Principality of Liechtenstein: Like the Duchy of Grand Fenwick, But This One's Real

Welcome to digital Liechtenstein
"the portal of the Principality of Liechtenstein"

Not Roy Lichtenstein, the artist. The Principality of Liechtenstein, in Europe.

The Principality of Liechtenstein has been around for a little longer than the United States of America.

"...The history of Liechtenstein as the Principality of Liechtenstein began in 1719, when Emperor Charles VI unified the Lordship of Schellenberg and the County of Vaduz and elevated them to an Imperial Principality by the name of Liechtenstein. In 1806, Liechtenstein became a member of the Confederation of the Rhine and obtained sovereignty, which it has maintained until today. In 2006, Liechtenstein will celebrate 200 Years of Sovereignty of the Principality of Liechtenstein....."
(FAQ)

The House of Liechtenstein goes back a lot longer, though.

On a map of Europe, Liechtenstein is a shard of land, over five miles across in spots, and almost fifteen miles long, between Switzerland and Austria.

Don't get me wrong: I've got quite a lot of respect for this tiny country. Anybody who can maintain a national identity for the last two centuries in Europe has, in my opinion, something besides mountain ranges going for them.

More:

• Liechtenstein
  "World Factbook," CIA (February 22, 2010)

About this post's title: The Duchy of Grand Fenwick is a tiny and quite fictional European country created by author Leonard Wibberley. It may be best known through the movie "The Mouse that Roared" (1959).