Pray for Liechtenstein

The Liechtenstein Trail passes through the nation’s 11 municipalities, meaning people can hike across all of Liechtenstein. Just 62 square miles (160 square km), the tiny nation of Liechtenstein is a beautiful alpine gem tucked between Switzerland and Austria. The majority of its roughly 40,000 people are ethnically Germanic, and German is its official language, though an Alemanni dialect is more common. German is used in schools, newspapers, and official documents, while the Alemanni dialect is used in everyday conversations with friends and family. Peaceful and prosperous, Liechtenstein is located in the heart of both Europe and the Alps. Liechtensteiners enjoy a stable and robust economy, as well as rich cultural traditions in the arts. Liechtenstein’s prince owns one of the largest art collections in the world.

In 2003, the people voted to give the prince sweeping political power, distinguishing the royal family of Liechtenstein from other monarchies. Political stability has continued to grow the economy, along with the country’s low taxes, which attract international businesses. After concerns about money laundering, Liechtenstein created stronger banking laws to make financial activity more open and secure. The booming high-tech and industrial sectors create a labor imbalance, where roughly 40,000 residents must support more than 40,000 available jobs. As a result, the country relies heavily on workers from neighboring countries to keep businesses running. Even  with the help of these commuters, the nation still lacks specialized workers for technology, manufacturing, and engineering.

Throughout its history, the royal family has professed Catholicism, which is still the nation’s most popular religion today. More than 70 percent of the population identify as Christians, the majority of which are Roman Catholic. Despite this traditional faith, church attendance is lowering as the nation becomes increasingly secularized. There is also a minority population of Buddhist and Muslims, and about 16 percent of the population are non-religious. Evangelicals comprise only about 1–3 percent of the nation. Pray for Gospel understanding to foster personal relationships with the Lord, and for the evangelical population to grow.