Luxembourg

Map of Luxembourg

Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

National name: Grand-Duché de Luxembourg

Ruler: Grand Duke Henri (2000)

Prime Minister: Jean-Claude Juncker (1995)

Current government officials

Total area: 998 sq mi (2,585 sq km)

Population (2007 est.): 480,222 (growth rate: 1.2%); birth rate: 11.8/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.7/1000; life expectancy: 79.0; density per sq mi: 481

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Luxembourg, 78,800

Monetary unit: Euro (formerly Luxembourg franc)

Languages: Luxermbourgish (national) French, German (both administrative)

Ethnicity/race: Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo), and European (guest and worker residents)

Religions: Roman Catholic 87%; Protestant, Jewish, Islamic 13% (2000)

Literacy rate: 100% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $29.43 billion; per capita $55,600. Real growth rate: 3.5%. Inflation: 3.6%. Unemployment: 4.9%. Arable land: 23%. Agriculture: wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy products, livestock products. Labor force: 316,500 of whom 121,600 are foreigners; agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2004 est.). Industries: banking and financial services, iron and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism. Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land. Exports: $13.39 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass. Imports: $18.74 billion c.i.f. (2005 est.): minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods. Major trading partners: Germany, France, Belgium, UK, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, China (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 314,700 (1999); mobile cellular: 215,741 (2000). Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999). Radios: 285,000 (1997). Television broadcast stations: 8 (1999). Televisions: 285,000 (1998 est.). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000). Internet users: 100,000 (2001).

Transportation: Railways: total: 274 km (2002). Highways: total: 5,189 km; paved: 5,189 km (including 114 km of expressways); unpaved: 0 km (2000). Waterways: 37 km; Moselle. Ports and harbors: Mertert. Airports: 2 (2002).

International disputes: none.

Major sources and definitions

Geography

Luxembourg is about half the size of Delaware. The Ardennes Mountains extend from Belgium into the northern section of Luxembourg. The rolling plateau of the fertile Bon Pays is in the south.

Government

Constitutional monarchy.

History

Luxembourg, once part of Charlemagne's empire, became an independent state in 963, when Siegfried, count of Ardennes, became sovereign of Lucilinburhuc (“Little Fortress”). In 1060, Conrad, a descendant of Siegfried, took the title count of Luxembourg. From the 15th to the 18th century, Spain, France, and Austria held the duchy in turn. The Congress of Vienna in 1815 made it a grand duchy and gave it to William I, king of the Netherlands. In 1839, the Treaty of London ceded the western part of Luxembourg to Belgium. The eastern part, continuing in personal union with the Netherlands and a member of the German Confederation, became autonomous in 1848 and a neutral territory by decision of the London Conference of 1867, governed by its grand duke. Germany occupied the duchy in World Wars I and II. Allied troops liberated the enclave in 1944.

Luxembourg joined NATO in 1949, the Benelux Economic Union (with Belgium and the Netherlands) in 1948, and the European Economic Community (later the EU) in 1957. In 1961, Prince Jean, son and heir of Grand Duchess Charlotte, was made head of state, acting for his mother. She abdicated in 1964, and Prince Jean became grand duke. Grand Duchess Charlotte died in 1985. Luxembourg's parliament approved the Maastricht Accord, paving the way for the economic unity of the EU in July 1992. Crown Prince Henri was sworn in as grand duke in Oct. 2000, replacing his father, Jean, who had been head of state for 26 years.

See also Encyclopedia: Luxembourg.
U.S. State Dept. Country Notes: Luxembourg
National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies statec.gouvernement.lu/ .

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Luxembourg

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