confederation on 19 October 1813. Soon afterward, Liechtenstein joined the German Confederation (20 June 1815 – 23 August 1866), which was presided over by the Emperor of Austria . In 1818, Prince Johann I granted
1577-430: The Confederation of the Rhine . This political restructuring had broad consequences for Liechtenstein: the historical imperial, legal, and political institutions had been dissolved. The state ceased to owe an obligation to any feudal lord beyond its borders. Modern publications generally attribute Liechtenstein's sovereignty to these events. Its prince ceased to owe an obligation to any suzerain . From 25 July 1806, when
1660-665: The Customs Treaty with Switzerland of 1923. Liechtenstein maintains direct diplomatic missions in Vienna , Bern, Berlin, Brussels, Strasbourg, and Washington, D.C. , as well as Permanent Missions in New York and Geneva to the United Nations . Currently, diplomatic missions from 78 countries are accredited to Liechtenstein, but mostly reside in Bern. The Embassy in Brussels coordinates contacts with
1743-700: The European Free Trade Association , and the Council of Europe . It is not a member state of the European Union , but it participates in both the Schengen Area and the European Economic Area . It has a customs union and a monetary union with Switzerland, with its usage of the Swiss franc . Politically, a constitutional referendum in 2003 granted the monarch greater powers, after he threatened to leave
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#17330937622211826-509: The Helvetic Republic . It was incorporated into the Canton of St. Gallen in 1803. Most of the town was destroyed by fire in 1811. Sargans is at the juncture of the railway lines connecting Chur with Zürich and with Lake Constance , built in 1859. The line to Vienna was added in 1884. The Saar was first canalised in 1858 for the construction of the railway station and again in 1978 for
1909-546: The Holy Roman Empire , around 1000. Until about 1100, the predominant language of the area was Romansch , but thereafter German began to gain ground in the territory. In 1300, another Alemannic population—the Walsers , who originated in Valais —entered the region and settled; the mountain village of Triesenberg today preserves features of the Walser dialect . By 1200, dominions across
1992-516: The Holy Roman Empire . By the early 19th century, as a result of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, the Holy Roman Empire came under the effective control of France, following the crushing defeat at Austerlitz by Napoleon in 1805. In 1806, Emperor Francis II abdicated and dissolved the Holy Roman Empire , ending more than 960 years of feudal government. Napoleon reorganized much of the Empire into
2075-759: The International Court of Justice ) included over 1,600 km (618 sq mi) of agricultural and forest land (most notably the UNESCO listed Lednice–Valtice Cultural Landscape ), and several family castles and palaces. In 2005, a government-commissioned investigation revealed that Jewish slave labourers from the Strasshof concentration camp , provided by the SS , had worked on estates in Austria owned by Liechtenstein's Princely House. The report indicated that though no evidence
2158-624: The Principality of Liechtenstein (German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein , [ˈfʏʁstn̩tuːm ˈlɪçtn̩ˌʃtaɪ̯n] ), is a doubly landlocked German-speaking microstate in the Central European Alps , between Austria in the east and north and Switzerland in the west and south. Liechtenstein is a semi-constitutional monarchy headed by the prince of Liechtenstein of the House of Liechtenstein , currently led by Hans-Adam II . It
2241-590: The Swiss Reformed Church . Of the rest of the population, there are 4 individuals (or about 0.08% of the population) who belong to the Christian Catholic faith, there are 132 individuals (or about 2.77% of the population) who belong to the Orthodox Church, and there are 53 individuals (or about 1.11% of the population) who belong to another Christian church. There are 4 individuals (or about 0.08% of
2324-498: The hamlets of Vild, Ratell, Prod, Splee, Riet, Farb, Töbeli and Schwefelbad. The municipality is located on the A3 motorway . Sargans is an important regional transportation node. Trains heading north toward St. Gallen , east toward Chur and Ticino , and toward Austria , all pass through Sargans. Buses heading toward Liechtenstein also leave Sargans. Sargans has a population (as of 31 December 2020) of 6,213. As of 2007, about 22.0% of
2407-405: The primary economic sector and about 29 businesses involved in this sector. 1,171 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 58 businesses in this sector. 1,791 people are employed in the tertiary sector , with 218 businesses in this sector. As of October 2009 the average unemployment rate was 3.9%. There were 310 businesses in the municipality of which 57 were involved in
