Luxembourg (2004) | Saint Pierre and Miquelon (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 19% (male 45,422; female 42,638)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 155,519; female 151,891) 65 years and over: 14.5% (male 26,981; female 40,239) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 23% (male 827/female 790)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 2,352/female 2,288) 65 years and over: 11.1% (male 359/female 420) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products | vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish |
Airports | 2 (2003 est.) | 2 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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Area | total: 2,586 sq km
land: 2,586 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 242 sq km
land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Rhode Island | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
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. | First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions. |
Birth rate | 12.21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 13.08 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $11.82 billion
expenditures: $12.06 billion, including capital expenditures of $760 million (2003 est.) |
revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million (1996 est.) |
Capital | Luxembourg | name: Saint-Pierre
geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November |
Climate | modified continental with mild winters, cool summers | cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 120 km |
Constitution | 17 October 1868, occasional revisions | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg |
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon |
Currency | euro (EUR)
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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Death rate | 8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 6.82 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | NA | $NA |
Dependency status | - | self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS-PACCOURD
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171 FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270 consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco |
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $147 million (2002) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | approximately $60 million in annual grants from France |
Economy - overview | 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 more than 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 and enjoys an extraordinarily high standard of living. | The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. France heavily subsidizes the islands to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Fish farming, crab fishing, and agriculture are being developed to diversify the local economy. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector. |
Electricity - consumption | 6.07 billion kWh (2001) | 46.5 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 744 million kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 6.389 billion kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 457 million kWh (2001) | 50 million kWh (2005) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m |
Environment - current issues | air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland | recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
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Ethnic groups | Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European (guest and resident workers) | Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999) | euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) |
Executive branch | 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 Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July 2004) 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 LSAP |
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Yves FAUQUEUR (since 28 August 2006)
head of government: President of the General Council Marc PLANTAGENEST (since NA) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 April 2002 (first round) and 5 May 2002 (second round) (next to be held in 2007); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the General Council is elected by the members of the council |
Exports | 634 bbl/day (2001) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass | fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts |
Exports - partners | Germany 23.3%, France 19%, Belgium 10.4%, UK 9.1%, Italy 6.8%, Spain 4.6%, Netherlands 4.3% (2003) | Spain 33.6%, Belgium 21.8%, India 18.3%, France 9.4%, US 7.5% (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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 | a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with yellow wavy lines under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the flag of France is used for official occasions |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $25.01 billion (2003 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.5%
industry: 16.6% services: 82.9% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $55,100 (2003 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.2% (2003 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 49 45 N, 6 10 E | 46 50 N, 56 20 W |
Geography - note | landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world | vegetation scanty |
Heliports | 1 (2003 est.) | - |
Highways | total: 5,189 km
paved: 5,189 km (including 114 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | 50,700 bbl/day (2001) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods | meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials |
Imports - partners | Belgium 29%, Germany 22.9%, France 11.4%, China 10.9%, Netherlands 4.8% (2003) | France 51.3%, Canada 31.8%, Belgium 4.1% (2006) |
Independence | 1839 (from the Netherlands) | none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) |
Industrial production growth rate | 1.7% (2003 est.) | NA% |
Industries | banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum | fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 7.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2% (2003 est.) | 8.1% (2005) |
International organization participation | ACCT, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | UPU, WFTU |
Irrigated land | 40 sq km (includes Belgium) (1998 est.) | NA |
Judicial branch | 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 | Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel |
Labor force | 200,000 (of whom 87,400 are foreign cross-border workers primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2003) | 3,450 (2005) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1.9%, industry 8%, services 90.1% (1999 est.) | agriculture: 18%
industry: 41% services: 41% (1996 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 359 km
border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 23.28%
permanent crops: 0.4% other: 76.32% (includes Belgium) (2001) |
arable land: 12.5%
permanent crops: 0% other: 87.5% (2005) |
Languages | Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language) | French (official) |
Legal system | based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
Legislative branch | 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 2004 (next to be held by June 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%, DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP 14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5 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 |
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats, 15 from Saint Pierre and four from Miquelon; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: elections last held 19 and 26 in March 2006 (next to be held in March 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AD 16, Cap sur l'Avenir 2, SPM Ensemble 1 note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect one seat to the French Senate; elections last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2013); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects one seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.58 years
male: 75.31 years female: 82.07 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 78.76 years
male: 76.41 years female: 81.23 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.) |
Location | Western Europe, between France and Germany | Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) |
Map references | Europe | North America |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 652,454 GRT/805,101 DWT
by type: chemical tanker 11, container 8, liquefied gas 4, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 7 foreign-owned: Belgium 7, Denmark 1, Finland 3, France 3, Germany 10, Monaco 1, Netherlands 5, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 7, United States 3 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.) |
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Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | Army | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $231.6 million (2003) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.9% (2003) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 115,721 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 95,107 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 2,601 (2004 est.) | - |
National holiday | National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg |
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
Natural hazards | NA | persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land | fish, deepwater ports |
Net migration rate | 8.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | -4.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 155 km (2004) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Gast GIBERYOEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as Christian Social Party or PCS) [Francois BILTGEN]; Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; Marxist and Reformed Communist Party DEI LENK (the Left) [no formal leadership]; other minor parties | Archipelago Tomorrow or AD affiliated with UDF/RPR list; Cap sur l'Avenir affiliated with PRG; Left Radical Party or PRG; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP); Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2000/Avenir Miquelon or SPM 2000/AM; Socialist Party or PS; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF |
Political pressure groups and leaders | 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) | NA |
Population | 462,690 (July 2004 est.) | 7,036 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.28% (2004 est.) | 0.128% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mertert | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | total: 274 km
standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2003) |
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Religions | 87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims (2000) | Roman Catholic 99%, other 1% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.047 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.028 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.855 male(s)/female total population: 1.011 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable international: country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America) |
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; satellite earth station - 1 in French domestic satellite system |
Telephones - main lines in use | 355,400 (2002) | 4,800 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 473,000 (2002) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 5 (1999) | 0 (2 repeaters rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997) |
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 | mostly barren rock |
Total fertility rate | 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 2 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3.6% (2003 est.) | 10.3% (1999) |
Waterways | 37 km (on Moselle River) (2003) | - |