Saint Barthelemy (2008) | Luxembourg (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | - | 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | - | barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products |
Airports | 1 | 2 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 |
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | 21 sq km | total: 2,586 sq km
land: 2,586 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | less than an eighth of the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Rhode Island |
Background | Discovered in 1493 by Christopher COLUMBUS who named it for his brother Bartolomeo, St. Barthelemy was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, the French sold the island to Sweden, who renamed the largest town Gustavia, after the Swedish King GUSTAV III, and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1878 and placed it under the administration of Guadeloupe. St. Barthelemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appelations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the populace of the island voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity. | 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. |
Birth rate | - | 12.21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $11.82 billion
expenditures: $12.06 billion, including capital expenditures of $760 million (2003 est.) |
Capital | name: Gustavia
geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight savings: +1 hour, starts 20 March and ends 17 October |
Luxembourg |
Climate | tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid) | modified continental with mild winters, cool summers |
Coastline | - | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | 17 October 1868, occasional revisions |
Country name | conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy
conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy local short form: Saint-Barthelemy |
conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg |
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 |
Death rate | - | 8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | - | NA |
Dependency status | overseas collectivity of France | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas collectivity of France) | 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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas collectivity of France) | 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 |
Disputes - international | - | none |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $147 million (2002) |
Economy - overview | The economy of Saint Barthelemy is based upon high-end tourism and duty-free luxury commerce, serving visitors primarily from North America. The luxury hotels and villas host 70,000 visitors each year with another 130,000 arriving by boat. The relative isolation and high cost of living inhibits mass tourism. The construction and public sectors also enjoy significant investment in support of tourism. With limited fresh water resources, all food must be imported, as must all energy resources and most manufactured goods. Employment is strong and attracts labor from Brazil and Portugal. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 6.07 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | 744 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 6.389 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | - | 457 million kWh (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m |
lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m |
Environment - current issues | with no natural rivers or streams, fresh water is in short supply, especially in summer, and provided by desalinization of sea water, collection of rain water, or imported via water tanker | air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland |
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 |
Ethnic groups | white, Creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia) | Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European (guest and resident workers) |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - NA (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) | euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)
head of government: President of the Territorial Council Bruno MAGRAS (since 16 July 2007) cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term election results: Bruno MAGRAS unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007 |
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 |
Exports | - | 634 bbl/day (2001) |
Exports - commodities | - | machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass |
Exports - partners | - | Germany 23.3%, France 19%, Belgium 10.4%, UK 9.1%, Italy 6.8%, Spain 4.6%, Netherlands 4.3% (2003) |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | 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 |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $25.01 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 0.5%
industry: 16.6% services: 82.9% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $55,100 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 1.2% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 17 90 N, 62 85 W | 49 45 N, 6 10 E |
Geography - note | - | landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world |
Heliports | - | 1 (2003 est.) |
Highways | - | total: 5,189 km
paved: 5,189 km (including 114 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | - | 50,700 bbl/day (2001) |
Imports - commodities | - | minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods |
Imports - partners | - | Belgium 29%, Germany 22.9%, France 11.4%, China 10.9%, Netherlands 4.8% (2003) |
Independence | none (overseas collectivity of France) | 1839 (from the Netherlands) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 1.7% (2003 est.) |
Industries | - | banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum |
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.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 2% (2003 est.) |
International organization participation | UPU | 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 |
Irrigated land | - | 40 sq km (includes Belgium) (1998 est.) |
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 |
Labor force | - | 200,000 (of whom 87,400 are foreign cross-border workers primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2003) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 1.9%, industry 8%, services 90.1% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 359 km
border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km |
Land use | - | arable land: 23.28%
permanent crops: 0.4% other: 76.32% (includes Belgium) (2001) |
Languages | French (primary), English | Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language) |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Territorial Council (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held July 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - SBA 72.2%, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 9.9%, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 7.9%, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 9.9%; seats by party - SBA 16, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 1, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 1, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 1 |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 78.58 years
male: 75.31 years female: 82.07 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.) |
Location | located approximately 125 miles northwest of Guadeloupe | Western Europe, between France and Germany |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | - | none (landlocked) |
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.) |
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 | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August | National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June |
Nationality | - | noun: Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg |
Natural hazards | - | NA |
Natural resources | has few natural resouces, its beaches being the most important | iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land |
Net migration rate | - | 8.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 155 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | Action-Equilibre-Transparence [Maxime DESOUCHES]; Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy [Benoit CHAUVIN]; Saint-Barth d'Abord! or SBA [Bruno MAGRAS]; Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy [Karine MIOT-RICHARD] | 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 |
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) |
Population | 6,852 (1999 March census) | 462,690 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA |
Population growth rate | - | 1.28% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Mertert |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) |
Railways | - | total: 274 km
standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2003) |
Religions | Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witness | 87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims (2000) |
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.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age, universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment: fully integrated access
domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe |
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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 355,400 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 473,000 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 5 (1999) |
Terrain | hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with 20 beaches | 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 |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Transportation - note | nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles) | - |
Unemployment rate | - | 3.6% (2003 est.) |
Waterways | - | 37 km (on Moselle River) (2003) |