2490-565: The 13th century, and again from 1807 onwards. The Liechtensteins acquired land, predominantly in Moravia , Lower Austria , Silesia , and Styria . As these territories were all held in feudal tenure from more senior feudal lords, particularly various branches of the Habsburgs , the Liechtenstein dynasty was unable to meet a primary requirement to qualify for a seat in the Imperial Diet (parliament),
2573-402: The 16th century. The etymology of the name is unknown; San- seems to have changed to Sar- under the influence of the hydronym Saar . A popular etymology connecting the name Sargans to "goose" (German Gans ) may date to as early as the 15th century. From 1406, a combined fortification of the town and the castle was built. In 1445, the town, but not the castle, was captured and burned by
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2656-711: The 2010 tax year. In addition, Liechtenstein regards Germany as an important partner in safeguarding its interests in European integration. At the cultural level, project sponsorship plays a particularly important role. For example, the Hilti Foundation financed the exhibition "Egypt's Sunken Treasures" in Berlin, and the state donated 20,000 euros following the fire at the Duchess Anna Amalia Library in Weimar . Liechtenstein
2739-421: The 25-seat legislature. Parliament proposes and approves a government, which the Prince formally appoints. Parliament may also pass votes of no confidence in the entire government or individual members. The government comprises the head of government ( prime minister ) and four government councillors (ministers), who are appointed by the Prince upon the proposal of parliament and with its concurrence, and reflect
2822-501: The Alemanni at Tolbiac in 504. The area that later became Liechtenstein remained under Frankish hegemony ( Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties) until the Treaty of Verdun divided the Carolingian empire in 843, following the death of Charlemagne in 814. The territory of present-day Liechtenstein formed part of East Francia . It would later be reunified with Middle Francia under
2905-749: The Alpine plateau were controlled by the Houses of Savoy , Zähringer , Habsburg , and Kyburg . Other regions were accorded the Imperial immediacy that granted the empire direct control over the mountain passes. When the Kyburg dynasty fell in 1264, the Habsburgs under King Rudolph I , the Holy Roman Emperor in 1273, extended their territory to the eastern Alpine plateau that included the territory of Liechtenstein. This region
2988-696: The Constitution of 1921. Important historical stages in Liechtenstein's integration and cooperation policy were its accession to the Confederation of the Rhine in 1806, to the German Confederation in 1815, the conclusion of bilateral customs and currency agreements with the Habsburg monarchy in 1852, and finally the Customs Treaty with Switzerland in 1923, which was followed by a range of other important bilateral treaties. Post-war economic reconstruction
3071-679: The Czech Republic on 13 July 2009, and with Slovakia on 9 December 2009. On 20 September 1990, Liechtenstein was admitted into the United Nations as 160th member state. As a member of the United Nations General Assembly , the microstate is one of the few not to play a prominent role in UN-specialized agencies . Liechtenstein was in dire financial straits following the end of World War II. The Liechtenstein dynasty often resorted to selling family artistic treasures, including
3154-706: The European Union, Belgium, and also the Holy See . For a long time, diplomatic relations with Germany were maintained through a non-resident ambassador; that is, a contact person who was not permanently resident in Germany. Since 2002, however, Liechtenstein has had a permanent ambassador in Berlin, while the German embassy in Switzerland is also responsible for the Principality. Liechtenstein's Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers
3237-553: The European standard of democracy. Legislative authority is vested in the unicameral Landtag , made up of 25 members elected for maximum four-year terms according to a proportional representation formula. Fifteen members are elected from the Oberland (Upper Country or region) and ten from the Unterland (Lower Country or region). Parties must receive at least 8% of the national vote to win seats in parliament, i.e., enough for two seats in
3320-565: The Habsburg territories, and spent much of their time at their two palaces in Vienna. Johann II appointed Carl von In der Maur , an Austrian aristocrat, to serve as the Governor of Liechtenstein . The economic devastation caused by World War I forced the country to conclude a customs and monetary union with its other neighbour Switzerland . In addition, popular unrest caused from economic devastation in
