2015 Edition

Background

Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839 but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both world wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Area

land

2,586 sq km

total

2,586 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Climate

modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Buurgplaatz 559 m

lowest point

Moselle River 133 m

Environment - current issues

air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

135.9 cu m/yr (2010)

total

0.06 cu km/yr (65%/33%/1%)

Geographic coordinates

49 45 N, 6 10 E

Geography - note

landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

border countries (3)

Belgium 130 km, France 69 km, Germany 128 km

total

327 km

Land use

arable land 24%; permanent crops 0.6%; permanent pasture 26.1%

agricultural land

50.7%

forest

33.5%

other

15.8% (2011 est.)

Location

Western Europe, between France and Germany

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Terrain

mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast

Total renewable water resources

3.1 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

16.93% (male 49,677/female 46,886)

15-24 years

12.28% (male 35,983/female 34,062)

25-54 years

44.37% (male 129,660/female 123,355)

55-64 years

11.51% (male 33,280/female 32,351)

65 years and over

14.91% (male 37,460/female 47,538) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

11.37 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Death rate

7.24 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

20.1%

potential support ratio

5% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

43.7%

youth dependency ratio

23.6%

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Ethnic groups

Luxembourger 57%, Portuguese 16.1%, French 6.1%, Italian 3.5%, Belgian 3.3%, German 2.4%, British 1.1%, other 10.5%

note

represents composition by citizenship (2011 est.)

Health expenditures

7.1% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

5.4 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant mortality rate

female

3.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

3.84 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.46 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Luxembourgish (official administrative language and national language (spoken vernacular)) 88.8%, French (official administrative language) 4.2%, Portuguese 2.3%, German (official administrative language) 1.1%, other 3.5% (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.76 years (2015 est.)

male

79.73 years

total population

82.17 years

Major urban areas - population

LUXEMBOURG (capital) 107,000 (2014)

Median age

female

39.9 years (2015 est.)

male

38.6 years

total

39.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Luxembourg

noun

Luxembourger(s)

Net migration rate

17.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.8% (2014)

Physicians density

2.9 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

570,252 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

2.13% (2015 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 97.5% of population

rural: 98.5% of population

total: 97.6% of population

urban: 2.5% of population

rural: 1.5% of population

total: 2.4% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2012)

male

14 years

total

14 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.06 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.05 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.79 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.61 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

18.6% (2012 est.)

male

18.9%

total

18.8%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.71% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

90.2% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

12 cantons (cantons, singular - canton); Capellen, Clervaux, Diekirch, Echternach, Esch-sur-Alzette, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, Mersch, Redange, Remich, Vianden, Wiltz

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

49 36 N, 6 07 E

name

Luxembourg

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

previous 1842 (heavily amended 1848, 1856); latest effective 17 October 1968; amended many times, last in 2008 (2008)

Country name

conventional long form

Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

conventional short form

Luxembourg

local long form

Grand Duche de Luxembourg

local short form

Luxembourg

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Charge d'Affaires Alison SHORTER-LAWRENCE

embassy

22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City

FAX

[352] 46-14-01

mailing address

American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)

telephone

[352] 46-01-23

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Jean-Louis WOLZFELD (since 11 September 2012)

consulate(s) general

New York, San Francisco

FAX

[1] (202) 328-8270

telephone

[1] (202) 265-4171 through 72

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister, appointed by the monarch

chief of state

Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; following elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies

head of government

Prime Minister Xavier BETTEL (since 4 December 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Etienne SCHNEIDER (since 4 December 2013)

Flag description

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; the coloring is derived from the Grand Duke's coat of arms (a red lion on a white and blue striped field)

