Luxembourg country profile

27 August 2006
by eub2 -- last modified 04 January 2008

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small country surrounded by Belgium, France and Germany. Luxembourg is one of the founding countries of the European Community, now the EU.

Großherzogtum Luxemburg / Grand-Duché de Luxembourg / Lëtzebuerg

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small country surrounded by Belgium, France and Germany, and its history has been inextricably linked with that of its larger neighbours. It is largely made up of rolling hills and forests.

Luxembourg has been under the control of many states and ruling houses in its long history, but it has been a separate, if not always autonomous, political unit since the 10th century. Nowadays, Luxembourg is a hereditary Grand Duchy with a unicameral parliamentary system.

Letzeburgesch, the national language, is akin to German. German is the first foreign language for most Luxembourgers and is used in the media. French is the administrative language.

The economic structure of Luxembourg is based mainly in banking, insurance, and the steel industry. Agriculture and wine production are also important.

Many of Luxembourg's speciality dishes are appropriate to forest areas: jugged hare and Ardennes ham. Other local dishes include trout and pike from the rivers.

Luxembourg shares the Moselle valley with Germany and the local white wines are well known. Like other northern European countries, Luxembourg is also known for its beers.

Area: 2 586 km²
Population: 459 500
Capital city: Luxembourg
Currency: 1 euro = 100 cent
National day: 23 June
EU-membership: 23 July 1952 (founding member)

Head of State: Grand Duke Henri
Head of Government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker
Foreign Minister: Jean Asselborn
Government: Coalition: Chrëschtlech Sozial Vollekspartei (CSV, Christian Social People’s Party, 24 seats), Lëtzebuergesch Sozialistesch Arbechterpartei (LSAP, Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party, 14 seats)
Parliament: Unicameral: Chambre des Députés, 60 members, elections every 5 years

GDP: € 25.9 billion (2005)
GDP per capita in PPS: € 64 100 (2005)
Economic growth in real terms: + 4.0% (2006, estimate)

Links:
Head of Government: http://www.gouvernement.lu
Foreign Minister: http://www.mae.lu
Parliament: http://www.chd.lu

Map of Luxembourg


Source: European Commission, Slovenia EU Presidency