| 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. |
| Location: |
Western Europe,
between France and Germany |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
49 45 N, 6 10 E |
| Area: |
total:
2,586 sq km
land: 2,586 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller
than Rhode Island |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
356 km
border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km,
Germany 135 km |
| Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime
claims: |
none (landlocked) |
| Climate: |
modified
continental with mild winters, cool summers |
| 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 |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Moselle River 133 m
highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m |
| Natural
resources: |
iron ore (no
longer exploited), arable land |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
24%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 35%
other: 20% |
| Irrigated
land: |
10 sq km
(including Belgium) (1993 est.) |
| Environment
- current issues: |
air and water
pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur
85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Environmental Modification |
| Geography
- note: |
landlocked |
| Population: |
442,972 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
18.91% (male 43,051; female 40,711)
15-64 years: 67.03% (male 149,781; female
147,165)
65 years and over: 14.06% (male 24,921; female
37,343) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.26% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
12.25
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
8.88 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
9.26 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
4.77 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 77.3 years
male: 74.02 years
female: 80.8 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.7 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.16% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
less than 100
(1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Celtic base (with
French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from
Montenegro, Albania, and Kososvo) and European (guest and
resident workers) |
| Religions: |
the greatest
preponderance of the population is Roman Catholic with a
very few Protestants, Jews, and Muslims
note: 1979 legislation forbids the collection
of religious statistics |
| Languages: |
Luxembourgish
(national language), German (administrative language),
French (administrative language) |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2000 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg
local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg
local short form: Luxembourg |
| Government
type: |
constitutional
monarchy |
| Administrative
divisions: |
3 districts;
Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg |
| Independence: |
1839 (from the
Netherlands) |
| National
holiday: |
National Day
(Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June |
| Constitution: |
17 October 1868,
occasional revisions |
| Legal
system: |
based on civil
law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal and compulsory |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000);
Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11
November 1981);
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude
JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Lydie
POLFER (since 7 August 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by
the prime minister and appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary;
prime minister and vice prime minister appointed by the
monarch, following popular election to the Chamber of
Deputies; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies
note: government coalition - CSV and DP |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 June 1999 (next to be
held by NA June 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party -
CSV 29.79%, DP 21.58%, LSAP 23.75%, ADR 10.36%, Green Party
9.09%, the Left 3.77%; seats by party - CSV 19, DP 15, LSAP
13, ADR 6, Green Party 5, the Left 2
note: the Council of State or Conseil d'Etat,
which has 21 members who are appointed and dismissed by the
Grand Duke based on proposals from the government, the
Chamber of Deputies, or the Council of State, is an advisory
body whose views are considered by the Chamber of Deputies |
| 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 |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Action Committee
for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Robert MEHLEN]; Christian
Social People's Party or CSV (known also as Christian Social
Party or PCS) [Erna HENNICOT-SCHOEPGES]; Democratic Party or
DP [Lydie POLFER]; Green Party [Abbes JACOBY and Felix
BRAS]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Jean
ASSELBORN]; Marxist and Reformed Communist Party DEI LENK
(the Left) [no formal leadership]; other minor parties |
| 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); LCGP (center-right trade
union); OGBL (center-left trade union) |
| International
organization participation: |
ACCT, Australia
Group, Benelux, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171
FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
consulate(s) general: New York and San
Francisco |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador James C. HORMEL
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 |
| 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 |
| Economy
- overview: |
The stable,
high-income economy 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 has more than compensated for the decline
in steel. Services, especially banking, account for a
substantial proportion of the economy. Agriculture is based
on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign
and trans-border workers for 30% of its labor force.
Luxembourg has a custom union with Belgium and the
Netherlands, and, as a member of the EU, enjoys the
advantages of the open European market. It joined with 10
other EU members to launch the euro on 1 January 1999. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $15.9 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
5.7% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $36,400 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
1%
industry: 30%
services: 69% (2000 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
7.8% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
248,000 (of whom
70,200 are foreign cross-border workers primarily from
France, Belgium, and Germany) (2000) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
services 83.2%,
industry 14.3%, agriculture 2.5% (1998 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
2.7% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$5.6 billion
expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
banking, iron and
steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products,
engineering, tires, glass, aluminum |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
7.8% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
648 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
36.88%
hydro: 53.09%
nuclear: 0%
other: 10.03% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
6.149 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
655 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
6.201 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
barley, oats,
potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products |
| Exports: |
$7.6 billion
(f.o.b., 2000) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass |
| Exports
- partners: |
EU 75% (Germany
25%, France 21%, Belgium 13%, UK 8%, Italy 6%, Netherlands
5%), US 4% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$10 billion
(c.i.f., 2000) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
minerals, metals,
foodstuffs, quality consumer goods |
| Imports
- partners: |
EU 81% (Belgium
35%, Germany 26%, France 12%, Netherlands 4%), US 9% (1999) |
| Economic
aid - donor: |
ODA, $160 million
(1999) |
| Currency: |
Luxembourg franc
(LUF); euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the
euro as a common currency that is now being used by
financial institutions in Luxembourg at a fixed rate of
40.3399 Luxembourg francs per euro and will replace the
local currency for all transactions in 2002 |
| Exchange
rates: |
euros per US
dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386
(1999); Luxembourg francs per US dollar - 34.77 (January
1999), 36.299 (1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996); note -
the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which
circulates freely in Luxembourg |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
314,700 (1999) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
215,741 (2000) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: highly developed, completely automated
and efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system;
buried cable
international: 3 channels leased on TAT-6
coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 2, FM 9,
shortwave 2 (1999) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
5 (1999) |
| Televisions: |
285,000 (1998
est.) |
| Internet
country code: |
.lu |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
8 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
86,000 (1999) |
| Railways: |
total:
274 km
standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km
electrified; 178 km double track) (1998) |
| Highways: |
total:
5,166 km
paved: 5,166 km (including 118 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999) |
| Waterways: |
37 km (on the
Moselle) |
| Pipelines: |
petroleum
products 48 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Mertert |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 988,450 GRT/1,313,498
DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, chemical tanker 11,
container 2, liquefied gas 18, passenger 4, petroleum tanker
6, roll on/roll off 7
note: includes some foreign-owned ships
registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 4 (2000
est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
1
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army; note - the
government abolished the Gendarmerie |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
19 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 112,714 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 92,817 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
2,565 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$131 million
(FY98/99) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1% (FY98/99) |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
|