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Independence

1839 (from the Netherlands)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Superior Court of Justice includes Court of Appeal and Court of Cassation (consists of 27 judges on 9 benches); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members)

judge selection and term of office

judges of both courts appointed by the monarch for life

subordinate courts

district and local tribunals and courts

Legal system

civil law system

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - a 21-member Council of State appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies

election results

percent of vote by party - CSV 33.7%, LSAP 20.3%, DP 18.3%, Green Party 10.1%, ADR 6.6%, The Left 4.5%, other 6.1%; seats by party - CSV 23, LSAP 13, DP 13, Green Party 6, ADR 3, The Left 2

elections

last held on 20 October 2013 (next to be held by June 2018)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Michel LENTZ/Jean-Antoine ZINNEN; Nikolaus WELTER/unknown

name

"Ons Heemecht" (Our Motherland); "De Wilhelmus" (The William)

note

"Ons Heemecht," adopted 1864, is the national anthem, while "De Wilhelmus," adopted 1919, serves as a royal anthem for use when members of the grand ducal family enter or exit a ceremony in Luxembourg

National holiday

National Day (birthday of Grand Duke Henri) 23 June; note - this date of birth is not the true date of birth for any of the Royals, but the festivities were shifted to allow observance during a more favorable time of year

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: red, white, light blue

Political parties and leaders

Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Jean SCHOOS]

Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Marc SPAUTZ]

Democratic Party or DP [Xavier BETTEL]

Green Party [Francoise FOLMER and Christian KMIOTEK]

Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Claude HAAGEN]

The Left (dei Lenk/la Gauche) [Serge URBANY]

other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

Business Federation Luxembourg or FEDIL [Nicolas SOISSON]

Centrale Paysanne [Marc FISCH] (federation of agricultural producers)

Chamber of Artisans (Chambre des Metiers) [Roland KUHN]

Chamber of Commerce (Chambre de Commerce) [Carlo THELEN]

Chambre des Salaries or CSL [Jean-Claude REDING]

General Association of Officials (Confederation Generale de la Fonction Publique or CGFP [Romain WOLFF] (trade union representing civil service)

Greenpeace [Kumi NAIDOO]

LCGP [Patrick DURY] (center-right trade union)

Luxembourg Association of Bankers and Insurance Employees or ALEBA [Roberto SCOLATI]

Luxembourg Bankers Association or ABBL [Yves MAAS]

Mouvement Ecologique [Blanche WEBER] (environment protection)

OGB-L [Andre ROELTGEN] (center-left trade union)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture - products

grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy and livestock products

Budget

expenditures

$27.82 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$27.95 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

0.75% (31 December 2013)

1.5% (31 December 2010)

note

this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Current account balance

$3.275 billion (2014 est.)

$3.161 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$2.935 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)

$2.084 trillion (31 December 2011)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

30.4 (2013 est.)

26 (2005 est.)

Economy - overview

This small, stable, high-income economy has historically featured solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, machinery and equipment, rubber, automotive components, and other products. The financial sector, which accounts for about 36% of GDP, is the leading sector in the economy. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 39% of its labor force. Luxembourg experienced uneven economic growth in the aftermath of the global economic crisis that began in late 2008. Luxembourg's GDP contracted 3.6% in 2009, rebounded in 2010-12, fell again in 2013, but recovered in 2014. Unemployment has remained below the EU average despite having increased from a historically-low rate of 4% in the 2000s to 7% in 2014. The country continues to enjoy an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP per capita ranks among the highest in the world and is the highest in the euro zone. Luxembourg has one of the highest current account surpluses as a share of GDP in the euro zone, and it maintains a healthy budgetary position and the lowest public debt levels in the region. Luxembourg has lost some of its advantage as a favorable tax location because of OECD and EU pressure. In 2015 the government’s compliance with EU requirements to implement automatic exchange of tax information on savings accounts - thus ending banking secrecy - has depressed banking activity and dampened GDP growth. Likewise, changes to the way EU members collect taxes from e-Commerce has cut Luxembourg’s tax revenues, requiring the government to raise additional levies and to reduce some direct social benefits.

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.7489 (2014 est.)

0.7634 (2013 est.)

0.78 (2012 est.)

0.7185 (2011 est.)

0.755 (2010 est.)

Exports

$18.9 billion (2014 est.)

