1990 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1990 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
Coastline
none--landlocked
Comparative area
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Environment
deforestation
Land boundaries
359 km total; Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, FRG 138 km
Land use
24% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 20% meadows and pastures; 21% forest and woodland; 34% other
Maritime claims
none--landlocked
Natural resources
iron ore (no longer exploited)
Note
landlocked
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
Total area
2,586 km2; land area: 2,586 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
12 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate
10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
Celtic base, with French and German blend; also guest and worker residents from Portugal, Italy, and European countries
Infant mortality rate
7 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Labor force
161,000; one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and FRG; 48.9% services, 24.7% industry, 13.2% government, 8.8% construction, 4.4% agriculture (1984)
Language
Luxembourgish, German, French; many also speak English
Life expectancy at birth
72 years male, 80 years female (1990)
Literacy
100%
Nationality
noun--Luxembourger(s); adjective--Luxembourg
Net migration rate
9 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Organized labor
100,000 (est.) members of four confederated trade unions
Population
383,813 (July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1989)
Religion
97% Roman Catholic, 3% Protestant and Jewish
Total fertility rate
1.5 children born/woman (1990)
Government
Administrative divisions
3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg
Capital
Luxembourg
Communists
500 party members (1982)
Constitution
17 October 1868, occasional revisions
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Andre PHILIPPE; Chancery at 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-4171; there are Luxembourg Consulates General in New York and San Francisco; US--Ambassador Jean B. S. GERARD; Embassy at 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, 2535 Luxembourg City (mailing address is APO New York 09132); telephone [352] 460123
Elections
Chamber of Deputies--last held on 18 June 1989 (next to be held by June 1994); results--CSV 31.7%, LSAP 27.2%, DP 16.2%, Greens 8.4%, PAC 7.3%, KPL 5.1%, others 4%; seats--(60 total) CSV 22, LSAP 18, DP 11, Greens 4, PAC 4, KPL 1, others 4
Executive branch
grand duke, prime minister, vice prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
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
Judicial branch
Superior Court of Justice (Cour Superieure de de Justice)
Leaders
Chief of State--Grand Duke JEAN (since 12 November 1964); Heir Apparent Prince HENRI (son of Grand Duke Jean, born 16 April 1955); Head of Government--Prime Minister Jacques SANTER (since 21 July 1984); Deputy Prime Minister Jacques F. POOS (since 21 July 1984)
Legal system
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes); note--the Council of State (Conseil d'Etat) is an advisory body whose views are considered by the Chamber of Deputies
Long-form name
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Member of
Benelux, BLEU, CCC, 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
National Day (public celebration of the Grand Duke's birthday), 23 June (1921)
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 parties and leaders
Christian Social Party (CSV), Jacques Santer; Socialist Workers Party (LSAP), Jacques Poos; Liberal (DP), Colette Flesch; Communist (KPL), Rene Urbany; Green Alternative (GAP), Jean Huss
Suffrage
universal and compulsory at age 18
Type
constitutional monarchy
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for less than 3% of GDP (including forestry); principal products--barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; cattle raising widespread
Aid
none
Budget
revenues $2.5 billion; expenditures $2.3 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1988)
Currency
Luxembourg franc (plural--francs); 1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes
Electricity
1,500,000 kW capacity; 1,163 million kWh produced, 3,170 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
Luxembourg francs (LuxF) per US$1--35.468 (January 1990), 39.404 (1989), 36.768 (1988), 37.334 (1987), 44.672 (1986), 59.378 (1985); note--the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which circulates freely in Luxembourg
Exports
$4.7 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--finished steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass, aluminum, other industrial products; partners--EC 75%, US 6%
External debt
$131.6 million (1989 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$6.3 billion, per capita $17,200; real growth rate 4% (1989 est.)
Imports
$5.9 billion (c.i.f., 1988 est.); commodities--minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods; partners--FRG 40%, Belgium 35%, France 15%, US 3%
Industrial production
growth rate 5% (1989 est.)
Industries
banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.0% (1989 est.)
Overview
The stable 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 and is also closely connected economically with the Netherlands.
Unemployment rate
1.6% (1989 est.)
Communications
Airports
2 total, 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways less than 1,220 m; 1 with runways over 3,659 m
Civil air
13 major transport aircraft
Highways
5,108 km total; 4,995 km paved, 57 km gravel, 56 km earth; about 80 km limited access divided highway
Inland waterways
37 km; Moselle River
Merchant marine
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,138 GRT/9,373 DWT; includes 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 2 chemical tanker
Pipelines
refined products, 48 km
Ports
Mertert (river port)
Railroads
Luxembourg National Railways (CFL) operates 270 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; 162 km double track; 162 km electrified
Telecommunications
adequate and efficient system, mainly buried cables; 230,000 telephones; stations--2 AM, 4 FM, 6 TV; 2 communication satellite earth stations operating in EUTELSAT and domestic systems
Military and Security
Branches
Army
Defense expenditures
1.2% of GDP, or $76 million (1989 est.)
Military manpower
males 15-49, 99,734; 83,237 fit for military service; 2,368 reach military age (19) annually