In a filing scheme, what is the key unit for the entry Fuerstentum Liechtenstein (Principality of Liechtenstein)?

• A. Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
• B. Principality of Liechtenstein
• C. Principality of
• D. Liechtenstein

Answer: (D)

In a filing scheme, the key unit is the canonical geographic heading used to index the entry. This should be the simplest, most widely recognized form of the place name so all related records land under the same access point and are easy to retrieve.

Fuerstentum Liechtenstein and Principality of Liechtenstein are descriptive variants or translations of the same entity, while “Principality of” by itself isn’t a complete, unique heading. The stable, unambiguous choice that uniquely identifies the subject is Liechtenstein. Using Liechtenstein as the primary access point ensures consistent organization, and the other forms can be stored as cross-references or alternative spellings to help users find the record if they search by a different name.