BackgroundFounded 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 Beium in 1839, but gained a larger msure 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 yr. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the Europn Economic Community (later the Europn Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency ar.
GeographyLandlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world Loion:Western Europe, between France and GermanyGeographic coordinates:49 45 N, 6 10 r:total: 2,586 sq km land: 2,586 sq km water: 0 sq km
Size comparison: slightly smaller than Rhode IslandLand Boundaries:total: 359 km border countries: Beium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 kmCoastline:0 km (landlocked)Maritime claims:none (landlocked)Climate:modified continental with mild winters, cool summersTerrain:mostly tly rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southstElevation extremes:lowest point: Moselle River 133 m highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 mNatural resources:iron ore (no longer ed), arable landLand use:arable land: 27.42% permanent crops: 0.69% other: 71.89% (includes Beium) (2005)Irrigated land:NANatural hazards:NACurrent Environment Issues:air and water pollution in urban ars, soil pollution of farmlandInternational Environment Agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitro 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, Desertifiion, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the S, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modifiion
PeoplePopulation:491,775 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 169Age structure:0-14 yrs: 18.5% (male 46,918/female 44,052) 15-64 yrs: 66.7% (male 165,342/female 162,681) 65 yrs and over: 14.8% (male 29,839/female 42,943) (2009 est.)Median age:total: 39.2 yrs male: 38.2 yrs female: 40.2 yrs (2009 est.)Population growth rate:1.172% (2009 est.)Birth rate:11.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)Dth rate:8.44 dths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)Net migration rate:8.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)Sex ratio:at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 yrs: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 yrs: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 yrs and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)Infant mortality rate:total: 4.56 dths/1,000 live births male: 4.56 dths/1,000 live births female: 4.55 dths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population: 79.33 yrs male: 76.07 yrs female: 82.81 yrs (2009 est.)Total fertility rate:1.78 children born/woman (2009 est.)HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.2% (2007 est.)HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:fewer than 500 (2003 est.)HIV/AIDS - dths:fewer than 100 (2003 est.)Nationality:noun: Luxembourger(s) adjective: LuxembourgEthnic groups:Luxembourger 63.1%, Portuguese 13.3%, French 4.5%, Italian 4.3%, German 2.3%, other EU 7.3%, other 5.2% (2000 census)Religions:Roman holic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000)Languages:Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language)Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can rd and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.)
GovernmentCountry name:conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg local short form: LuxembourgGovernment type:constitutional monarchyCapital:name: Luxembourg geographic coordinates: 49 36 N, 6 07 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahd of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in OctoberAdministrative divisions:3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, LuxembourgIndependence:1839 (from the Netherlands)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 yrConstitution:17 October 1868; occasional revisionsLegal system:based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdictionSuffrage:18 yrs of age; universal and compulsoryExecutive branch:chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981) hd of government: Prime Minister Jn-Claude JUNCKER (since 20 January 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Jn ASSELBORN (since 31 July 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary; following popular elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the lder of the majority party or the lder 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 LSAPLegislative branch:unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 sts; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-yr terms) elections: last held 7 June 2009 (next to be held by June 2014) election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 38%, LSAP 21.6%, DP 15%, Green Party 11.7%, ADR 8.1%, The Left 3.3%, other 2.3%; sts by party - CSV 26, LSAP 13, DP 9, Green Party 7, ADR 4, The Left 1 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 ministerJudicial branch:judicial courts and tribunals (three Justices of the Pce, two district courts, and one Supreme Court of Appls); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's , administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarchPolitical parties and lders:Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Robert MEHLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Michel WOLTER]; Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left); Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; other minor partiesPolitical pressure groups and lders: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); Greenpce (environment protection); LCGP (center-right trade union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of ecology); OGBL (center-left trade union)International organization participation:ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, Benelux, CE, PC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, I, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, N, NSG, OAS (observer), OE, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, Ziplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Jn-Paul SENNINGER chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171 through 72 FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270 consulate(s) eral: New York, San FranDiplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia STROUM (designate) 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
