1994 Edition

Administrative divisions

3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Agriculture

accounts for less than 3% of GDP (including forestry); principal products - barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; cattle raising widespread

Airports

total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: with runways 1,220-2,439 m:

Area

total area: 2,586 sq km land area: 2,586 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Birth rate

12.81 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Branches

Army, National Gendarmerie

Budget

revenues: $3.5 billion expenditures: $3.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

Capital

Luxembourg

Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes)

elections 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%, other 4.1%; seats - (60 total) CSV 22, LSAP 18, DP 11, Greens 4, PAC 4, KPL 1 note: the Council of State (Conseil d'Etat) is an advisory body whose views are considered by the Chamber of Deputies

Climate

modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

17 October 1868, occasional revisions

Currency

1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes

Death rate

9.47 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $100 million, 1.2% of GDP (1992)

Digraph

LU

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Alphonse BERNS chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 265-4171

Economic aid

none

Electricity

capacity: 1,238,750 kW production: 1.375 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,450 kWh (1990)

Environment

current issues: deforestation natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Ethnic divisions

Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, and European (guest and worker residents)

Exchange rates

Luxembourg francs (LuxF) per US$1 - 36.242 (January 1994), 34.597 (1993), 32.150 (1992), 34.148 (1991), 33.418 (1990), 39.404 (1989); note - the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which circulates freely in Luxembourg

Executive branch

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); Vice Prime Minister Jacques F. POOS (since 21 July 1984) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the sovereign

Exports

$6.4 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: finished steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass, aluminum, other industrial products partners: EC 76%, US 5%

External debt

$131.6 million (1989 est.)

FAX

(202) 328-8270 consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco

[352] 461401

Fiscal year

calendar year

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

Highways

total: 5,108 km paved: 4,995 km (including 80 km of limited access divided highway) unpaved: gravel 57 km; earth 56 km

Imports

$8.3 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods partners: Belgium 37%, FRG 31%, France 12%, US 2%

Independence

1839

Industrial production

growth rate -0.5% (1990); accounts for 25% of GDP

Industries

banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum

Infant mortality rate

6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.6% (1992)

Inland waterways

37 km; Moselle River

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Superior Court of Justice (Cour Superieure de Justice)

Labor force

177,300 (one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany) by occupation: services 65%, industry 31.6%, agriculture 3.4% (1988)

Land boundaries

total 359 km, Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Land use

arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 21% other: 34%

Languages

Luxembourgisch, German, French, English

Legal system

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.69 years male: 73.01 years female: 80.52 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Location

Western Europe, between Belgium and Germany

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 103,872; fit for military service 86,026; reach military age (19) annually 2,235 (1994 est.)

Map references

Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

none; landlocked

Member of

ACCT, Australia Group, Benelux, CCC, CE, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC

Merchant marine

50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,477,998 GRT/2,424,994 DWT, bulk 8, cargo 2, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 6, combination ore/oil 2, container 4, liquefied gas 9, oil tanker 5, passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4

Names

conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand-Duche de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg

National holiday

National Day, 23 June (1921) (public celebration of the Grand Duke's birthday)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $8.7 billion (1993)

National product per capita

$22,600 (1993)

National product real growth rate

1% (1993)

Nationality

noun: Luxembourger(s) adjective: Luxembourg

Natural resources

iron ore (no longer exploited)

Net migration rate

4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Note

landlocked

Other political or pressure groups

group of steel companies representing iron and steel industry; Centrale Paysanne representing agricultural producers; Christian and Socialist labor unions; Federation of Industrialists; Artisans and Shopkeepers Federation

Overview

The stable, prosperous 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, is also closely connected economically to the Netherlands, and as a member of the 12-member European Union enjoys the advantages of the open European market.

Pipelines

petroleum products 48 km

Political parties and leaders

Christian Social Party (CSV), Jacques SANTER; Socialist Workers Party (LSAP), Jacques POOS; Liberal (DP), Colette FLESCH; Communist (KPL), Andre HOFFMANN; Green Alternative (GAP), Jean HUSS

Population

401,900 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

0.8% (1994 est.)

Ports

Mertert (river port)

Railroads

Luxembourg National Railways (CFL) operates 272 km 1,435-mm standard gauge; 178 km double track; 197 km electrified

Religions

Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant and Jewish 3%

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Telecommunications

highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables; 230,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV; 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable; 1 direct-broadcast satellite earth station; nationwide mobile phone system

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 fertility rate

1.64 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

constitutional monarchy

Unemployment rate

5.1% (March 1994)

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Edward M. ROWELL embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, 2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: PSC 11, Luxembourg City; APO AE 09132-5380 telephone: [352] 460123