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Background: |
Founded in 963, Luxembourg
became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the
Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839,
but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in
1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in
1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined
NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six
founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European
Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area. |
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Location: |
Western Europe, between France
and Germany |
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Geographic coordinates: |
49 45 N, 6 10 E |
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Map references: |
Europe |
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Area: |
total: 2,586 sq km
land: 2,586 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Rhode
Island |
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Land boundaries: |
total: 359 km
border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km
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Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked) |
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Maritime claims: |
none (landlocked) |
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Climate: |
modified continental with mild
winters, cool summers |
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Terrain: |
mostly gently rolling uplands
with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north;
steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Moselle
River 133 m
highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m |
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Natural resources: |
iron ore (no longer exploited),
arable land |
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Land use: |
arable land: 23.94%
permanent crops: 0.39%
other: 75.67% (includes
Belgium) (2005) |
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Irrigated land: |
NA |
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Total renewable water resources: |
1.6 cu km (2005) |
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Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural): |
Total: 0.06 cu km/yr
(42%/45%/13%)
Per capita: 121 cu m/yr (1999) |
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Natural hazards: |
NA |
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Environment - current issues: |
air and water pollution in
urban areas, soil pollution of farmland |
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Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
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Geography - note: |
landlocked; the only Grand
Duchy in the world |
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Population: |
480,222 (July 2007 est.) |
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 18.8% (male
46,478/female 43,656)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 161,466/female
158,261)
65 years and over: 14.7% (male 28,530/female 41,831)
(2007 est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 38.9 years
male: 37.9 years
female: 39.9 years (2007 est.)
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Population growth rate: |
1.207% (2007 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
11.84 births/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
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Death rate: |
8.42 deaths/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
8.64 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2007 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.07
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.065 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.682 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female
(2007 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 4.68 deaths/1,000
live births
male: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 79.03
years
male: 75.76 years
female: 82.52 years (2007
est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
1.78 children born/woman (2007
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.2% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
less than 500 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 100 (2003 est.)
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Nationality: |
noun: Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg |
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Ethnic groups: |
Celtic base (with French and
German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and
Kosovo) and European (guest and resident workers) |
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Religions: |
Roman Catholic 87%, other
(includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000) |
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Languages: |
Luxembourgish (national
language), German (administrative language), French (administrative
language) |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 100%
male:
100%
female: 100% (2000 est.) |
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Country name: |
conventional long form:
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg
local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg
local short
form: Luxembourg |
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Government type: |
constitutional monarchy |
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Capital: |
name: Luxembourg
geographic coordinates: 49 36 N, 6 07 E
time
difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March;
ends last Sunday in October |
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Administrative divisions: |
3 districts; Diekirch,
Grevenmacher, Luxembourg |
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Independence: |
1839 (from the Netherlands)
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National holiday: |
National Day (Birthday of Grand
Duchess Charlotte) 23 June; note - the actual date of birth was 23 January
1896, but the festivities were shifted by five months to allow observance
during a more favorable time of year |
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Constitution: |
17 October 1868; occasional
revisions |
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Legal system: |
based on civil law system;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal and
compulsory |
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Executive branch: |
chief of state: Grand
Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of
the monarch)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude
JUNCKER (since 20 January 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN
(since 31 July 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended
by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch
elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular elections to the
Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; the
deputy prime minister is appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to
the Chamber of Deputies
note: government coalition - CSV and
LSAP |
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Legislative branch: |
unicameral Chamber of Deputies
or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next
to be held by June 2009)
election results: percent of vote by
party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%, DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%, other
2.8%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP 14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5
note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an
advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21
members appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister
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Judicial branch: |
judicial courts and tribunals
(3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of
Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office,
administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges
for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch |
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Political parties and leaders: |
Alternative Democratic Reform
Party or ADR [Robert MENLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV
[Francois BILTGEN] (also known as Christian Social Party or PCS);
Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH];
Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; dei Lenk/la
Gauche (the Left); other minor parties |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
ABBL (bankers' association);
ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of
agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade
union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of
Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of
industrialists); Greenpeace (environment protection); LCGP (center-right
trade union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of ecology); OGBL
(center-left trade union) |
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International organization participation: |
ACCT, ADB (nonregional
members), Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Joseph WEYLAND
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171/72
FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
consulate(s) general: New
York, San Francisco |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ann WAGNER
embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais,
L-2535 Luxembourg City
mailing address: American Embassy
Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy
Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)
telephone: [352] 46 01 23
FAX: [352] 46 14 01 |
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Flag description: |
three equal horizontal bands of
red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands,
which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of
France |
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Economy - overview: |
This stable, high-income
economy - benefiting from its proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany -
features solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial
sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified
to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial
sector, which now accounts for about 28% of GDP, has more than compensated
for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned and have extensive
foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The
economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 60% of its
labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, suffered from the
global economic slump in the early part of this decade, the country
continues to enjoy an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP per
capita ranks first in the world. After two years of strong economic growth
in 2006-07, Luxembourg's economy probably will slow in 2008 as a result of
turmoil in the world financial markets, but growth will remain above the
European average. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$38.79 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate): |
$37.12 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate: |
5% (2007 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$80,800 (2007 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13%
services: 86% (2005 est.) |
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Labor force: |
205,000 of whom 121,600 are
foreign cross-border workers commuting primarily from France, Belgium, and
Germany (2007 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13%
services: 86% (2004 est.) |
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Unemployment rate: |
4.4% (2007 est.) |
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Population below poverty line: |
NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: 3.5%
highest 10%: 23.8% (2000) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
26 (2005) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
2.1% (2007 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed): |
17.5% of GDP (2007 est.) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $14.29 billion
expenditures: $13.92 billion (2007 est.) |
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Public debt: |
2.6% of GDP (2007 est.) |
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Agriculture - products: |
wine, grapes, barley, oats,
potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy products, livestock products |
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Industries: |
banking and financial services,
iron and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo
transportation, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering,
tires, glass, aluminum, tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
4.3% (2006 est.) |
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Electricity - production: |
3.156 billion kWh (2005 est.)
