Luxembourg

Grand Duchy of LuxembourgGrand-Duche de Luxembourg

constitutional monarchyIndependence 1839

Luxembourg as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 98 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

Position49 45 N, 6 10 E

Area2,586 sq km

LocationWestern Europe, between France and Germany

Populationas each edition published it

420,416 people July 1997 est. · 383,813 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.16% 1997 est. · 1.04% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 38.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

77.33 years 1997 est. · 76.43 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.7 children per woman 1997 est. · 1.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

5.1 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 7 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$24,500 1995 est. · $21,700 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3.7% 1995 est. · 2.5% in 1993

Geography

Western Europe, between France and Germany

18 fields

Land useshare of 2,586 sq km

arable land 24%permanent crops 1%permanent pastures 20%forests and woodland 21%other 34%

Area

2,586sq km

land: 2,586 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmslightly smaller than Rhode Island

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

559m

Burgplatzlowest point: Moselle River 133 m

Land boundaries

359km

border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Location

Western Europe, between France and Germany

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified :: Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

People

15 fields

Population

420,416

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.16% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

11.92Death

9.29Net migration

8.92

Literacy

100%

definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale : 100%female: 100% (1980 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years : 18% (male 39,219; female 37,459)

15-64 years:: 67% (male 143,754; female 138,493)
65 years and over:: 15% (male 24,653; female 36,838) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

5.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 77.33 years
male :: 74.24 years
female:: 80.52 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun :: Luxembourger(s)
adjective:: Luxembourg

Ethnic groups

Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, and European (guest and worker residents)

Religions

Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant and Jewish 3%

Government

Constitutional monarchy; Grand Duke JEAN (since 12 November 1964); Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jacques F. POOS (since 21 July 1984)

21 fields

Legislature, 60 seats, elected 12 June 1994one dot, one seat

CSV 21LSAP 17DP 12Action Committee for Democracy and Pension Rights 5Greens 5

Country name

conventional long form:: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form :: Luxembourg
local long form:: Grand-Duche de Luxembourg
local short form:: Luxembourg

Administrative divisions

3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

National holiday

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

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 JEAN (since 12 November 1964); Heir Apparent Prince HENRI (son of Grand Duke JEAN, born 16 April 1955)
head of government:: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jacques F. POOS (since 21 July 1984)
cabinet :: Council of Ministers appointed by the sovereign, responsible to the Chamber of Deputies
elections :: none;
the grand duke is a hereditary monarch;
prime minister and vice prime minister appointed by the sovereign but are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies

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 12 June 1994 (next to be held by June 1999)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CSV 21, LSAP 17, DP 12, Action Committee for Democracy and Pension Rights 5, Greens 5

note: the Conseil d'Etat or Council of State is an advisory body whose views are considered by the Chamber of Deputies

Judicial branch

Superior Court of Justice or Cour Superieure de Justice, judges are appointed for life by the Grand Duke; Administrative Court or Tribunale Administratin

Political parties and leaders

Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Erna HENNICOT-SCHOEPGES];
Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Ben FAYOT];
Democratic Party or DP [Lydie Wurth POLFER];
Action Committee for Democracy and Pension Rights [Roby MEHLEN];
the Green Alternative [Abbes JACOBY];
other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

International organization participation

ACCT, Australia Group, Benelux, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Alphonse BERNS
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 Clay CONSTANTINOU
embassy:: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, 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

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

22 fields

Real growth rate

3.7%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: 3.3% (1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

2.3%

(1995)

Unemployment rate

(1995)

Labor force

213,100

(one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany)

by occupation : trade, restaurants, hotels 20%, mining, quarrying, manufacturing 16%, other market services 18%, community, social, personal services 14%, construction 11%, finance, insurance, real estate, business services 9%, transport, storage, communications 8%, agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing 1%, electricity, gas, water 1% (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1995)

agriculture 5%industry 21%services 74% (1995)

Budget

Revenues

$5.46 billionExpenditures

$5.44 billion (1997 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Economy - overview

The stable, prosperous economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The industrial sector, until recently dominated by steel, has become increasingly more diversified. During the past decades, 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, is also closely connected economically to the Netherlands, and, as a member of the EU, enjoys the advantages of the open European market.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $10 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $24,500 (1995 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

1.2 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production

1.2 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

13,443 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products

barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products

Exports

total value:: $7.3 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities:: finished steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass, aluminum, other industrial products
partners :: Germany 28%, France 18%, Belgium 15%, UK 7%, Netherlands 5%

Imports

total value:: $9.1 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities:: minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods
partners:: Belgium 38%, Germany 25%, France 11%, Netherlands 4%

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $50 million (1993)

Currency

1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Luxembourg francs (LuxF) per US$1 - 30.067 (January 1997), 30.962 (1996), 29.480 (1995), 33.456 (1994), 34.597 (1993), 32.150 (1992);
note - the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which circulates freely in Luxembourg

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

221,900

(1994 est.)

Telephone system

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)