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
Map references
Europe
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
359 km
border countries
Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 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
23.94%
permanent crops
0.39%
other
75.67% (includes Belgium) (2005)
Irrigated land
NA
Natural hazards
NA
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-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
Geography - note
landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world
Population
480,222 (July 2007 est.)
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.)
Median age
total
38.9 years
male
37.9 years
female
39.9 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
1.207% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
11.84 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
8.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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.)
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.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
79.03 years
male
75.76 years
female
82.52 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.78 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
less than 500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun
Luxembourger(s)
adjective
Luxembourg
Ethnic groups
Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European (guest and resident workers)
Religions
Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000)
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
Capital
name
Luxembourg
geographic coordinates
49 45 N, 6 10 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
Administrative divisions
3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg
Independence
1839 (from the Netherlands)
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
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)
head of government
Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 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
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
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 [Gast GIBERYEN]; 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
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)
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
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
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
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$33.87 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$34.53 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
6.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$71,400 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
1%
industry
13%
services
86% (2005 est.)
Labor force
203,000 of whom 121,600 are foreign cross-border workers commuting primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
1%
industry
13%
services
86% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate
4.1% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
NA%
highest 10%
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.6% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
18.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$19.07 billion
expenditures
$19.79 billion; including capital expenditures of $975.5 million (2006 est.)
banking and financial services, iron and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism
Industrial production growth rate
4.3% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production
3.203 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
57.3%
hydro
25.2%
nuclear
0%
other
17.5% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
6.14 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - exports
2.346 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - imports
5.287 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Oil - production
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption
62,420 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
634 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports
50,700 bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
1.361 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports
1.361 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance
$4.63 billion (2006 est.)
Exports
$19.55 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass
Exports - partners
Germany 19.3%, France 15.5%, Italy 9.5%, UK 9.5%, Belgium 8.8%, Spain 5.3%, Netherlands 4.5% (2006)
Belgium 26.3%, Germany 20.1%, China 16.7%, France 8.5%, UK 5.5%, Netherlands 4.2% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$232.2 million (August 2006 est.)
Debt - external
$NA
Economic aid - donor
ODA, $235.59 million (2004)
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
Currency code
EUR
Exchange rates
euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
244,500 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
720,000 (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios
285,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
5 (1999)
Televisions
285,000 (1998 est.)
Internet country code
.lu
Internet hosts
88,661 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
8 (2000)
Internet users
315,000 (2005)
Airports
2 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
1
over 3,047 m
1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
1
under 914 m
1 (2006)
Heliports
1 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 155 km (2006)
Railways
total
274 km
standard gauge
274 km 1.435-m gauge (262 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways
total
5,227 km
paved
5,227 km (includes 147 km of expressways) (2004)
Waterways
37 km (on Moselle River) (2007)
Merchant marine
total
42 ships (1000 GRT or over) 557,636 GRT/792,069 DWT
by type
bulk carrier 6, chemical tanker 16, container 7, liquefied gas 2, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 5
foreign-owned
42 (Belgium 9, Finland 4, France 14, Germany 10, Netherlands 2, US 3) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Mertert
Military branches
Army
Military service age and obligation
a 1967 law made the Army an all-volunteer force; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions (2004)
