Luxembourg

constitutional monarchyIndependence 1839

Luxembourg as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalLuxembourg
Area2,586 km2
1990

Every edition of Luxembourg

Populationas each edition published it
383,813 people July 1990 · 671,254 in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 1.04% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 38.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 76.43 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.5 children per woman 1990 · 1.25 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 3.1 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $21,700 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 2.5% in 1993

Geography

11 fields

Land useshare of 2,586 km2

arable land 24%permanent crops 1%meadows and pastures 20%forest and woodland 21%other 34%
Total area
2,586km2
land area: 2,586 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries
359km total
Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, FRG 138 km

Coastline

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 floodplain in the southeast

Natural resources

iron ore (no longer exploited)

Environment

deforestation

Note

landlocked

People

14 fields
Population
383,813
(July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1989)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
12Death
10Net migration
9

Religion

Roman Catholic 97%Protestant and Jewish 3%

Infant mortality rate

7 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

72 years male, 80 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

1.5 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

noun--Luxembourger(s); adjective--Luxembourg

Ethnic divisions

Celtic base, with French and German blend; also guest and worker residents from Portugal, Italy, and European countries

Language

Luxembourgish, German, French; many also speak English

Labor force

  • 161,000;
  • one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and FRG;
  • 48.9% services, 24.7% industry, 13.2% government, 8.8% construction, 4.4% agriculture (1984)

Organized labor

100,000 (est.) members of four confederated trade unions

Government

Constitutional monarchy

18 fields

Chamber of Deputies, 60 seats, elected 18 June 1989one dot, one seat

CSV 22LSAP 18DP 11Greens 4PAC 4KPL 1others 4

Percent of vote

CSV 31.7%LSAP 27.2%DP 16.2%Greens 8.4%PAC 7.3%KPL 5.1%others 4%

Long-form name

Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Type

constitutional monarchy

Capital

Luxembourg

Administrative divisions

3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Constitution

17 October 1868, occasional revisions

National holiday

National Day (public celebration of the Grand Duke's birthday), 23 June (1921)

Executive branch

grand duke, prime minister, vice prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

  • unicameral Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes);
  • note--the Council of State (Conseil d'Etat) is an advisory body whose views are considered by the Chamber of Deputies

Judicial branch

  • Superior Court of Justice (Cour Superieure de de Justice) Chief of State--Grand Duke JEAN (since 12 November 1964);
  • Heir Apparent Prince HENRI (son of Grand Duke Jean, born 16 April 1955);
  • Head of Government--Prime Minister Jacques SANTER (since 21 July 1984);
  • Deputy Prime Minister Jacques F. POOS (since 21 July 1984)

Political parties and leaders

  • Christian Social Party (CSV), Jacques Santer;
  • Socialist Workers Party (LSAP), Jacques Poos;
  • Liberal (DP), Colette Flesch;
  • Communist (KPL), Rene Urbany;
  • Green Alternative (GAP), Jean Huss

Suffrage

  • universal and compulsory at age 18 Chamber of Deputies--last held on 18 June 1989 (next to be held by June 1994);
  • results--CSV 31.7%, LSAP 27.2%, DP 16.2%, Greens 8.4%, PAC 7.3%, KPL 5.1%, others 4%;
  • seats--(60 total) CSV 22, LSAP 18, DP 11, Greens 4, PAC 4, KPL 1, others 4

Communists

500 party members (1982)

Other political or pressure groups

  • group of steel industries representing iron and steel industry, Centrale Paysanne representing agricultural producers;
  • Christian and Socialist labor unions;
  • Federation of Industrialists;
  • Artisans and Shopkeepers Federation

Member of

Benelux, BLEU, CCC, Council of Europe, EC, EIB, EMS, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, IPU, ITU, NATO, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

  • Ambassador Andre PHILIPPE;
  • Chancery at 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
  • telephone (202) 265-4171;
  • there are Luxembourg Consulates General in New York and San Francisco;
  • US--Ambassador Jean B. S. GERARD;
  • Embassy at 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, 2535 Luxembourg City (mailing address is APO New York 09132);
  • telephone [352] 460123

Flag

  • 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

The stable economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and negligible unemployment.

16 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$6.3billion
per capita $17,200; real growth rate 4% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate
1.6%
(1989 est.)
External debt
$131.6million
(1989 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$2.5 billionExpenditures
$2.3 billion
expenditures, including capital expenditures of NA (1988)

Overview

The stable economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and negligible unemployment. Agriculture is based on small but highly productive family-owned farms. The industrial sector, until recently dominated by steel, has become increasingly more diversified, particularly toward high-technology firms.

During the past decade growth in the financial sector has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Services, especially banking, account for a growing proportion of the economy. Luxembourg participates in an economic union with Belgium on trade and most financial matters and is also closely connected economically with the Netherlands.

Exports

  • $4.7 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
  • commodities--finished steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass, aluminum, other industrial products;
  • partners--EC 75%, US 6%

Imports

  • $5.9 billion (c.i.f., 1988 est.);
  • commodities--minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods;
  • partners--FRG 40%, Belgium 35%, France 15%, US 3%

Industrial production

growth rate 5% (1989 est.)

Electricity

1,500,000 kW capacity; 1,163 million kWh produced, 3,170 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum

Agriculture

  • accounts for less than 3% of GDP (including forestry);
  • principal products--barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes;
  • cattle raising widespread

Aid

none

Currency

Luxembourg franc (plural--francs); 1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

  • Luxembourg francs (LuxF) per US$1--35.468 (January 1990), 39.404 (1989), 36.768 (1988), 37.334 (1987), 44.672 (1986), 59.378 (1985);
  • note--the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which circulates freely in Luxembourg

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 4 ships by typeone square, one ship

petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 2chemical tanker 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,138 GRT/9,373 DWT

Airports, 2 total, 2 usable

permanent-surface runways
1runways less than 1,220 m
1runways over 3,659 m
1

Networkskm

Highways
5,108Inland waterways
37
Highways: ; 4,995 km paved, 57 km gravel, 56 km earth; about 80 km limited access divided highway · Inland waterways: ; Moselle River

Railroads

  • Luxembourg National Railways (CFL) operates 270 km 1.435-meter standard gauge;
  • 162 km double track;
  • 162 km electrified

Highways

  • 5,108 km total;
  • 4,995 km paved, 57 km gravel, 56 km earth;
  • about 80 km limited access divided highway

Inland waterways

37 km; Moselle River

Pipelines

refined products, 48 km

Ports

Mertert (river port)

Civil air

13 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

  • adequate and efficient system, mainly buried cables;
  • 230,000 telephones;
  • stations--2 AM, 4 FM, 6 TV;
  • 2 communication satellite earth stations operating in EUTELSAT and domestic systems

Defense Forces

Army

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49
99,734fit for military service
83,237reach military age (19) annually
2,368
Defense expenditures
1.2%of GDP
or $76 million (1989 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Luxembourg.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/luxembourg/1990.

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