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Liechtenstein
Culture & Identity
Liechtenstein's Personality
Liechtenstein is a forgotten valley in the Alps
ruled by itself only due to the will and power of the Liechtenstein family and their
success in running the country. It's not a model of perfection by any means,
but it's one of the few monarchies that has ruled well enough to avoid overthrow,
perhaps only due to the limited area of the country.
Too small to stand alone, Liechtenstein has often
united with neighboring countries to maintain independence beginning with the Hapsburgs
and currently with Switzerland. Without good relations
and shared amenities with these countries Liechtenstein would not be able to afford
to run a government nor would they be able to protect themselves.
Identity
Today, the people of Liechtenstein primarily identify
as Liechtensteiners. Being a Liechtensteiner is defined more on principles and local
cultures than ethnicity, religion, or language. Liechtenstein is ethnically and
linguistically German, but their principles are more
similar to neighboring Switzerland, although this
doesn't quite make them Swiss either.
This page was last updated: February, 2012