3403-514: The Nazi "Pan German" dream of uniting all German-speakers in the Reich would have also included the population of Liechtenstein. However, the Nazis eventually gave up implementing this plan, and Liechtenstein was spared from enduring a Nazi occupation. At the close of the conflict, Czechoslovakia and Poland , acting to seize what they considered German possessions, expropriated all of the Liechtenstein dynasty's properties in those three regions. The expropriations (subject to modern legal dispute at
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3486-407: The Prince of Liechtenstein. During World War II , Liechtenstein remained officially neutral, looking to neighbouring Switzerland for assistance and guidance, while family treasures from dynastic lands and possessions in Bohemia , Moravia , and Silesia were taken to Liechtenstein for safekeeping. Operation Tannenbaum , the Nazi plan for conquest of Switzerland, also included Liechtenstein, and
3569-788: The Regional Court at Vaduz, the Princely High Court of Appeal at Vaduz, the Princely Supreme Court, the Administrative Court, and the State Court. The State Court rules on the conformity of laws with the constitution and has five members elected by parliament. The principality is largely conservative . On 1 July 1984, Liechtenstein became the last country in Europe to grant women the right to vote, following three previous referendums which rejected it in 1968 , 1971 and 1973 . The referendum on women's suffrage that year, in which only men were allowed to participate, narrowly passed with 51.3% in favour. In 2024, Liechtenstein passed same-sex marriage legislation, which would be legalised in 2025. Abortion remains criminalised within Liechtenstein. In
3652-415: The Swiss Confederacy confirmed the city rights of Sargans and granted the right for a weekly market. The municipal coat of arms goes back to the 15th century. It is canting , showing a goose based on the folk etymology for the name Sargans . The historical coat of arms of the county of Sargans was azure three mullets or . In 1798, Sargans became part of the Mels district of the Canton of Linth in
3735-442: The Swiss Confederacy. The town was given limited rights of self-government in 1456 when the count agreed to select a Schultheiss out of a list of three candidates to be submitted by the burghers. In 1483, count Jürg of Werdenberg-Sargans was forced to sell the county to the Swiss Confederacy for 15,000 Rhenish guilder . From this time until 1798, the castle was the seat of the Swiss reeves. The town burned down again in 1490. In 1501,
3818-585: The Swiss national languages (as of 2000), 4,146 speak German , 18 people speak French , 102 people speak Italian , and 22 people speak Romansh. The age distribution, as of 2000, in Sargans is; 522 children or 11.0% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 592 teenagers or 12.4% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 594 people or 12.5% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 749 people or 15.7% are between 30 and 39, 738 people or 15.5% are between 40 and 49, and 610 people or 12.8% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution
3901-578: The absence of political or military power, Liechtenstein has sought to preserve its sovereignty over the past 300 years through membership in legal communities. International cooperation and European integration are therefore constants of Liechtenstein's foreign policy, aimed at continuing to safeguard the country's sovereignty as recognized under international law. Decisive for the domestic legitimacy and sustainability of this foreign policy were and are strong direct-democratic and citizen-oriented decision-making mechanisms, which are anchored in Liechtenstein in
3984-536: The annual meetings of the heads of state of the German-speaking countries (consisting of EU and non-EU members). Relations with Switzerland are particularly extensive because of the close cooperation in many areas; Switzerland performs tasks in some places that would be difficult for the Principality to handle on its own because of its small size. Since 2000, Switzerland has appointed an ambassador to Liechtenstein, but he resides in Bern. Liechtenstein's consular representation has been mostly handled by Switzerland since
4067-403: The autonomy of municipalities within the framework set out by cantonal law. Municipalities are generally governed by an executive council headed by a president or mayor . Legislative authority is exercised by a town meeting of all citizens, or by a municipal parliament, depending on the size of the municipality, and on cantonal and municipal law. In some cantons, foreigners who have lived for
4150-404: The balance of parties in parliament. The constitution stipulates that at least two government members be chosen from each of the two regions. The members of the government are collectively and individually responsible to parliament; parliament may ask the Prince to remove an individual minister or the entire government, or the Prince may do so unilaterally. Parliament elects from among its members
