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🇱🇺 Luxembourg

Europe

Page last updated: July 24, 2024

Introduction

Background

Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and a constituent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands after the Congress of Vienna. When Belgium declared independence from the Netherlands in 1839, Luxembourg lost more than half of its territory to Belgium but gained a larger measure of autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Luxembourg gained full independence in 1867 by promising to remain permanently neutral. Overrun by Germany in both world wars, its neutrality ended in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the EEC (later the EU), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency zone.

Geography

Location

Western Europe, between France and Germany

Geographic coordinates

49°45' N, 06°10' E

Map references

Europe

Area

Total : 2,586 km²

Land: 2,586 km²

Water: 0 km²

Area - comparative

Slightly smaller than Rhode Island; about half the size of Delaware

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

Total: 327 km

Border countries (3): Belgium 130 km; France 69 km; Germany 128 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

None (landlocked)

Climate

Modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

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

Elevation

Highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Lowest point: Moselle River 133 m

Mean elevation: 325 m

Natural resources

Iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Land use

Agricultural land: 50.7% (2018 est.)

Arable land: 24% (2018 est.)

Permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)

Permanent pasture: 26.1% (2018 est.)

Forest: 33.5% (2018 est.)

Other: 15.8% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

0 km² (2012)

Major watersheds (area km²)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 km²)

Population distribution

Most people live in the south, on or near the border with France

Natural hazards

Occasional flooding

Geography - note

Landlocked; the only grand duchy in the world

People and Society

Population

Total: 671,254

Male: 338,702

Female: 332,552 (2024 est.)

Comparison rankings: female 169; male 168; total 168

Nationality

Noun: Luxembourger(s)

Adjective: Luxembourg

Ethnic groups

Luxembourger 52.9%, Portuguese 14.5%, French 7.6%, Italian 3.7%, Belgian 3%, German 2%, Spanish 1.3%, Romania 1%, other 14% (2022 est.)

Note: data represent population by nationality

Languages

Luxembourgish (official administrative and judicial language and national language (spoken vernacular)) 48.9%, Portuguese 15.4%, French (official administrative, judicial, and legislative language) 14.9%, Italian 3.6%, English 3.6%, German (official administrative and judicial language) 2.9%, other 10.8% (2021 est.)

Religions

Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 70.6%, Muslim 2.3%, other (includes Buddhist, folk religions, Hindu, Jewish) 0.4%, unaffiliated 26.7% (2020 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 57,921/female 54,484)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 231,214/female 219,497)

65 years and over: 16.1% (2024 est.) (male 49,567/female 58,571)

2023 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

Total dependency ratio: 44.2

Youth dependency ratio: 23

Elderly dependency ratio: 21.3

Potential support ratio: 4.7 (2021 est.)

Median age

Total: 39.9 years (2024 est.)

Male: 39.4 years

Female: 40.4 years

Population growth rate

1.52% (2024 est.)

Birth rate

11.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate

7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate

10.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution

Most people live in the south, on or near the border with France

Urbanization

Urban population: 92.1% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030

Major urban areas - population

120,000 LUXEMBOURG (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

31 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

Total: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Male: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

Total population: 83.4 years (2024 est.)

Male: 80.9 years

Female: 85.9 years

Total fertility rate

1.63 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.79 (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Drinking water source

Improved: urban: 100% of population

Rural: 98.6% of population

Total: 99.9% of population

Unimproved: urban: 0% of population

Rural: 1.4% of population

Total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure

5.8% of GDP (2020)

Physician density

3.01 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density

4.3 beds/1,000 population (2019)

Sanitation facility access

Improved: urban: 100% of population

Rural: 99.9% of population

Total: 100% of population

Unimproved: urban: 0% of population

Rural: 0.1% of population

Total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.6% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

Total: 11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Beer: 4.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine: 4.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits: 2.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

Total: 21.1% (2020 est.)

Male: 22.4% (2020 est.)

