Luxembourg
Grand Duchy of LuxembourgGrand Duche de Luxembourg
constitutional monarchyIndependence 1839 (from the Netherlands)
Luxembourg as the 2006 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 123 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Western Europe, between France and Germany
18 fieldsLand useshare of 2,586 sq km
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
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
People
19 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2006 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2006 est.)
Male · female
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:
- 0.68 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Ethnic groups
Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European (guest and resident workers)
Languages
Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language)
Government
Constitutional monarchy; Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July 2004)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes, 60 seats, elected 13 June 2004one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
- conventional short form:
- Luxembourg
- local long form:
- Grand Duche de Luxembourg
- local short form:
- Luxembourg
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
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 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 direct 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%; 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 (also known as Christian Social Party or PCS) [Francois BILTGEN];
- Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH];
- Green Party [Francois BAUSCH];
- Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY];
- Marxist and Reformed Communist Party dei Lenk/la Gauche (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);
- Greenpeace (environment protection);
- LCGP (center-right trade union);
- Mouvement Ecologique (protection of ecology);
- OGBL (center-left trade union)
International organization participation
ACCT, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Joseph WEYLAND
- chancery:
- 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
This stable, high-income economy - benefitting from its proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany - features solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment.
42 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2005 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
This stable, high-income economy - benefitting from its proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany - 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, which now accounts for about 28% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for more than 30% of its labor force.
Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, has suffered from the global economic slump, the country enjoys an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP per capita ranks first in the world.
Labor force
316,500 of whom 121,600 are foreign cross-border workers commuting primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products
wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy products, livestock products
Industries
banking and financial services, iron and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism
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
Exchange rates
euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
- domestic:
- nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
- international:
- country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)
Transportation
10 fieldsMerchant marine, 42 ships by typeone square, one ship · ships (1000 GRT or over) 557,636 GRT/792,069 DWT
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Military
Army
6 fieldsMilitary 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)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
- males age 18-49:
- 2,775
- females age 17-49:
- 2,703 (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Luxembourg.” The World Factbook 2006. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/luxembourg/2006.