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NAVIGATION
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Grand-Duche de Luxembourg
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg |
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Government type:
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constitutional monarchy |
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Capital:
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Luxembourg |
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Administrative divisions:
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3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg |
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Independence:
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1839 (from the Netherlands) |
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National holiday:
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National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June |
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Constitution:
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17 October 1868, occasional revisions |
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Legal system:
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based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Lydie POLFER (since 7 August 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies note: government coalition - CSV and DP |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held by June 2004) note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 29.79%, DP 21.58%, LSAP 23.75%, ADR 10.36%, Green Party 9.09%, the Left 3.77%; seats by party - CSV 19, DP 15, LSAP 13, ADR 6, Green Party 5, the Left 2 |
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Judicial branch:
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judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Robert MEHLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as Christian Social Party or PCS) [Erna HENNICOT-SCHOEPGES]; Democratic Party or DP [Lydie POLFER]; Green Party [Abbes JACOBY and Felix BRAS]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Jean ASSELBORN]; Marxist and Reformed Communist Party DEI LENK (the Left) [no formal leadership]; other minor parties |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); LCGP (center-right trade union); OGBL (center-left trade union) |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, Australia Group, Benelux, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS-PACCOURD
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270 telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TERPELUK, Jr.
embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City 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 FAX: [352] 46 14 01 |
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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This stable, high-income economy features solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial sector, which now accounts for about 22% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and trans-border workers for 30% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, has suffered from the global economic slump, the country has maintained a fairly strong growth rate. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $20 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.3% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $44,000 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 1%
industry: 30% services: 69% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.6% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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262,300 (of whom 87,400 are foreign cross-border workers primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2000) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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services 90%, industry 8%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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4.1% (2002 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $5.5 billion
expenditures: $5.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $760 million $NA (2002 est.) |
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Industries:
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banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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2% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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467.7 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 58%
hydro: 26% other: 17% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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6.158 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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735 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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6.458 billion kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products |
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Exports:
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$7.85 billion f.o.b. (2000) |
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Exports - commodities:
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machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass |
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Exports - partners:
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EU 84.7% (Germany 24.6%, France 19.6%, Belgium 12.3%), US 3.5% (2001) |
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Imports:
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$10.25 billion c.i.f. (2000) |
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Imports - commodities:
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minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods |
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Imports - partners:
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EU 86.7% (Belgium 34.3%, Germany 25.1%, France 12.8%), US 5.8% (2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$NA |
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA, $160 million (1999) |
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Currency:
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euro (EUR); Luxembourg franc (LUF)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries |
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Currency code:
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EUR; LUF |
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Exchange rates:
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euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Luxembourg francs per US dollar - 34.77 (January 1999), 36.299 (1998), 35.774 (1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |