Have you ever wondered where the capital of false teeth production in the world is? Or the sausage casings? What about potassium storage units? I bet you haven’t given a single thought to any of those, so allow me to share some invaluable information with you now.
Even though covering an area of just 160 square kilometers (twice the size of Manhattan Island), the pocket-sized country of Liechtenstein is home to some superlatives. The sixth-smallest independent nation, doubly landlocked by Switzerland and Austria, is the largest producer of sausage casings, potassium storage units, and false teeth in the world.
It is the second richest country on the planet, after Monaco. Liechtenstein is divided into 11 communes that consist of a single town or village. It is also one of the few countries in the world with more registered companies than citizens (73000 companies vs 35000 citizens). While this funny list of facts about the Principality of Liechtenstein goes on, it has not so much to offer tourists, unless you want to buy false teeth as souvenirs 🙂
Nevertheless, if you are traveling through the area, you may want to stop by and say hi to Prince Hans-Adam II, who rules from his ancient castle, dramatically situated on a cliff-top high above his tiny capital city Vaduz.
The short and easy hike from Vaduz center to the castle will offer you some nice views of the Swiss Alps, and perhaps you will start wondering how a principality can exist today, and how a country this small can be so rich by exporting such products.
