Travel to Luxembourg — Unbiased reviews and great
deals from TripAdvisorLuxembourg
| 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 (2007 est.): $38.56 billion; per capita $80,500.
Real growth rate: 5.4%. Inflation: 2.3%.
Unemployment: 4.4%. 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
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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/ .
Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education,
Inc. All rights reserved.
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