Member States · Luxembourg Fact Sheet

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.

Geography

Location: Western Europe, between France and Germany
Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 6 10 E
Map references: Europe

Area

Total: 2,586 sq km
Land: 2,586 sq km
Water: 0 sq km
Area comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island.
Land boundaries: total: 359 km.
Border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km.
Climate: modified continental with mild winters, cool summers.
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.
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Moselle River 133 m. Highest point: Burgplatz 559 m.
Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land.

Land use

Arable land: 24%
Permanent crops: 1%
Permanent pastures: 20%
Forests and woodland: 21%
Other: 34%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (including Belgium) (1993 est.)

People

Population: 437,389 (July 2000 est.). Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 42,375; female 40,109). 15-64 years: 67% (male 148,205; female 145,325). 65 years and over: 14% (male 24,446; female 36,929) (2000 est.). Population growth rate: 1.27% (2000 est.). Birth rate: 12.45 births/1,000 population (2000 est.). Death rate: 8.91 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.). Net migration rate: 9.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.).

Nationality

Noun: Luxembourger(s)
Adjective: Luxembourg
Ethnic groups: Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, and European (guest and worker residents).
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant and Jewish 3%.
Languages: Luxembourgian, German, French, English.

Country name

Conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Conventional short form: Luxembourg
Local long form: Grand-Duche de Luxembourg
Data code: LU
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Luxembourg
Independence: 1839 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday: National Day, 23 June (1921) (public celebration of the Grand
Duke's birthday).

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; design was based on the flag of France.

Economy

Overview: The stable, high-income economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, until recently dominated by steel, has become increasingly more diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. During the past decades, 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. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. Luxembourg has especially close trade and financial ties to Belgium and the Netherlands, and as a member of the EU, enjoys the advantages of the open European market. It joined with 10 other EU members to launch the euro on 1 January 1999.

Labor force:

236,400 (one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany) (1998 est.). By occupation: services 83.2%, industry 14.3%, agriculture 2.5% (1998 est.). Unemployment rate: 2.7% (1999 est.).
Currency: 1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes; note - centimes no longer in use.

Communications

Telephones: 314,700 (1999).
Mobile cellular: 95,400 (1999)
Telephone system: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables. Domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable. International: 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America).
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, short-wave 2 (1999). Radios: 285,000 (1997).
Television broadcast stations: 8 (1999). Televisions: 285,000 (1998 est.).
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (1999).

Transportation

Railways: total: 274 km. Standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified; 178 km double track) (1998). Highways: total: 5,166 km. Paved: 5,166 km (including 118 km of expressways). Unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.).
Waterways: 37 km; Moselle
Pipelines: petroleum products 48 km
Ports and harbors: Mertert
Airports: 2 (1999 est.) with 1 paved and 1 unpaved runways.

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