*Luxembourg, Geography
Location:
Western Europe, between Belgium and Germany
Map references:
Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
2,586 km2
land area:
2,586 km2
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
total 359 km, Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none; landlocked
International disputes:
none
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
Natural resources:
iron ore (no longer exploited)
Land use:
arable land:
24%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures:
20%
forest and woodland:
21%
other:
34%
Irrigated land:
NA km2
Environment:
deforestation
Note:
landlocked
*Luxembourg, People
Population:
398,220 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.04% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
12.96 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
9.56 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
6.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
76.43 years
male:
72.71 years
female:
80.3 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.63 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Luxembourger(s)
adjective:
Luxembourg
Ethnic divisions:
Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, and
European (guest and worker residents)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant and Jewish 3%
Languages:
Luxembourgisch, German, French, English
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
100%
male: 100%
female:
100%
Labor force:
177,300 one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly from Portugal,
Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany
by occupation:
services 65%, industry 31.6%, agriculture 3.4% (1988)
*Luxembourg, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form:
Luxembourg
local long form:
Grand-Duche de Luxembourg
local short form:
Luxembourg
Digraph:
LU
Type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Luxembourg
Administrative divisions:
3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg
Independence:
1839
Constitution:
17 October 1868, occasional revisions
Legal system:
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
National Day, 23 June (1921) (public celebration of the Grand Duke's
birthday)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Social Party (CSV), Jacques SANTER; Socialist Workers Party
(LSAP), Jacques POOS; Liberal (DP), Colette FLESCH; Communist (KPL), Andre
HOFFMANN; Green Alternative (GAP), Jean HUSS
Other political or pressure groups:
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
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Elections:
Chamber of Deputies:
last held on 18 June 1989 (next to be held by June 1994); results - CSV
31.7%, LSAP 27.2%, DP 16.2%, Greens 8.4%, PAC 7.3%, KPL 5.1%, other 4.1%;
seats - (60 total) CSV 22, LSAP 18, DP 11, Greens 4, PAC 4, KPL 1
Executive branch:
grand duke, prime minister, vice prime minister, Council of Ministers
(cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes); note - the Council of
State (Conseil d'Etat) is an advisory body whose views are considered by the
Chamber of Deputies
Judicial branch:
Superior Court of Justice (Cour Superieure de Justice)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Grand Duke JEAN (since 12 November 1964); Heir Apparent Prince HENRI (son of
Grand Duke Jean, born 16 April 1955)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Jacques SANTER (since 21 July 1984); Vice Prime Minister
Jacques F. POOS (since 21 July 1984)
*Luxembourg, Government
Member of:
ACCT, Australia Group, Benelux, CCC, CE, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB,
FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Alphonse BERNS
chancery:
2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 265-4171
FAX:
(202) 328-8270
consulates general:
New York and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Edward M. ROWELL
embassy:
22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, 2535 Luxembourg City
mailing address:
PSC 11, APO AE 09132-5380
telephone:
[352] 460123
FAX:
[352] 461401
Flag:
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
*Luxembourg, Economy
Overview: The stable economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and negligible
unemployment. Agriculture is based on small but highly productive
family-owned farms. The industrial sector, until recently dominated by
steel, has become increasingly more diversified, particularly toward
high-technology firms. During the past decade, 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.
Luxembourg participates in an economic union with Belgium on trade and most
financial matters and is also closely connected economically to the
Netherlands.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $8.5 billion (1992)
National product real growth rate:
2.5% (1992)
National product per capita:
$21,700 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (1992)
Unemployment rate:
1.4% (1991)
Budget:
revenues $3.5 billion; expenditures $3.5 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1992)
Exports:
$6.4 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
finished steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass, aluminum, other
industrial products
partners:
EC 76%, US 5%
Imports:
$8.3 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
commodities:
minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods
partners:
Belgium 37%, FRG 31%, France 12%, US 2%
External debt:
$131.6 million (1989 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate -0.5% (1990); accounts for 25% of GDP
Electricity:
1,238,750 kW capacity; 1,375 million kWh produced, 3,450 kWh per capita
(1990)
Industries:
banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products,
engineering, tires, glass, aluminum
Agriculture:
accounts for less than 3% of GDP (including forestry); principal products -
barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; cattle raising
widespread
Illicit drugs:
money-laundering hub
Economic aid:
none
Currency:
1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes