Luxembourg
Grand Duchy of LuxembourgGrand Duche de Luxembourg
constitutional monarchyIndependence 1839 (from the Netherlands)
Luxembourg as the 2013 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 162 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. In January 2013, Luxembourg assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2013-14 term.
Geography
Western Europe, between France and Germany
20 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
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 0.06 cu km/yr (65%/33%/1%)
- per capita:
- 135.9 cu m/yr (2010)
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 and Society
33 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2013 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2013 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2000 census)
Languages
Luxembourgish (official administrative language and national language (spoken vernacular)), French (official administrative language), German (official administrative language)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.07 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 1 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.71 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.97 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
Government
Constitutional monarchy; Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Prime Minister Xavier BETTEL (since 25 October 2013)
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes, 60 seats, elected 20 October 2013one 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 36 N, 6 07 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
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
- previous 1842 (heavily amended 1848, 1856);
- latest effective 17 October 1968;
- amended many times, last in 2008 (2008)
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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 Xavier BETTEL (since 25 October 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Etienne SCHNEIDER (since 25 July 2013)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- the monarchy is hereditary;
- following popular elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch;
- the deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch;
- they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies
note: government coalition - DP, LSAP, and the Green Party (first time since 1979 that the CSV is in opposition)
Legislative branch
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
- elections:
- last held on 20 October 2013 (next to be held by June 2018)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - CSV 33.7%, LSAP 20.3%, DP 18.3%, Green Party 10.1%, ADR 6.6%, The Left 4.5%, other 6.1%;
- seats by party - CSV 23, LSAP 13, DP 13, Green Party 6, ADR 3, The Left 2
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
- highest court(s):
- Superior Court of Justice includes Court of Appeal and Court of Cassation (consists of 27 judges on 9 benches); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members)
- judge selection and term of office:
- judges of both courts appointed by the monarch for life
- subordinate courts:
- district and local tribunals and courts
Political parties and leaders
Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Jean SCHOOS]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Michel WOLTER]; The Left (dei Lenk/la Gauche) [Fabienne LENTZ and David WAGNER]; Democratic Party or DP [Xavier BETTEL]; Green Party [Sam TANSON and Christian GOEBEL]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; 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)
- Chamber of Commerce (Chambre de Commerce)
- Chamber of Artisans (Chambre des Metiers)
- FEDIL (federation of industrialists)
- Greenpeace (environment protection)
- LCGP (center-right trade union)
- Mouvement Ecologique (environment protection)
- OGBL (center-left trade union)
International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Jean-Louis WOLZFELD (since 11 September 2012)
- chancery:
- 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 265-4171 through 72
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 328-8270
- consulate(s) general:
- New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Robert MANDELL (since 25 October 2011)
- 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;
- the coloring is derived from the Grand Duke's coat of arms (a red lion on a white and blue striped field)
Economy
This small, stable, high-income economy - benefiting from its proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany - has historically featured solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment.
39 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2012 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP
Economy - overview
This small, stable, high-income economy - benefiting from its proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany - has historically featured 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 27% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned and have extensive foreign dealings, but Luxembourg has lost some of its advantages as a favorable tax location because of OECD and EU pressure.
The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 40% of its labor force. Luxembourg, like all EU members, suffered from the global economic crisis that began in late 2008, but unemployment has trended below the EU average. Following strong expansion from 2004 to 2007, Luxembourg's economy contracted 3.6% in 2009, but rebounded in 2010-11 before slowing again in 2012.
The country continues to enjoy an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP per capita ranks among the highest in the world, and is the highest in the euro zone. Turmoil in the world financial markets and lower global demand during 2008-09 prompted the government to inject capital into the banking sector and implement stimulus measures to boost the economy.
Government stimulus measures and support for the banking sector, however, led to a 5% government budget deficit in 2009. Nevertheless, the deficit was cut to 1.1% in 2011 and 0.9% in 2012. Even during the financial crisis and recovery, Luxembourg retained the highest current account surplus as a share of GDP in the euro zone, owing largely to their strength in financial services.
Public debt remains among the lowest of the region although it has more than doubled since 2007 as percentage of GDP. Luxembourg's economy, while stabile, grew slowly in 2012 due to ongoing weak growth in the euro area. Authorities have strengthened supervision of domestic banks because of their exposure to the activities of foreign banks.
Industries
banking and financial services, iron and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism
Labor force
208,200 country comparison to the world: 168 note: data exclude foreign workers; in addition to the figure for domestic labor force, about 150,000 workers commute daily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2012 est.)
Public debt
20.8% of GDP (2012 est.) · 18.3% of GDP (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Central bank discount rate
1.5% (31 December 2012) · 1.75% (31 December 2010) country comparison to the world: 128 note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
Stock of narrow money
$89.87 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $90.21 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 17 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders
Stock of domestic credit
$97.39 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $95.08 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
Current account balance
$3.272 billion (2012 est.) · $4.199 billion (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 33
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$991 million (31 December 2012 est.) · $1.014 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Debt - external
$2.643 trillion (31 December 2012) · $2.084 trillion (31 December 2011) country comparison to the world: 7
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.78 (2012 est.) · 0.72 (2011 est.) · 0.76 (2010 est.) · 0.72 (2009 est.) · 0.68 (2008 est.)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 1.723 million kW(2010 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
28.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
Electricity - from other renewable sources
5.9% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
11.87 million Mt (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 97
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
- domestic:
- fixed line teledensity over 50 per 100 persons; nationwide mobile-cellular telephone system with market for mobile-cellular phones virtually saturated
- international:
- country code - 352 (2010)
Broadcast media
- Luxembourg has a long tradition of operating radio and TV services to pan-European audiences and is home to Europe's largest privately owned broadcast media group, the RTL group, which operates 46 TV stations and 29 radio stations in Europe;
- also home to Europe's largest satellite operator, Societe Europeenne des Satellites (SES);
- domestically, the RTL group operates TV and radio networks;
- other domestic private radio and TV operators and French and German stations available;
- satellite and cable TV services available (2008)
Transportation
10 fieldsMerchant marine, 49 ships by typeone square, one ship
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Military
Luxembourg Army (L'Armee Luxembourgeoises) (2013)
6 fieldsMilitary service age and obligation
- 18-24 years of age for male and female voluntary military service;
- no conscription;
- Luxembourg citizen or EU citizen with 3-year residence in Luxembourg (2012)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Luxembourg.” The World Factbook 2013. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/luxembourg/2013.