Luxembourg

• 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

noun:

Luxembourger(s)

adjective:

Luxembourg

at birth:

1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.82 male(s)/female

total population:

1.02 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

• air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland;
• unsustainable patterns of consumption (transport, energy, recreation, space) threaten biodiversity and landscapes

particulate matter emissions:

10.21 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions:

8.99 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions:

0.61 megatons (2020 est.)

urban population:

91.7% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization:

1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

356,000 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually:

100,997 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

28.4% (2015 est.)

municipal:

43.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial:

1.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural:

400,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

conventional long form:

Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

conventional short form:

Luxembourg

local long form:

Grand Duche de Luxembourg

local short form:

Luxembourg

etymology:

• the name derives from the Celtic "lucilem" (little) and the German "burg" (castle or fortress) to produce the meaning of the "little castle";
• the name is actually ironic, since for centuries the Fortress of Luxembourg was one of Europe's most formidable fortifications;
• the name passed to the surrounding city and then to the country itself

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

etymology:

• the name derives from the Celtic "lucilem" (little) and the German "burg" (castle or fortress) to produce the meaning of the "little castle";
• the name is actually ironic, since for centuries the Fortress of Luxembourg was one of Europe's most formidable fortifications;
• the name passed to the city that grew around the fortress

• National Day (birthday of Grand Duke HENRI), 23 June;
• note - this date of birth is not the true date of birth for any of the Royals, but the national festivities were shifted in 1962 to allow observance during a more favorable time of year

history:

previous 1842 (heavily amended 1848, 1856); latest effective 17 October 1868

amendments:

• proposed by the Chamber of Deputies or by the monarch to the Chamber;
• passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Chamber in two successive readings three months apart;
• a referendum can be substituted for the second reading if approved by more than a quarter of the Chamber members or by 25,000 valid voters;
• adoption by referendum requires a majority of all valid voters;
• amended many times, last in 2020

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 4 December 2013);
• Deputy Prime Minister Francois BAUSCH (since 11 October 2019);
• Deputy Prime Minister Daniel KERSCH (since 4 February 2020)

cabinet:

Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister, appointed by the monarch

elections/appointments:

• the monarchy is hereditary;
• following elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch;
• deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch;
• prime minister and deputy prime minister are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies

description:

• unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms);
• note - a 21-member Council of State appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies

elections:

last held on 14 October 2018 (next to be held by 31 October 2023)

election results:

• percent of vote by party - CSV 28.3%, LSAP 17.6%, DP 16.9%, Green Party 15.1%, ADR 8.3%, Pirate Party 6.4%, The Left 5.5%, other 1.9%;
• seats by party - CSV 21, DP 12, LSAP 10, Green Party 9, ADR 4, Pirate Party 2, The Left 2;
• composition (as of September 2021) - men 39, women 21, percent of women 35%

highest courts:

Supreme 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:

Court of Accounts; district and local tribunals and courts

chief of mission:

Ambassador Nicole BINTNER-BAKSHIAN (since 19 August 2021)

chancery:

2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 265-4171

FAX:

[1] (202) 328-8270

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://washington.mae.lu/en.html

consulate(s) general:

New York, San Francisco

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Casey MACE (since 20 January 2021)

embassy:

22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City

mailing address:

5380 Luxembourg Place, Washington DC 20521-5380

telephone:

[352] 46-01-23-00

FAX:

[352] 46-14-01

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://lu.usembassy.gov/

• 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)

name:

"Ons Heemecht" (Our Motherland); "De Wilhelmus" (The William)

lyrics/music:

Michel LENTZ/Jean-Antoine ZINNEN; Nikolaus WELTER/unknown

note: "Ons Heemecht," adopted 1864, is the national anthem, while "De Wilhelmus," adopted 1919, serves as a royal anthem for use when members of the grand ducal family enter or exit a ceremony in Luxembourg

Fitch rating:

AAA (1994)

Moody's rating:

Aaa (1989)

Standard & Poors rating: AAA (1994)

agriculture:

1.1%

industry:

20%

services:

78.9% (2013 est.)

total:

23.2%

male:

24.8%

female:

21.3% (2020 est.)

lowest 10%:

3.5%

highest 10%:

23.8% (2000)

• Luxembourg has a long tradition of operating radio and TV services for 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

number of registered air carriers:

4 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 66

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:

2,099,102 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:

7,323,040,000 mt-km (2018)

total:

275 km (2014)

standard gauge:

275 km 1.435-m gauge (275 km electrified) (2014)

• the inventory of Luxembourg's Army is a mix of European and US equipment;
• since 2010, it has received small quantities of equipment from Germany, Norway, and Sweden (2021)

• 18-26 years of age for male and female voluntary military service;
• no conscription (abolished 1969);
• Luxembourg citizen or EU citizen with 3-year residence in Luxembourg (2021)