Map of Luxembourg | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and a constituent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands after the Congress of Vienna. When Belgium declared independence from the Netherlands in 1839, Luxembourg lost more than half of its territory to Belgium but gained a larger measure of autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Luxembourg gained full independence in 1867 by promising to remain permanently neutral. Overrun by Germany in both world wars, its neutrality ended in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the EEC (later the EU), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency zone.


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Location: Western Europe, between France and Germany

Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 6 10 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 2,586 km²
Land: 2,586 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island; about half the size of Delaware
Country comparison total: 327 km
Country comparison border countries: (3) Belgium 130 km; France 69 km; Germany 128 km

Land boundaries
Total: 327 km
Border countries: (3) Belgium 130 km; France 69 km; Germany 128 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

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
Highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m
Lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
Mean elevation: 325 m

Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 50.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 24% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 26.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 33.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 15.8% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²: Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 1.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 400,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 3.5 billion m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional flooding

Geography
Note: landlocked; the only grand duchy in the world


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Population
Distribution: most people live in the south, on or near the border with France
Total: 671,254
Male: 338,702
Female: 332,552 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 1.52% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 17.3% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Luxembourger(s)
Adjective: Luxembourg

Ethnic groups: Luxembourger 52.9%, Portuguese 14.5%, French 7.6%, Italian 3.7%, Belgian 3%, German 2%, Spanish 1.3%, Romania 1%, other 14% (2022 est.)
Note: data represent population by nationality

Languages: Luxembourgish (official administrative, judicial, and national language) 48.9%, Portuguese 15.4%, French (official administrative, judicial, and legislative language) 14.9%, Italian 3.6%, English 3.6%, German (official administrative and judicial language) 2.9%, other 10.8% (2021 est.)

Religions: Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 70.6%, Muslim 2.3%, other (includes Buddhist, folk religions, Hindu, Jewish) 0.4%, unaffiliated 26.7% (2020 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 57,921/female 54,484)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 231,214/female 219,497)
65 years and over: 16.1% (2024 est.) (male 49,567/female 58,571)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 44.2
Youth dependency ratio: 23
Elderly dependency ratio: 21.3
Potential support ratio: 4.7 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 39.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 39.4 years
Female: 40.4 years

Population growth rate: 1.52% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 11.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: 10.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: most people live in the south, on or near the border with France

Urbanization
Urban population: 92.1% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 120,000 LUXEMBOURG (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland; unsustainable patterns of consumption (transport, energy, recreation, space) threaten biodiversity and landscapes
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 8.89 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 8.99 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 0.61 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 31 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 83.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 80.9 years
Female: 85.9 years

Total fertility rate: 1.63 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Unimproved rural: 1.4% of population
Unimproved total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 4.3 beds/1,000 population (2019)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 99.9% of population
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 0.1% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 22.6% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 4.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 4.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 2.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 21.1% (2020 est.)
Male: 22.4% (2020 est.)
Female: 19.8% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 15 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 19% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 15.7% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 22.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Conventional short form: Luxembourg
Local long form: Grand Duché de Luxembourg
Local short form: Luxembourg
Etymology: the name derives from the Celtic 'lucilem' (little) and the German 'burg' (castle or fortress) to produce the meaning of the 'little castle'; the name is actually ironic, since for centuries the Fortress of Luxembourg was one of Europe's most formidable fortifications; the name passed to the surrounding city and then to the country itself

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital
Name: Luxembourg
Geographic coordinates: 49 36 N, 6 07 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Etymology: the name derives from the Celtic lucilem (little) and the German burg (castle or fortress) to produce the meaning of the 'little castle'; the name is actually ironic, since for centuries the Fortress of Luxembourg was one of Europe's most formidable fortifications; the name passed to the city that grew around the fortress

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 1839 (from the Netherlands)

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 national festivities were shifted in 1962 to allow observance during a more favorable time of year

Constitution
History: previous 1842 (heavily amended 1848, 1856); latest effective 17 October 1868
Amendments: proposed by the Chamber of Deputies or by the monarch to the Chamber; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Chamber in two successive readings three months apart; a referendum can be substituted for the second reading if approved by more than a quarter of the Chamber members or by 25,000 valid voters; adoption by referendum requires a majority of all valid voters; amended many times, last in 2020

Legal system: civil law system

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: limited to situations where the parents are either unknown, stateless, or when the nationality law of the parents' state of origin does not permit acquisition of citizenship by descent when the birth occurs outside of national territory
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Luxembourg
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000)
Head of government: Prime Minister Luc FRIEDEN (since 17 November 2023)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister, appointed by the monarch
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