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Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 57.3%
hydro: 25.2%
nuclear: 0%
other: 17.5%
(2001) |
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Electricity - consumption: |
6.315 billion kWh (2005 est.)
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Electricity - exports: |
3.131 billion kWh (2005 est.)
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Electricity - imports: |
6.392 billion kWh (2005 est.)
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Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - consumption: |
64,020 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
283 bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - imports: |
61,070 bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - proved reserves: |
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
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Natural gas - production: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption: |
1.356 billion cu m (2005 est.)
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Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports: |
1.356 billion cu m (2005)
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Natural gas - proved reserves: |
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
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Current account balance: |
$11.3 billion (2007 est.)
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Exports: |
$19.58 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
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Exports - commodities: |
machinery and equipment, steel
products, chemicals, rubber products, glass |
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Exports - partners: |
Germany 19.3%, France 15.5%,
Italy 9.5%, UK 9.5%, Belgium 8.8%, Spain 5.3%, Netherlands 4.5% (2006)
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Imports: |
$26.85 billion c.i.f. (2007
est.) |
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Imports - commodities: |
minerals, metals, foodstuffs,
quality consumer goods |
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Imports - partners: |
Belgium 26.3%, Germany 20.1%,
China 16.7%, France 8.5%, UK 5.5%, Netherlands 4.2% (2006) |
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Economic aid - donor: |
ODA, $235.6 million (2004)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$265.1 million (2006 est.)
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Debt - external: |
$NA |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |
$NA |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: |
$NA |
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Market value of publicly traded shares: |
$79.4 billion (2006) |
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Currency (code): |
euro (EUR)
note: on
1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a
common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries;
on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday
transactions within the member countries |
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Currency code: |
EUR |
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Exchange rates: |
euros per US dollar - 0.7345
(2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) |
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
246,700 (2006) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
713,800 (2006) |
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Telephone system: |
general assessment:
highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried
cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; market
for mobile-cellular phones is virtually saturated with roughly 150
cellular phones per 100 persons
international: country code -
352 |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
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Radios: |
285,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
5 (1999) |
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Televisions: |
285,000 (1998 est.) |
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Internet country code: |
.lu |
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Internet hosts: |
132,090 (2007) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
8 (2000) |
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Internet users: |
339,000 (2006) |
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Airports: |
2 (2007) |
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Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 1
over
3,047 m: 1 (2007) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 1
under
914 m: 1 (2007) |
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Heliports: |
1 (2007) |
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Pipelines: |
gas 155 km (2007) |
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Railways: |
total: 275 km
standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (243 km electrified)
(2006) |
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Roadways: |
total: 5,227 km
paved: 5,227 km (includes 147 km of expressways) (2004) |
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Waterways: |
37 km (on Moselle River) (2007)
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Merchant marine: |
total: 45 ships (1000
GRT or over) 682,955 GRT/858,985 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 7,
chemical tanker 14, container 7, liquefied gas 2, passenger 3,
passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 7
foreign-owned: 44 (Belgium 9, France 14, Germany 10,
Netherlands 1, UK 7, US 3) (2007) |
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Ports and terminals: |
Mertert |
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Military branches: |
Army |
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Military service age and obligation: |
17 years of age for voluntary
military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with
peacekeeping missions (2004) |
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Manpower available for military service: |
males age 17-49: 110,867
females age 17-49: 108,758 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 17-49: 90,279
females age 17-49: 88,638 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 18-49: 2,775
females age 17-49: 2,703 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
0.9% (2005 est.)
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Disputes - international: |
none |
This page was last updated on 12 February, 2008
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