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Luxembourg Country Guide
Explore Luxembourg in Europe
Luxembourg with the capital city Luxembourg is located in Europe (Western Europe, between France and Germany). It covers some 2,586 square kilometres (slightly smaller than Rhode Island) with 486,000 citizens.
The topography includes mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys with uplands to slightly mountainous in the north and steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast. The average density of population is approximately 188 per km². The notable climate conditions in Luxembourg can be described as modified continental with mild winters, cool summers. Possible natural disasters include NA.
To reach someone in Luxembourg dial +352 prior to a number. There are 273,600 installed telephones. And there are 719,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 900/1800/3G MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".lu". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 220V - 50Hz.
About the flag and history of Luxembourg
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).
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. In January 2013, Luxembourg assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2013-14 term.
Geography Quick-Facts
| Summary | Continent: Europe Neighbours: Germany, Belgium, France Capital: Luxembourg |
| Size | 2,586 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 998 square miles (mi² or sqmi) slightly smaller than Rhode Island |
| Population | 486,000 |
| Currency | Name Euro, Currency Code:EUR |
| Country Top Level Domain (cTLD) | .lu |
| Telephone Country Prefix | +352 |
| Mobile Phone Connections | 719,000 |
| Landline Phone Connections | 273,600 |
Country Position in World Rankings
Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).
Geography
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 2,586 (sq km) | 179 |
People and Society
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 514,862 | 173 |
| Population growth rate | 1.13 (%) | 104 |
| Birth rate | 11.72 (births/1,000 population) | 166 |
| Death rate | 8.52 (deaths/1,000 population) | 79 |
| Net migration rate | 8.06 (migrant(s)/1,000 population) | 14 |
| Maternal mortality rate | 20.00 (deaths/100,000 live births) | 141 |
| Infant mortality rate | 4.33 (deaths/1,000 live births) | 193 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.88 (years) | 37 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.77 (children born/woman) | 161 |
| Health expenditures | 7.80 (% of GDP) | 66 |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.30 (%) | 82 |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 1,000 | 145 |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 100 | 140 |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 26.00 (%) | 50 |
| Education expenditures | 3.80 (% of GDP) | 118 |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | 16.80 (%) | 78 |
Economy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | 42,920,000,000 | 100 |
| GDP - real growth rate | 0.10 (%) | 180 |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | 81,100 | 5 |
| Labor force | 208,200 | 168 |
| Unemployment rate | 6.00 (%) | 56 |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 26.00 | 130 |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 21.30 (% of GDP) | 81 |
| Taxes and other revenues | 40.60 (% of GDP) | 42 |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -0.90 (% of GDP) | 58 |
| Public debt | 18.40 (% of GDP) | 130 |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.50 (%) | 56 |
| Central bank discount rate | 1.75 (%) | 128 |
| Stock of narrow money | 81,550,000,000 | 40 |
| Stock of broad money | 229,900,000,000 | 38 |
| Stock of domestic credit | 395,100,000,000 | 30 |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | 101,100,000,000 | 42 |
| Industrial production growth rate | 6.20 (%) | 49 |
| Current account balance | 500,000,000 | 46 |
| Exports | 15,500,000,000 | 81 |
| Imports | 25,080,000,000 | 67 |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 1,014,000,000 | 136 |
| Debt - external | 2,643,000,000,000 | 7 |
Energy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 2,490,000,000 (kWh) | 132 |
| Electricity - consumption | 5,973,000,000 (kWh) | 106 |
| Electricity - exports | 3,216,000,000 (kWh) | 35 |
| Electricity - imports | 7,280,000,000 (kWh) | 31 |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 1,702,000 (kW) | 108 |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 28.40 (% of total installed capacity) | 182 |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 2.00 (% of total installed capacity) | 135 |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 5.00 (% of total installed capacity) | 37 |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 61,380 (bbl/day) | 94 |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 686 (bbl/day) | 116 |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 51,930 (bbl/day) | 67 |
| Natural gas - consumption | 1,183,000,000 (cu m) | 87 |
| Natural gas - imports | 1,183,000,000 (cu m) | 56 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 10,800,000 (Mt) | 99 |
Communications
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | 279,100 | 121 |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 765,000 | 159 |
| Internet hosts | 250,900 | 68 |
| Internet users | 424,500 | 121 |
Transportation
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Airports | 2 | 202 |
| Railways | 275 (km) | 123 |
| Roadways | 5,227 (km) | 152 |
| Waterways | 37 (km) | 105 |
| Merchant marine | 49 | 71 |
Military
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Military expenditures | 0.90 (% of GDP) | 143 |
Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases
List of current world heritage sites
| Name | Since |
|---|---|
| City of Luxembourg: its Old Quarters and Fortifications Because of its strategic position, Luxembourg was, from the 16th century until 1867, when its walls were dismantled, one of Europe's greatest fortified sites. It was repeatedly reinforced as it passed from one great European power to another: the Hol ... | 1994 |