$16.98 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass

Exports - partners

Germany 23.5%, France 17%, Belgium 16.2%, Italy 5.6%, Switzerland 4.4% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

174.5%

government consumption

17.1%

household consumption

31.3%

imports of goods and services

-143.1%

investment in fixed capital

18.6%

investment in inventories

1.6%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

0.3%

industry

12%

services

87.7% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$92,000 (2014 est.)

$89,400 (2013 est.)

$87,700 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

2.9% (2014 est.)

2% (2013 est.)

-0.2% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$62.4 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$51.41 billion (2014 est.)

$49.96 billion (2013 est.)

$48.98 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

21.1% of GDP (2014 est.)

21.3% of GDP (2013 est.)

23.5% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

23.8% (2000)

lowest 10%

3.5%

Imports

$27.92 billion (2014 est.)

$25.34 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

commercial aircraft, minerals, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs, luxury consumer goods

Imports - partners

Belgium 30.8%, Germany 24.5%, France 11.9%, US 7.1%, China 5.9%, Netherlands 4.9% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

1.4% (2014 est.)

Industries

banking and financial services, construction, real estate services, iron, metals, and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation and logistics, chemicals, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism, biotechnology

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.7% (2014 est.)

1.7% (2013 est.)

Labor force

253,600

note

data exclude foreign workers; in addition to the figure for domestic labor force, about 150,000 workers commute daily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

1.1%

industry

20%

services

78.9% (2013 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$70.34 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$67.63 billion (31 December 2011)

$101.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

23.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

23.1% of GDP (2013 est.)

note

data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$963 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$265.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$276.9 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

$11.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$99.8 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$101.4 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$209.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$207.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

note

see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders

Taxes and other revenues

43.7% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

7.1% (2014 est.)

6.9% (2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

11.69 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

6.37 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - exports

1.907 billion kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

76.8% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

5.3% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

17.9% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - imports

6.889 billion kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

1.74 million kW (2011 est.)

Electricity - production

2.211 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

1.034 billion cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.03 billion cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

4 million cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

59,010 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

52 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

56,600 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Broadcast media

Luxembourg has a long tradition of operating radio and TV services for pan-European audiences and is home to Europe's largest privately owned broadcast media group, the RTL group, which operates 46 TV stations and 29 radio stations in Europe; also home to Europe's largest satellite operator, Societe Europeenne des Satellites (SES); domestically, the RTL group operates TV and radio networks; other domestic private radio and TV operators and French and German stations available; satellite and cable TV services available (2008)

Internet country code

.lu

Internet users

percent of population

95.0% (2014 est.)

total

530,400

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Telephone system

domestic

fixed-line teledensity over 50 per 100 persons; nationwide mobile-cellular telephone system with market for mobile-cellular phones virtually saturated

general assessment

highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables

international

country code - 352 (2010)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

48 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

270,000

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

143 (2014 est.)

total

796,400

Television broadcast stations

5 (1999)

Airports

2 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 (2013)

total

1

Airports - with unpaved runways

1 (2013)

total

1

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 2, cargo 3, chemical tanker 20, container 10, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 12

foreign-owned

48 (Belgium 11, Denmark 1, France 15, Germany 9, Japan 3, Netherlands 3, Switzerland 1, UK 5)

registered in other countries

18 (Italy 14, Malta 3, Panama 1) (2010)

total

49

Pipelines

gas 142 km; refined products 27 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

river port(s)

Mertert (Moselle)

Railways

standard gauge

275 km 1.435-m gauge (275 km electrified) (2014)

total

275 km

Roadways

paved

2,899 km (includes 152 km of expressways) (2011)

total

2,899 km

Waterways

37 km (on Moselle River) (2010)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

117,456 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

118,665

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

96,361 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

97,290

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

3,084 (2010 est.)

male

3,263

Military branches

Luxembourg Army (Armee Luxembourgeoise) (2015)

Military expenditures

0.6% of GDP (2012)

0.61% of GDP (2011)

0.6% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18-24 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; Luxembourg citizen or EU citizen with 3-year residence in Luxembourg (2012)

Disputes - international

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons

81 (2014)