1988 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1988 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Climate
modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
Comparative area
smaller than Rhode Island
Environment
deforestation
Ethnic divisions
Celtic base, with French and German blend; also guest and worker residents from Portugal, Italy, and European countries
Fiscal year
calendar year
Infant mortality rate
12/1,000 (1984)
Labor force
(1984) 161,000; one-third of labor force is foreign, comprising mostly workers from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and FRG; 48.9% services, 24.7% industry, 13.2% government, 8.8% construction, 4.4% agriculture; unemployment 1.5% (1985 average)
Land boundaries
356 km total
Land use
24% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 20% meadows and pastures; 21% forest and woodland; 34% other
Language
Luxembourgish, German, French; many also speak English
Life expectancy
men 70, women 76.7
Literacy
100%
Nationality
noun — Luxembourger(s); adjective — Luxembourg
Population
366,127 (July 1987), average annual growth rate 0.03%
Religion
97% Roman Catholic, 3% Protestant and Jewish
Special notes
landlocked
Terrain
mostly gently rolling uplands with broad shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in north
Total area
2,586 km2; land area: 2,586 km2
Total area
20km See reg ional mip V
Government
Administrative divisions
unitary state, but for administrative purposes has 3 districts (Luxembourg, Diekirch, Grevenmacher) and 12 cantons
Branches
parliamentary democracy; seven ministers compose Council of Government headed by President, which constitutes the executive; it is responsible to the unicameral legislature (Chamber of Deputies); the Council of State, appointed for indefinite term, exercises some powers of an upper house; judicial power exercised by independent courts; coalition governments are usual
Capital
Luxembourg
Communists
500 party members (1982)
Elections
every five years for entire Chamber of Deputies; latest elections June Political parties and leaders: Christian Social Party (CSV), Jean Spautz; Socialist Workers Party (POSL), Ben Fayot; Liberal (DP), Colette Flesch; Communist (PCL), Rene Urbany; Independent Socialists, Jean Gremling; Green Alternative (GAP), Jean Huss
Government leaders
JEAN, Grand Duke (since 1964); Jacques SANTER, Prime Minister (since July 1984)
Legal system
based on civil law system; constitution adopted 1868; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Member of
Benelux, BLEU, Council of Europe, EC, EIB, EMS, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, 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
Suffrage
universal and compulsory over age 18
Type
constitutional monarchy
Voting strength
(1984) Chamber of Deputies— Christian Social Party, 25; Socialist Workers Party, 21; Liberals, 14; Communists, 2; Green Alternative, 2
Economy
Agriculture
mixed farming, dairy products, wine
Budget
revenues, $1.37 billion; expenditures, $1.26 billion; surplus, $0.11 million (average 1985 exchange rate, LF 59.378=US$1) (1985 est.)
Crude steel
3.9 million metric tons produced, 10.6 metric tons per capita; 5.4 metric ton capacity (1985)
Electric power
1,497,000 kW capacity; 1,010 million kWh produced, 2,740 kWh per capita (1986)
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 minerals, metals, foodstuffs, and machinery; most of its foreign trade is with FRG, Belgium, France, and other EC countries (for totals, see Belgium)
GNP
$3.2 billion, $9,240 per capita; 57.9% private consumption, 22.2% investment, 15.7% government consumption, 3.2% stockbuilding, 1.0% net foreign balance; 2.8% real GDP growth (1984)
Major industries
banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires
Monetary conversion rate
42.0 Luxembourg francs=US$l (December 1986); under the BLEU agreement, the Luxembourg franc is equal in value to the Belgian franc, which circulates freely in
Natural resources
iron ore