4233-405: The construction of the A3 - A13 motorway junction. Sargans remained mostly unaffected by industrialisation; the Gonzen iron ore mine was closed down in 1966. Sargans has an area, as of 2006, of 9.5 km (3.7 sq mi). Of this area, 38.4% is used for agricultural purposes, while 35.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 20.2% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (6.2%)
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#17330937622214316-490: The contacts to be extremely fruitful and important for the country's development, especially on the economic level. Conflicts over the handling of banking and tax data have repeatedly strained relations with Germany. On 2 September 2009, Liechtenstein and Germany signed an agreement on cooperation and the exchange of information in tax matters. The text of the agreement followed the OECD model agreement and provides for an exchange of information on tax matters upon request as of
4399-413: The country should the referendum fail. These powers include being able to dismiss the government, nominate judges and veto legislation. Economically, Liechtenstein has one of the highest gross domestic products per person in the world when adjusted for purchasing power parity . The country has a strong financial sector centred in Vaduz. It was once known as a billionaire tax haven , culminating in
4482-453: The early 17th century, Karl I of Liechtenstein was made a Fürst (prince) by the Holy Roman Emperor Matthias after siding with him in a political battle. Hans-Adam I was allowed to purchase the minuscule Herrschaft ('Lordship') of Schellenberg and the county of Vaduz (in 1699 and 1712, respectively) from the Hohenems. Tiny Schellenberg and Vaduz had exactly the political status required: no feudal superior ( suzerain ) other than
4565-443: The emperor. On 23 January 1719, after the lands had been purchased, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor , decreed that Vaduz and Schellenberg were united and elevated the newly formed territory to the dignity of Reichsfürstentum ( imperial principality ) with the name "Liechtenstein" in honour of "[his] true servant, Anton Florian of Liechtenstein ". On this date, Liechtenstein became a mostly-sovereign immediate member state of
4648-402: The entire Alpine area. Liechtenstein then became integrated into the Roman province of Raetia . The area was garrisoned by the Roman army , which maintained large legionary camps at Brigantium (Bregenz, Austria), near Lake Constance , and at Magia (Maienfeld, Switzerland). The Romans built and maintained a road which ran through the territory. Around 260 CE Brigantium was destroyed by
4731-474: The exercise of political rights for everyone except the members of the Bürgergemeinde . In the Regeneration era (1830–1848), the liberal revolutions of the common people helped to restore some rights again in a few cantons. In other cantons, the Bürgergemeinden were able to maintain power as political communities. In the city of Zürich it was not until the Municipal Act of 1866 that the political municipality came back into existence. The relationship between
4814-435: The highest education level completed by 1,079 people (22.6% of the population) was Primary , while 1,870 (39.2%) have completed their secondary education, 477 (10.0%) have attended a Tertiary school, and 236 (5.0%) are not in school. The remainder did not answer this question. The historical population is given in the following table: From the 2000 census, 3,001 or 63.0% are Roman Catholic , while 843 or 17.7% belonged to
4897-432: The late Iron Age , from around 450 BCE—possibly under some influence of both the Greek and Etruscan civilisations. One of the most important tribal groups in the Alpine region were the Helvetii . In 58 BCE, at the Battle of Bibracte , Julius Caesar defeated the Alpine tribes, thereby bringing the region under Roman subjugation. By 15 BCE, Tiberius —later the second Roman emperor—with his brother, Drusus , conquered
4980-452: The later 13th century. The castle was presumably first built in the 12th century and is first mentioned in 1282. The town of Sargans grew around the castle in the 13th century. Sargans is mentioned as Senegaunis in the 11th century. An earlier mention as de Senegaune , ostensibly dated to 765, survives in a 16th-century copy. In 1248 it was mentioned as Sanegans , in 1264 as Sangans and in 1332 as Santgans . The modern spelling dates to
5063-418: The legislature. However, as with laws passed by the legislature, these can be vetoed by the monarch. The reigning Prince is the head of state and represents Liechtenstein in its international relations (although Switzerland has taken responsibility for much of Liechtenstein's diplomatic relations). The current Constitution of Liechtenstein was adopted in March 2003 , amending the 1921 constitution, giving