EconomyThis small, stable, high-income economy - benefiting from its proximity to France, Beium, and Germany - has historically ftured solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become incrsingly 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 dlings. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 60% of its labor force. Luxembourg, like all EU members, suffered from the global economic crisis that began in late 2008. Following strong expansion from 2004 to 2007, Luxembourg's economy contracted 0.9% in 2008 and 4.6% in 2009. Nonetheless, the country continues to enjoy an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP per capita ranks third in the world, after Liechtenstein and Qatar, and is the highest in the EU. 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 msures to boost the economy. Government stimulus msures and support for the banking sector, however, led to a 2% government budget deficit in 2009. GDP (purchasing power parity):GDP (purchasing power parity): $38.14 billion (2009 est.) $39.94 billion (2008 est.) $40.32 billion (2007 est.) note: data are in 2009 US dollarsGDP (official exchange rate):GDP (official exchange rate): $46.51 billion (2009 est.)GDP - rl growth rate:-4.5% (2009 est.) -0.9% (2008 est.) 5.2% (2007 est.)GDP - per capita (PPP):GDP - per capita (PPP): $77,600 (2009 est.) $82,200 (2008 est.) $84,000 (2007 est.) note: data are in 2009 US dollarsGDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 0.4% industry: 13.6% services: 86% (2007 est.)Labor force:208,000 of whom 125,400 are foreign cross-border workers commuting primarily from France, Beium, and Germany (2009 est.)Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: 2.2% industry: 17.2% services: 80.6% (2007 est.)Unemployment rate:6.8% (2009 est.) 4.4% (2008 est.)Population below poverty line:NA%Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 23.8% (2000)Distribution of family income - Gini index:26 (2005)Inflation rate (consumer prices):Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (2009 est.) 3.4% (2008 est.)Investment (gross fixed):Investment (gross fixed): 19.8% of GDP (2009 est.)Budget:revenues: $17.83 billion expenditures: $19.76 billion (2009 est.)Public debt:14.5% of GDP (2009 est.) 10.2% of GDP (2008 est.)Agriculture - products:wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wht, fruits; dairy products, livestock productsIndustries:banking and financial services, iron and steel, information technology, telecommuniions, cargo transportation, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourismIndustrial production growth rate:1.7% (2007 est.)Electricity - production:2.696 billion kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - consumption:6.525 billion kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - exports:2.483 billion kWh (2008 est.)Electricity - imports:6.83 billion kWh (2008 est.)Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2008 est.)Oil - consumption:59,140 bbl/day (2008 est.)Oil - exports:168 bbl/day (2008 est.)Oil - imports:60,030 bbl/day (2008 est.)Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - consumption:1.255 billion cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - imports:1.255 billion cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - proved reserves:0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)Current account balance:$3.1 billion (2009 est.) $2.979 billion (2008 est.)Exports:$14.05 billion (2009 est.) $21.43 billion (2008 est.)Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glassExports - partners:Germany 21.8%, France 17.4%, Beium 10%, Italy 6.9%, UK 6.5%, Netherlands 6%, Spain 4.9% (2008)Imports:$18.69 billion (2009 est.) $27.73 billion (2008 est.)Imports - commodities:minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goodsImports - partners:Beium 28%, Germany 24%, China 18.9%, France 10%, Netherlands 4.8% (2008)Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$NA (31 December 2009 est.) $397.8 million (31 December 2008 est.)Debt - external:$1.994 trillion (30 June 2009 est.) $2.02 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:$NA (31 December 2009 est.) $11.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.)Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:$NAMarket value of publicly traded shares:$NA (31 December 2008) $166.1 billion (31 December 2007) $79.52 billion (31 December 2006)Exchange rates:euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7338 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005)
CommuniionsTele in use:260,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 118Cellular in use:707,000 (2008)Telephone system:eral assessment: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables domestic: fixed line teledensity over 50 per 100 persons; nationwide cellular telephone system with market for mobile-cellular virtually saturated international: country - 352 (2008)Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)Television broadcast stations:5 (1999)Internet country :.luInternet hosts:220,107 (2009)Internet users:387,000 (2008)
TransportationAirports:2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 208Airports (paved runways):total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)Airports (unpaved runways):total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)Heliports:1 (2009)Pipelines:gas 155 km (2008)Railways:total: 275 km standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (243 km electrified) (2008)Roadways:total: 5,227 km paved: 5,227 km (includes 147 km of expressways) (2004)Waterways:37 km (on Moselle River) (2008)Merchant marine:total: 45 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 3, chemical tanker 15, container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 9 foreign-owned: 44 (Beium 7, Denmark 1, France 17, Germany 5, Netherlands 2, UK 8, US 4) registered in other countries: 1 (Ukraine 1) (2008)Ports and terminals:Mertert
Military
Military branches:Army (2009)Military service age and obligation:17-25 yrs of age for male and female voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with pcekeeping missions; no conscription; Luxembourg citizen or EU citizen with 3-yr residence in Luxembourg (2008)Manpower available for military service:males age 16-49: 116,305 females age 16-49: 114,566 (2008 est.)Manpower fit for military service:males age 16-49: 95,840 females age 16-49: 94,641 (2009 est.)
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