Luxembourg

Branches

Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard (Skat)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $31.7 million, 1% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 903,437 males fit for military service: 712,875 males reach military age (18) annually: 26,162 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 13, FM 26, shortwave 1, longwave 1

Radios

1.42 million (1993 est.)

Telephone system

telecommunications system ranks among the most modern of the former Soviet republics domestic: an NMT-450 analog cellular telephone network operates in Vilnius and other cities; landlines and microwave radio relay connect switching centers international: international connections no longer depend on the Moscow international gateway switch, but are established by satellite through Oslo from Vilnius and through Copenhagen from Kaunas; satellite earth stations - 1 Eutelsat and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); cellular network linked internationally through Copenhagen by Eutelsat; international electronic mail is available; landlines or microwave radio relay to former Soviet republics

Telephones

900,000

Television broadcast stations

3

Televisions

1.77 million (1993 est.) Defense

Agriculture

barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products

Budget

revenues: $4 billion expenditures: $4.05 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)

Currency

1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $50 million (1993)

Economic overview

The stable, prosperous 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, is also closely connected economically to the Netherlands, and, as a member of the EU, enjoys the advantages of the open European market.

Electricity

capacity: 1,238,750 kW production: 1.374 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,395 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Luxembourg francs (LuxF) per US$1 - 30.036 (January 1996), 29.480 (1995), 33.456 (1994), 34.597 (1993), 32.150 (1992), 34.148 (1991); note - the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which circulates freely in Luxembourg

Exports

$5.9 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: finished steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass, aluminum, other industrial products partners: Germany 28%, France 18%, Belgium 15%, UK 7%, Netherlands 5%

External debt

$800 million (1994 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $10 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 1.4% industry: 33.7% services: 64.9% (1994)

GDP per capita

$24,800 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2.6% (1995 est.)

Imports

$7.5 million (c.i.f., 1993 est.) commodities: minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods partners: Belgium 38%, Germany 25%, France 11%, Netherlands 4%

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.6% (1992)

Labor force

200,400 (1992) (one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany) by occupation: trade, restaurants, hotels 20%, mining, quarrying, manufacturing 18%, other market services 17%, community, social, personal services 14%, construction 11%, finance, insurance, real estate, business services 9%, transport, storage, communications 7%, agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing 3%, electricity, gas, water 1%

Unemployment rate

2.5% (1995)

Area

total area: 2,586 sq km land area: 2,586 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Climate

modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Environment

current issues: deforestation; air and water pollution in urban areas natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

49 45 N, 6 10 E

Geographic note

landlocked

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

total: 359 km border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Land use

arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 21% other: 34%

Location

Western Europe, between France and Germany

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

iron ore (no longer exploited)

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 lowest point: Moselle River 133 m highest point: Burgplatz 559 m

Administrative divisions

3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Capital

Luxembourg

Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes)

elections last held 12 June 1994 (next to be held by June 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (60 total) CSV 21, LSAP 17, DP 12, Action Committee for Democracy and Pension Rights 5, Greens 5 note: the Council of State (Conseil d'Etat) is an advisory body whose views are considered by the Chamber of Deputies

Constitution

17 October 1868, occasional revisions

Data code

LU

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Alphonse BERNS chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171

Executive branch

chief of state: Grand Duke JEAN (since 12 November 1964) is a hereditary monarch; Heir Apparent Prince HENRI (son of Grand Duke JEAN, born 16 April 1955) head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jacques F. POOS (since 21 July 1984) were appointed by the sovereign but are responsible to the legislature cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the sovereign, responsible to the legislature

FAX

[1] (202) 328-8270 consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco

FAX

[352] 46 14 01

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

Independence

1839

International organization participation

ACCT, Australia Group, Benelux, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

Superior Court of Justice (Cour Superieure de Justice), judges are appointed for life by the Grand Duke

Legal system

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand-Duche de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg

National holiday

National Day, 23 June (1921) (public celebration of the Grand Duke's birthday)

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

Political parties and leaders

Christian Social People's Party (CSV), Erna HENNICOT-SCHOEPGES; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), Ben FAYOT; Democratic Party (DP), Henri GRETHEN; Action Committee for Democracy and Pension Rights, Roby MEHLEN; the Green Alternative, Abbes JACOBY; other minor parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Type of government

constitutional monarchy

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Clay CONSTANTINOU embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, 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

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 39,199; female 37,239) 15-64 years: 68% (male 142,394; female 138,349) 65 years and over: 14% (male 23,118; female 35,571) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

13.14 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

8.32 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, and European (guest and worker residents)

Infant mortality rate

4.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Luxembourgisch, German, French, English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.26 years male: 75.24 years female: 81.56 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Nationality

noun: Luxembourger(s) adjective: Luxembourg

Net migration rate

10.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

415,870 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.57% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant and Jewish 3%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.76 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 2 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 5,134 km paved: 5,088 km (including 121 km of expressways) unpaved: 46 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 36 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 825,496 GRT/1,238,354 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 6, container 2, liquefied gas tanker 6, oil tanker 5, passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 6, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1995 est.)

Pipelines

petroleum products 48 km

Ports

Mertert

Railways

total: 275 km standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (262 km electrified; 178 km double track) (1995)

Waterways

37 km; Moselle