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#17330937622215146-538: The lowest level of administrative division in Switzerland. Each municipality is part of one of the Swiss cantons , which form the Swiss Confederation . In most cantons, municipalities are also part of districts or other sub-cantonal administrative divisions. There are 2,131 municipalities as of January 2024 . Their populations range between several hundred thousand ( Zürich ), and a few dozen people ( Kammersrohr , Bister ), and their territory between 0.32 km² ( Rivaz ) and 439 km² ( Scuol ). The beginnings of
5229-445: The modern municipality system date back to the Helvetic Republic . Under the Old Swiss Confederacy , citizenship was granted by each town and village to only residents. These citizens enjoyed access to community property and in some cases additional protection under the law. Additionally, the urban towns and the rural villages had differing rights and laws. The creation of a uniform Swiss citizenship, which applied equally for citizens of
5312-426: The most popular party was the SVP which received 35.2% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP (21.7%), the SP (19.4%) and the FDP (13.5%). In Sargans about 68.8% of the population (between age 25–64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule ). Out of the total population in Sargans, as of 2000,
5395-399: The municipalities under cantonal or federal law. Municipalities are numbered by the Swiss Federal Office for Statistics (see Community Identification Number#Switzerland ). One or more postal codes (PLZ/NPA) can by assigned to a municipality or shared with other municipalities. Between 2011 and 2021 nine of the smallest municipalities merged into others as part of the effort to eliminate
5478-436: The number of municipalities dropping by 384 between the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2019. Some municipalities designate themselves as "city" ( ville or Stadt ) or as "village" ( Dorf ). These designations result from tradition or local preference – for example, several small municipalities designated as cities held city rights in medieval times – and normally do not impact the legal or political rights or obligations of
5561-465: The old towns and their tenants and servants, led to conflict. The wealthier villagers and urban citizens held rights to forests, common land and other municipal property which they did not want to share with the "new citizens", who were generally poor. The compromise solution, which was written into the municipal laws of the Helvetic Republic, is still valid today. Two politically separate but often geographically similar organizations were created. The first,
5644-408: The political municipality and the Bürgergemeinde was often dominated by the latter's ownership of community property. Often the administration and profit from the property were totally held by the Bürgergemeinden , leaving the political municipality dependent on the Bürgergemeinde for money and use of the property. It was not until the political municipality acquired rights over property that served
5727-447: The political voting and electoral body rights from the Bürgergemeinde . In the cities, the percentage of members in the Bürgergemeinde in the population was reduced as a result of increasing emigration to the cities. This led to the Bürgergemeinde losing its former importance to a large extent. However, the Bürgergemeinde has remained, and it includes all individuals who are citizens of the Bürgergemeinde , usually by having inherited
5810-462: The population was made up of foreign nationals. Of the foreign population, (as of 2000), 34 are from Germany , 126 are from Italy , 432 are from former Yugoslavia , 38 are from Austria, 50 are from Turkey , and 228 are from other countries. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 7.3%. Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks German (87.0%), with Serbo-Croatian being second most common ( 3.2%) and Italian being third ( 2.1%). Of
5893-495: The population) who are Jewish , and 265 (or about 5.56% of the population) who are Islamic . There are 75 individuals (or about 1.57% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), 218 (or about 4.58% of the population) belong to no church, are agnostic or atheist , and 170 individuals (or about 3.57% of the population) did not answer the question. As of 2007, Sargans had an unemployment rate of 1.75%. As of 2005, there were 79 people employed in
5976-515: The portrait Ginevra de' Benci by Leonardo da Vinci , which was purchased by the National Gallery of Art of the United States in 1967 for US$ 5 million ($ 46 million in 2023 dollars), then a record price for a painting. By the late 1970s, Liechtenstein used its low corporate tax rates to draw many companies and became one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Liechtenstein
