ARCHIVE // LU // 1991
Luxembourg
1991 Edition — sovereign
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Communications
Airports
[time series]
2 total, 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways less than 1,220 m
Civil air
[time series]
13 major transport aircraft
Roadways
(Highways)
[time series]
5,108 km total; 4,995 km paved, 57 km gravel, 56 km earth; about 80 km limited access divided highway
Waterways
(Inland waterways)
[time series]
37 km; Moselle River
Merchant marine
[time series]
1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,731 GRT/2,460 DWT
Pipelines
[time series]
refined products, 48 km
Ports
[time series]
Mertert (river port)
Railways
(Railroads)
[time series]
Luxembourg National Railways (CFL) operates 270 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; 162 km double track; 162 km electrified
Telecommunication systems
(Telecommunications)
[time series]
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
Defense Forces
Military and security forces
(Branches)
[time series]
Army, National Gendarmerie
Military expenditures
(Defense expenditures)
[time series]
$90 million, 1.2% of GDP (1990)
Manpower availability
[time series]
males 15-49, 100,476; 83,724 fit for military service; 2,297 reach military age (19) annually
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture)
[time series]
accounts for less than 3% of GDP (including forestry); principal products--barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; cattle raising widespread
Budget
[time series]
revenues $2.5 billion; expenditures $2.3 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1988)
Exchange rates
(Currency)
[time series]
Luxembourg franc (plural--francs); 1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
[time series]
none
Electricity
[time series]
1,500,000 kW capacity; 1,163 million kWh produced, 3,170 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
[time series]
Luxembourg francs (LuxF) per US$1--31.102 (January 1991), 33.418 (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
[time series]
$5.4 billion (f.o.b., 1989); commodities--finished steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass, aluminum, other industrial products; partners--EC 75%, US 5%
Debt - external
(External debt)
[time series]
$131.6 million (1989 est.)
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(GDP)
[time series]
$6.9 billion, per capita $18,000; real growth rate 2.5% (1990)
Imports
[time series]
$6.2 billion (c.i.f., 1989 est.); commodities--minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods; partners--Belgium 37%, FRG 31%, France 12%, US 2%
Industrial production growth rate
(Industrial production)
[time series]
growth rate - 1% (1990 est.); accounts for 25% of GDP
Industries
[time series]
banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
3.5% (1990 est.)
Economic overview
(Overview)
[time series]
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 to the Netherlands.
Unemployment rate
[time series]
1.3% (1990 est.)
Geography
Climate
[time series]
modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
Coastline
[time series]
none--landlocked
Area - comparative
(Comparative area)
[time series]
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Environment - current issues
(Environment)
[time series]
deforestation
Land boundaries
[time series]
359 km total; Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land 24%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 20%; forest and woodland 21%; other 34%
Maritime claims
[time series]
none--landlocked
Natural resources
[time series]
iron ore (no longer exploited)
Note
[time series]
landlocked
Terrain
[time series]
mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle floodplain in the southeast
Area
(Total area)
[time series]
2,586 km2; land area: 2,586 km2
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg
Capital
[time series]
Luxembourg
Political parties
(Communists)
[time series]
500 party members (1982)
Constitution
[time series]
17 October 1868, occasional revisions
Diplomatic representation in the US
(Diplomatic representation)
[time series]
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 Edward M. ROWELL; Embassy at 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, 2535 Luxembourg City (mailing address is APO New York 09132); telephone [352] 460123
Executive branch
[time series]
grand duke, prime minister, vice prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Flag
[time series]
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
[time series]
1839
Judicial branch
[time series]
Superior Court of Justice (Cour Superieure de Justice) 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) 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
Legal system
[time series]
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
[time series]
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
Country name
(Long-form name)
[time series]
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
International organization participation
(Member of)
[time series]
ACCT, Benelux, CCC, CE, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, EMS, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LORCS, NATO, NEA, OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
National holiday
[time series]
National Day (public celebration of the Grand Duke's birthday), 23 June (1921)
Political parties
(Other political or pressure groups)
[time series]
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
Suffrage
[time series]
universal and compulsory at age 18 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%, other 4.1%; seats--(60 total) CSV 22, LSAP 18, DP 11, Greens 4, PAC 4, KPL 1
Government type
(Type)
[time series]
constitutional monarchy
People
Birth rate
[time series]
12 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
[time series]
10 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Ethnic groups
(Ethnic divisions)
[time series]
Celtic base, with French and German blend; also guest and worker residents from Portugal, Italy, and European countries
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
7 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Labor force
[time series]
169,600; one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and FRG; services 50%, industry 23.2%, government 14.4%, construction 9%, agriculture 3.4% (1987)
Languages
(Language)
[time series]
Luxembourgish, German, French; many also speak English
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
73 years male, 80 years female (1991)
Literacy
[time series]
100% (male 100%, female 100%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
Nationality
[time series]
noun--Luxembourger(s); adjective--Luxembourg
Net migration rate
[time series]
8 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
[time series]
100,000 (est.) members of four confederated trade unions
Population
[time series]
388,017 (July 1991), growth rate 1.1% (1991)
Religions
(Religion)
[time series]
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant and Jewish 3%
Total fertility rate
[time series]
1.5 children born/woman (1991)