Luxembourg

Grand Duchy of LuxembourgGrand-Duche de Luxembourg

constitutional monarchyIndependence 1839 (from the Netherlands)

Luxembourg as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 106 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

429,080 people July 1999 est. · 383,813 in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.88% 1999 est. · 1.04% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 38.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

77.65 years 1999 est. · 76.43 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.57 children per woman 1999 est. · 1.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

4.99 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 7 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$32,700 1998 est. · $21,700 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

2.9% 1998 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%irrigated 10 sq km (including Belgium (1993 est.)

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified:: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

People

15 fields

Population

429,080

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 0.88% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

10.35Death

9.32Net migration

7.78

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)77.65

74.58 · 80.83

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1980 est.)100%

100% · 100%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Age structure

0-14 years:: 18% (male 39,701; female 37,998)
15-64 years:: 67% (male 146,336; female 140,717)
65 years and over:: 15% (male 26,201; female 38,127) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

4.99 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 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)

19 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 the monarch, 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 monarch, responsible to the Chamber of Deputies
elections:: none;
the monarch is hereditary;
prime minister and vice prime minister appointed by the monarch 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 13 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 Council of State or Conseil d'Etat, which has 21 members who are appointed for life, 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 monarch;
Administrative Court or Tribunale Administratin, judges are appointed for life by the monarch

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, 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, ITU, MTCR, 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
consulate(s) general:: New York and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Marie MURRAY
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)

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.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$32,700

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

2.9%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 3.3% (1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

1.4%

(1998)

Unemployment rate

(1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1998 est.)

agriculture 1%industry 22%services 77% (1998 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

15%

Belgium

38%

28%

Germany

25%

18%

France

11%

Netherlands

Exports $7.1 billion (f.o.b., 1996)Imports $9.4 billion (c.i.f., 1996)

Budget

Revenues

$5.46 billionExpenditures

$5.44 billion (1997 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 90.12%hydro 9.88%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

1.158 billion (1997)Electricity consumption

5.381 billion (1996)Electricity exports

800 million (1996)Electricity imports

5.8 billion (1996)

Economy--overview

The stable, prosperous economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. 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. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. Luxembourg has especially close trade and financial ties to 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--$13.9 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force

226,500 (one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany) (1998 est.)

Labor force--by occupation

services 83.2%, industry 14.3%, agriculture 2.5% (1998 est.)

Industries

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

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$7.1 billion (f.o.b., 1996)

Exports--commodities

finished steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass, aluminum, other industrial products

Imports

$9.4 billion (c.i.f., 1996)

Imports--commodities

minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Debt--external

$NA

Economic aid--donor

ODA, $65 million (1995)

Currency

1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes; note--centimes no longer in use

Exchange rates

Luxembourg francs (LuxF) per US$1--34.77 (January 1999), 36.299 (1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996), 29.480 (1995), 33.456 (1994);
note--the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which circulates freely in Luxembourg

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed rate of 40.3399 francs per euro;

the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

279,736

(1997)

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)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios

230,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

5 (1997)

Televisions

100,500 (1993 est.)

Transportation

9 fields

Merchant marine, 37 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1998 est.)

bulk 1chemical tanker 6liquefied gas tanker 13oil tanker 6passenger 4roll-on/roll-off cargo 6vehicle carrier 1

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

Networkskm

Highways

5,137Railways

275Waterways

Highways: paved: 5,086 km (including 123 km of expressways) · unpaved: 51 km (1996 est.) note: one source lists roads 2,863 km; expressways 115 km · Railways: standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (262 km electrified; 178 km double track) (1995) · Waterways: ; Moselle