6059-495: The prince extensive veto powers, and the ability to dismiss the government and rule by emergency decree, and maintaining the prince's active role in the legislative process. The BBC characterizes Liechtenstein post-2003 as "in effect" an " absolute monarchy ". Just prior to the referendum, the Venice commission of the Council of Europe published a comprehensive report analysing the amendments, opining that they were not compatible with
6142-498: The public (such as schools, fire stations, etc.) and taxes, that they obtained full independence. For example, in the city of Bern, it was not until after the property division of 1852 that the political municipality had the right to levy taxes. It was not until the Federal Constitution of 1874 that all Swiss citizens were granted equal political rights on local and Federal levels. This revised constitution finally removed all
6225-521: The secondary sector of the economy while 227 were involved in the third. As of 2000 there were 994 residents who worked in the municipality, while 1,493 residents worked outside Sargans and 1,893 people commuted into the municipality for work. Both the local mining operation and Schloss Sargans are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance . Sargans has an average of 142.2 days of rain or snow per year and on average receives 1,325 mm (52.2 in) of precipitation . The wettest month
6308-611: The smallest communities. Only Bister has not merged into a new municipality although the smallest municipality is now Kammersrohr with a population of just 32. In addition to the municipalities as basic territorial political subdivisions, a number of other local subdivisions exist in several cantons. These include: Liechtenstein in Europe (agate grey) – [ Legend ] Liechtenstein ( / ˈ l ɪ k t ən s t aɪ n / LIK -tən-styne ; German: [ˈlɪçtn̩ʃtaɪn] ), officially
6391-659: The so-called municipality, was a political community formed by election and its voting body consists of all resident citizens. However, the community land and property remained with the former local citizens who were gathered together into the Bürgergemeinde /bourgeoisie. During the Mediation era (1803–1814), and especially during the Restoration era (1814–1830), many of the gains toward uniform citizenship were lost. Many political municipalities were abolished and limits were placed on
6474-579: The territory a limited constitution. In that same year Prince Aloys became the first member of the House of Liechtenstein to set foot in the principality that bore their name. The next visit would not occur until 1842. Developments during the 19th century included: Until the end of World War I , Liechtenstein was closely tied first to the Austrian Empire and later to Austria-Hungary ; the ruling princes continued to derive much of their wealth from estates in
6557-471: The war directly led to the November 1918 Liechtenstein putsch , which created the process of a new constitution based on constitutional monarchy being introduced in 1921. In 1929, 75-year-old Prince Franz I succeeded to the throne. He had just married Elisabeth von Gutmann , a wealthy woman from Vienna whose father was a Jewish businessman from Moravia. Although Liechtenstein had no official Nazi party ,
6640-619: Was enfeoffed to the Counts of Hohenems until the sale to the Liechtenstein dynasty in 1699. In 1396, Vaduz , the southern region of Liechtenstein, gained imperial immediacy , i.e. it became subject to the Holy Roman Emperor alone. The family from which the principality takes its name originally came from Liechtenstein Castle in Lower Austria, which they had possessed since at least 1140 until
6723-449: Was destroyed by an Alamannic incursion in c. 270 . Sargans remained part of Lower Raetia in the early medieval period, with gradual displacement of Rumantsch by Alemannic speakers during the high medieval period. A church dedicated to Saint Cassian is mentioned in the 9th century. Sargans was part of the territory of the county of Werdenberg from the 12th century, with a separate line of Werdenberg-Sargans established in
6806-652: Was followed by accession to the Statute of the International Court of Justice in 1950, Liechtenstein signed the CSCE Helsinki Final Act (today's OSCE) together with 34 other states in 1975, Liechtenstein joined the Council of Europe in 1978, and Liechtenstein was admitted to the United Nations (UN) on September 18, 1990. In 1991, Liechtenstein joined the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) as
6889-532: Was found of the House's knowledge of the slave labour, the House bore responsibility. Citizens of Liechtenstein were forbidden to enter Czechoslovakia during the Cold War . The diplomatic conflict revolving around the controversial postwar Beneš decrees resulted in Liechtenstein not having international relations with the Czech Republic or Slovakia . Diplomatic relations were established between Liechtenstein and
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