home | 1945-21st century | country profiles

Luxembourg and neighboring states

Wealth and National Well-Being

Country Comparisons: chart

World Factbook: "This small, stable, high-income economy - benefiting from its proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany - has historically featured 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 28% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in steel... The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 60% of its labor force"

Economic growth rate
2012: -2.0%

Unemployment rate
2012: 4.8%

In addition to its urban area, Luxembourg has family-owned farms, producing oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, fruit, wine grapes and livestock

Its currency is the euro.

People

Living in an urban area
2010: 85%

Geography

Between France and Germany. Equivalent to 51 by 51kilometers or roughly 32 by 32 miles. Rather flat. Landlocked, but many airports. Capital: Luxembourg.

Government

Chief of state: Henri Albert Gabriel Félix Marie Guillaume (hereditary Grand Duke, House of Bourbon-Parma) since 7 October 2000. Head of government: Jean-Claude Juncker (prime minister) since 20 January 1995, Christian Social People's Party (conservative)

Luxembourg is the world's only Grand Duchy, having become a Grand Duchy in 1815. It was a part of the Netherlands, gaining full independence in 1867. Luxembourg is a constitutional monarchy, that monarch being the Grand Duke Jean Benoît Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc d'Aviano.

Luxembourg has been a member of NATO since 1949. It is one of the six founding countries of the European Community, which became the European Union

SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/