How many prisoners in Liechtenstein are foreign citizens?

In 2024, 75.3% of prisoners in Liechtenstein held a foreign citizenship, while foreign citizens made up 34.3% of the population. That makes a foreign citizen 5.8× as likely to be in prison as a Liechtenstein citizen (Eurostat).

How does Liechtenstein compare with the rest of Europe?

Liechtenstein ranks 5 of 31 European countries by how much more likely foreign citizens are to be in prison than citizens. The median across those countries in 2024 was 3.1×.

Does Liechtenstein publish crime or rape statistics by nationality?

Liechtenstein is not one of the four countries covered here (Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany) whose official sources publish rape, sexual offence or violent crime rates by country of birth or migrant background in a form that can be compared per capita. The comparable measure for Liechtenstein is Eurostat prison statistics by citizenship, shown on this page.

What are the crime statistics for illegal migrants in Europe?

No European country publishes a reliable per-capita crime rate for illegal migrants alone, because people without legal residence are not counted in the population figures needed to calculate a rate. Most official rates count registered residents by country of birth or citizenship. Germany comes closest: its police statistics (PKS) report an immigrant category (Zuwanderer) that includes asylum seekers, refugees, tolerated persons and people staying without permission. Foreign-citizen prison counts on the map can also include people without legal residence held on remand or awaiting deportation.

How are foreign prisoner rates calculated?

For each country, the share of prisoners holding a foreign citizenship is divided by the foreign share of the population, using Eurostat data. The result shows how many times as likely a foreign citizen is to be in prison as a citizen. Prison figures reflect sentencing, remand and deportation practice as well as offending.

Liechtenstein migrant crime and foreign prisoner statistics

How much more likely foreign citizens are to be in prison in Liechtenstein than Liechtenstein citizens, year by year, from Eurostat prison and population statistics, and how Liechtenstein ranks against the rest of Europe.

Explore Liechtenstein on the interactive map

Foreign prisoners in Liechtenstein: 2009–2024

In 2024, foreign citizens in Liechtenstein were 5.8× as likely to be in prison as Liechtenstein citizens and made up 75.3% of prisoners. That ranks Liechtenstein 5 of 31 European countries, against a median of 3.1×.

Foreign citizens in prison in Liechtenstein, times as likely as Liechtenstein citizens, by year
Year	Times as likely	Prisoners foreign	Population foreign
2024	5.8×	75.3%	34.3%
2023	29×	93.8%	34.4%
2022	20×	91.4%	34.4%
2020	3.8×	66.7%	34.2%
2019	10.0×	83.7%	34.0%
2018	12×	85.7%	34.0%
2017	9.9×	83.6%	33.8%
2016	12×	86.1%	34.0%
2015	7.5×	79.2%	33.7%
2014	6.7×	77.4%	33.7%
2013	6.0×	75.0%	33.5%
2012	8.9×	81.7%	33.3%
2011	5.5×	73.2%	33.2%
2010	8.2×	80.3%	33.1%
2009	20×	90.6%	33.1%

Share of prisoners with a foreign citizenship divided by the foreign share of the population. Prison figures reflect remand, sentencing and deportation practice as well as offending. Source: Eurostat (crim_pris_ctz)

Foreign prisoner rates across Europe: where Liechtenstein ranks

Liechtenstein migrant crime: common questions

How many prisoners in Liechtenstein are foreign citizens?: In 2024, 75.3% of prisoners in Liechtenstein held a foreign citizenship, while foreign citizens made up 34.3% of the population. That makes a foreign citizen 5.8× as likely to be in prison as a Liechtenstein citizen (Eurostat).
How does Liechtenstein compare with the rest of Europe?: Liechtenstein ranks 5 of 31 European countries by how much more likely foreign citizens are to be in prison than citizens. The median across those countries in 2024 was 3.1×.
Does Liechtenstein publish crime or rape statistics by nationality?: Liechtenstein is not one of the four countries covered here (Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany) whose official sources publish rape, sexual offence or violent crime rates by country of birth or migrant background in a form that can be compared per capita. The comparable measure for Liechtenstein is Eurostat prison statistics by citizenship, shown on this page.
What are the crime statistics for illegal migrants in Europe?: No European country publishes a reliable per-capita crime rate for illegal migrants alone, because people without legal residence are not counted in the population figures needed to calculate a rate. Most official rates count registered residents by country of birth or citizenship. Germany comes closest: its police statistics (PKS) report an immigrant category (Zuwanderer) that includes asylum seekers, refugees, tolerated persons and people staying without permission. Foreign-citizen prison counts on the map can also include people without legal residence held on remand or awaiting deportation.
How are foreign prisoner rates calculated?: For each country, the share of prisoners holding a foreign citizenship is divided by the foreign share of the population, using Eurostat data. The result shows how many times as likely a foreign citizen is to be in prison as a citizen. Prison figures reflect sentencing, remand and deportation practice as well as offending.

Liechtenstein migrant crime and foreign prisoner statistics

Explore Liechtenstein on the interactive map

Foreign prisoners in Liechtenstein: 2009–2024

Foreign citizens in prison in Liechtenstein, times as likely as Liechtenstein citizens, by year
Year	Times as likely	Prisoners foreign	Population foreign
2024	5.8×	75.3%	34.3%
2023	29×	93.8%	34.4%
2022	20×	91.4%	34.4%
2020	3.8×	66.7%	34.2%
2019	10.0×	83.7%	34.0%
2018	12×	85.7%	34.0%
2017	9.9×	83.6%	33.8%
2016	12×	86.1%	34.0%
2015	7.5×	79.2%	33.7%
2014	6.7×	77.4%	33.7%
2013	6.0×	75.0%	33.5%
2012	8.9×	81.7%	33.3%
2011	5.5×	73.2%	33.2%
2010	8.2×	80.3%	33.1%
2009	20×	90.6%	33.1%

Foreign prisoner rates across Europe: where Liechtenstein ranks

Liechtenstein migrant crime: common questions

How many prisoners in Liechtenstein are foreign citizens?: In 2024, 75.3% of prisoners in Liechtenstein held a foreign citizenship, while foreign citizens made up 34.3% of the population. That makes a foreign citizen 5.8× as likely to be in prison as a Liechtenstein citizen (Eurostat).
How does Liechtenstein compare with the rest of Europe?: Liechtenstein ranks 5 of 31 European countries by how much more likely foreign citizens are to be in prison than citizens. The median across those countries in 2024 was 3.1×.
Does Liechtenstein publish crime or rape statistics by nationality?: Liechtenstein is not one of the four countries covered here (Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany) whose official sources publish rape, sexual offence or violent crime rates by country of birth or migrant background in a form that can be compared per capita. The comparable measure for Liechtenstein is Eurostat prison statistics by citizenship, shown on this page.
What are the crime statistics for illegal migrants in Europe?: No European country publishes a reliable per-capita crime rate for illegal migrants alone, because people without legal residence are not counted in the population figures needed to calculate a rate. Most official rates count registered residents by country of birth or citizenship. Germany comes closest: its police statistics (PKS) report an immigrant category (Zuwanderer) that includes asylum seekers, refugees, tolerated persons and people staying without permission. Foreign-citizen prison counts on the map can also include people without legal residence held on remand or awaiting deportation.
How are foreign prisoner rates calculated?: For each country, the share of prisoners holding a foreign citizenship is divided by the foreign share of the population, using Eurostat data. The result shows how many times as likely a foreign citizen is to be in prison as a citizen. Prison figures reflect sentencing, remand and deportation practice as well as offending.