1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
2,590 km2; 25% arable, 27% meadows and pasture, 15% waste or urban, 33% forested, negligible amount of inland water
Land boundaries
356 km
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
83% Luxembourger, including an estimated 5% of Italian descent; remainder French, German, Belgian, and other
Labor force
(1977) 147,300; one-third of labor force is foreign, comprised mostly of workers from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and West Germany (1977); unemployment 0.9% (1981)
Language
Luxembourgish, German, French; most educated Luxembourgers also speak English
Literacy
98%
Nationality
noun—Luxembourger(s); adjective—Luxembourg
Population
366,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 0.3%
Religion
97% Roman Catholic, remaining 3% Protestant and Jewish
Government
Branches
parliamentary democracy; seven ministers comprise Council of Government headed by President, which constitutes the executive; it is responsible to the unicameral legislature, the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State, appointed for indefinite term, exercises some powers of an upper house; judicial power exercised by independent courts
Capital
Luxembourg
Communists
500 party members (1981)
Elections
every five years for entire Chamber of Deputies; latest elections June 1979 Political parties and leaders: Christian Social Party, Pierre Werner (parliamentary president) and Jacques Santer (party president); Socialist, Robert Krieps (party president); Social Democrat, Henry Cravatte (party president); Liberal, Colette Flesch; Communist, Dominique Urbany; Independent Socialists, Jean Gremling (party president); Enroles de Forces Voting strength in Chamber of Deputies (1979): Christian Socialist, 24; Socialist Workers, 14; Liberals, 15; Social Democrats, 1; Communists, 2; Independent Socialists, 1; Enroles de Force, 1
Government leaders
Grand Duke JEAN, Head of State; Pierre WERNER, Prime Minister
Legal system
based on civil law system; constitution adopted 1868; judicial review of legislative acts in the Cassation Court only; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Member of
Benelux, BLEU, Council of Europe, EC, ECSC, EEC, EIB, EURATOM, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IOOC, IPU, ITU, NATO, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
National holiday
23 June
Official name
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Other political or pressure groups
group of steel industries representing iron and steel industry, Centrale Paysanne representing agricultural producers; Christian and Socialist labor unions, Federation of Industrialists; Artisans and Shopkeepers Federation
Political subdivisions
unitary state, but for administrative purposes has 3 districts (Luxembourg, Diekirch, Grevenmacher) and 12 cantons
Suffrage
universal and compulsory over age 18
Type
constitutional monarchy
Economy
Agriculture
mixed farming; main crops—dairy products and wine
Budget
(1980) revenues $1,545 million, expenditures $1,566 million, deficit $20.5 million
Crude steel
4.6 million metric tons produced (1980), 14 metric tons per capita
Electric power
1,500,000 kW capacity (1980); 1.115 billion kWh produced (1980), 3,050 kWh per capita
Exports, Imports, Major trade partners
Luxembourg has a customs union with Belgium under which foreign trade is recorded jointly for the two countries; Luxembourg's principal exports are iron and steel products, principal imports are coal and consumer goods; most of its foreign trade is with Germany, Belgium, France, and other EC countries (for totals, see Belgium)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GNP
$5.8 billion, $15,950 per capita (1980); 46.6% private consumption, 13.0% government consumption, 20.0% investment, 1.6% stockbuilding, 17.5% foreign balance
Major industries
iron and steel (25% of GNP), food processing, chemicals, metal products and engineering, tires, and banking
Monetary conversion rate
LF29.24=US$1, 1980 average; under the BLEU agreement, the Luxembourg franc is equal in value to the Belgian franc which circulates freely in Luxembourg
Communications
Airfields
2 total, 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m
Civil air
15 major transport aircraft, including 1 leased in and 4 leased out
Highways
5,094 km total; 4,981 km paved, 57 km gravel, 56 km earth; about 80 km limited access divided highway completed or under construction
Inland waterways
37 km; Moselle River
Pipelines
refined products, 48 km
Port
(river) Mertert
Railroads
270 km standard gauge (1.435 m); 160 km double track; 136 km electrified
Telecommunications
adequate and efficient system, mainly buried cables; 199,000 telephones (54.8 per 100 popl.); 2 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV stations
Military and Security
Military manpower
males 15-49, 96,000; 80,000 fit for military service; about 3,000 reach military age (19) annually