Luxembourg




                                 Geography


Location:
     Western Europe, between Belgium and Germany
Map references:
     Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
     2,586 sq km
land area:
     2,586 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
     total 359 km, Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km
Coastline:
     0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
     none; landlocked
International disputes:
     none
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
     floodplain in the southeast
Natural resources:
     iron ore (no longer exploited)
Land use:
arable land:
     24%
permanent crops:
     1%
meadows and pastures:
     20%
forest and woodland:
     21%
other:
     34%
Irrigated land:
     NA sq km
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




Note:
     landlocked


                                  People


Population:
     401,900 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     0.8% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     12.81 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     9.47 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     76.69 years
male:
     73.01 years
female:
     80.52 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     1.64 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Luxembourger(s)
adjective:
Ethnic divisions:
     Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, and
     European (guest and worker residents)
Religions:
     Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant and Jewish 3%
Languages:
     Luxembourgisch, German, French, English
Literacy:
     age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population:
     100%
male:
     100%
female:
     100%
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)


                                Government




Names:
conventional long form:
     Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form:
local long form:
     Grand-Duche de Luxembourg
local short form:
Digraph:
     LU
Type:
     constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Administrative divisions:
     3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg
Independence:
     1839
National holiday:
     National Day, 23 June (1921) (public celebration of the Grand Duke's
     birthday)
Constitution:
     17 October 1868, occasional revisions
Legal system:
     based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
     18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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
Legislative branch:
     unicameral
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
Judicial branch:
     Superior Court of Justice (Cour Superieure de Justice)
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




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
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
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Alphonse BERNS
chancery:
     2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
     (202) 265-4171
FAX:
     (202) 328-8270
consulate(s) general:
     New York and San Francisco
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
FAX:
     [352] 461401
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


                                  Economy


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.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $8.7 billion (1993)




National product real growth rate:
     1% (1993)
National product per capita:
     $22,600 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     3.6% (1992)
Unemployment rate:
     5.1% (March 1994)
Budget:
revenues:
     $3.5 billion
expenditures:
     $3.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)
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%
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%
External debt:
     $131.6 million (1989 est.)
Industrial production:
     growth rate -0.5% (1990); accounts for 25% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
     1,238,750 kW
production:
     1.375 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
     3,450 kWh (1990)
Industries:
     banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products,
     engineering, tires, glass, aluminum
Agriculture:
     accounts for less than 3% of GDP (including forestry); principal
     products - barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; cattle
     raising widespread
Economic aid:
     none
Currency:
     1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes
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
Fiscal year:
     calendar year






                              Communications


Railroads:
     Luxembourg National Railways (CFL) operates 272 km 1,435-mm standard
     gauge; 178 km double track; 197 km electrified
Highways:
total:
     5,108 km
paved:
     4,995 km (including 80 km of limited access divided highway)
unpaved:
     gravel 57 km; earth 56 km
Inland waterways:
     37 km; Moselle River
Pipelines:
     petroleum products 48 km
Ports:
     Mertert (river port)
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
Airports:
total:
     2
usable:
     2
with permanent-surface runways:
     1
with runways over 3,659 m:
     1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     0
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     0
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


                              Defense Forces


Branches:
     Army, National Gendarmerie
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 103,872; fit for military service 86,026; reach
     military age (19) annually 2,235 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
     exchange rate conversion - $100 million, 1.2% of GDP (1992)