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 8 October 2023 (next to be held by 31 October 2,028)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - CSV 29.2%, LSAP 18.9%, DP 18.7%, ADR 9.3%, Green Party 8.6%, Pirate Party 6.7%, The Left 3.9%; seats by party - CSV 21, DP 14, LSAP 11, ADR 5, Green Party 4, Pirate Party 3, The Left 2; composition - men 40, women 20, percentage women 33.3%
Note: a 21-member Council of State is appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister and serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme 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: Court of Accounts; district and local tribunals and courts

Political parties and leaders: Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR , Christian Social People's Party or CSV , Democratic Party or DP , Green Party , Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP , Pirate Party , The Left (dei Lenk/la Gauche)

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, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Nicole BINTNER-BAKSHIAN (since 15 August 2021)
In the us chancery: 2,200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-4,171
In the us fax: [1] (202) 328-8,270
In the us email address and website: washington.amb@mae.etat.lu; [link]
In the us consulates general: New York, San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas M. BARRETT (since 10 February 2022)
From the us embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2,535 Luxembourg City
From the us mailing address: 5,380 Luxembourg Place, Washington DC 20,521-5,380
From the us telephone: [352] 46-01-23-00
From the us fax: [352] 46-14-01
From the us email address and website: Luxembourgconsular@state.gov; [link]

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)

National symbols: red, rampant lion; national colors: red, white, light blue

National anthem
Name: 'Ons Heemecht' (Our Motherland); 'De Wilhelmus' (The William)
Lyrics/music: Michel LENTZ/Jean-Antoine ZINNEN; Nikolaus WELTER/unknown
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 heritage
Total world heritage sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: high-income EU and eurozone economy; global, highly capitalized banking sector; one of highest GDP-per-capita countries; trending toward recovery after economic contraction from energy-driven inflation, reduced exports and investments, and financial sector weakness

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $88.533 billion (2023 est.); $89.514 billion (2022 est.); $88.295 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: -1.1% (2023 est.); 1.38% (2022 est.); 7.17% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $132,400 (2023 est.); $137,100 (2022 est.); $137,900 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 32.2% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 19% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 18.1% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: -0.2% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 212.5% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -181.7% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.2% (2023 est.)
Industry: 10.5% (2023 est.)
Services: 80.6% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: milk, wheat, barley, triticale, potatoes, pork, grapes, beef, oats, rapeseed (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: 0.49% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 352,000 (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 5.19% (2023 est.); 4.59% (2022 est.); 5.25% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 19% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 15.7% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 22.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 17.3% (2021 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $33.533 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $33.054 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 25.97% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 23% of GDP (2017 est.)
Note: data cover general government debt and include 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 intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental 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

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.74% (2023 est.); 6.34% (2022 est.); 2.53% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $5.826 billion (2023 est.); $6.168 billion (2022 est.); $6.819 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $176.133 billion (2023 est.); $172.145 billion (2022 est.); $184.932 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Germany 20%, France 15%, Belgium 10%, Netherlands 8%, Italy 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: iron blocks, plastic products, rubber tires, plastics, gas turbines (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $146.807 billion (2023 est.); $141.761 billion (2022 est.); $152.01 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Belgium 26%, Germany 26%, France 11%, Netherlands 6%, US 3% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, electricity, natural gas, scrap iron (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.977 billion (2023 est.); $2.874 billion (2022 est.); $2.921 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 2.002 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 6.122 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 1.639 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 7.146 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 147.934 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 13.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 28% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 43.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: -40.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources note: Luxembourg has negative net hydroelectric power generation based on losses from use of pumped storage hydropower
Generation sources biomass and waste: 55.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 62,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 30.2 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 3,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 51,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Consumption: 594.24 million m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 590.144 million m³ (2022 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 8.694 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 135,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 7.338 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 1.221 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 232.384 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 261,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 876,000 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 137 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2024 est.); 1% of GDP (2023); 0.6% of GDP (2022); 0.5% of GDP (2021); 0.6% of GDP (2020)

Military and security forces: Luxembourg Army (l'Armée Luxembourgeoise) (2024)
Note: the Grand Ducal Police maintain internal security and report to the Ministry of Internal Security

Military service age and obligation: 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (abolished 1969) (2024)
Note 1: since 2003, the Army has allowed EU citizens 18-24 years of age who have been a resident in the country for at least 36 months to volunteer
Note 2: 2024, women made up about 12% of the military's full-time personnel

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 66
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,099,102 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 7,323,040,000 (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: LX

Airports: 3 (2024)

Heliports: 11 (2024)

Pipelines: 142 km gas, 27 km refined products (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 2,746 km (2022)

Waterways: 37 km (2010) (on Moselle River)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 6,065 (Ukraine) (as of 11 August 2023)
Stateless persons: 174 (2022)

Illicit drugs