Female: 19.8% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

51.4% (2023 est.)

Education expenditures

5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy

Total population: NA

Male: NA

Female: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Total: 15 years

Male: 15 years

Female: 15 years (2020)

Environment

Environment - current issues

Air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland; unsustainable patterns of consumption (transport, energy, recreation, space) threaten biodiversity and landscapes

Environment - international agreements

Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

Signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Climate

Modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Land use

Agricultural land: 50.7% (2018 est.)

Arable land: 24% (2018 est.)

Permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)

Permanent pasture: 26.1% (2018 est.)

Forest: 33.5% (2018 est.)

Other: 15.8% (2018 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 92.1% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030

Revenue from forest resources

0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Air pollutants

Particulate matter emissions: 8.89 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 8.99 megatons (2016 est.)

Methane emissions: 0.61 megatons (2020 est.)

Waste and recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 356,000 tons (2015 est.)

Municipal solid waste recycled annually: 100,997 tons (2015 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28.4% (2015 est.)

Major watersheds (area km²)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 km²)

Total water withdrawal

Municipal: 50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Industrial: 1.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Agricultural: 400,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources

3.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Geoparks

Total global geoparks and regional networks: 1

Global geoparks and regional networks: MĂ«llerdall (2023)

Government

Country name

Conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Conventional short form: Luxembourg

Local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg

Local short form: Luxembourg

Etymology: the name derives from the Celtic "lucilem" (little) and the German "burg" (castle or fortress) to produce the meaning of the "little castle"; the name is actually ironic, since for centuries the Fortress of Luxembourg was one of Europe's most formidable fortifications; the name passed to the surrounding city and then to the country itself

Government type

Constitutional monarchy

Capital

Name: Luxembourg

Geographic coordinates: 49 36 N, 6 07 E

Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Etymology: the name derives from the Celtic lucilem (little) and the German burg (castle or fortress) to produce the meaning of the "little castle"; the name is actually ironic, since for centuries the Fortress of Luxembourg was one of Europe's most formidable fortifications; the name passed to the city that grew around the fortress

Administrative divisions

12 cantons (cantons, singular - canton); Capellen, Clervaux, Diekirch, Echternach, Esch-sur-Alzette, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, Mersch, Redange, Remich, Vianden, Wiltz

Independence

1839 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday

National Day (birthday of Grand Duke HENRI), 23 June; note - this date of birth is not the true date of birth for any of the Royals, but the national festivities were shifted in 1962 to allow observance during a more favorable time of year

Constitution

History: previous 1842 (heavily amended 1848, 1856); latest effective 17 October 1868

Amendments: proposed by the Chamber of Deputies or by the monarch to the Chamber; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Chamber in two successive readings three months apart; a referendum can be substituted for the second reading if approved by more than a quarter of the Chamber members or by 25,000 valid voters; adoption by referendum requires a majority of all valid voters; amended many times, last in 2020

Legal system

Civil law system

International law organization participation

Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth: limited to situations where the parents are either unknown, stateless, or when the nationality law of the parents' state of origin does not permit acquisition of citizenship by descent when the birth occurs outside of national territory

Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Luxembourg

Dual citizenship recognized: yes

Residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

Chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000)

Head of government: Prime Minister Luc FRIEDEN (since 17 November 2023)

Cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister, appointed by the monarch

Elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies

Legislative branch

Description: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - a 21-member Council of State appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies

Elections: last held on 8 October 2023 (next to be held by 31 October 2028)

Election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 29.2%, LSAP 18.9%, DP 18.7%, ADR 9.3%, Green Party 8.6%, Pirate Party 6.7%, The Left 3.9%; seats by party - CSV 21, DP 14, LSAP 11, ADR 5, Green Party 4, Pirate Party 3, The Left 2; composition - men 40, women 20, percentage women 33.3%

Judicial branch

Highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice includes Court of Appeal and Court of Cassation (consists of 27 judges on 9 benches); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members)

Judge selection and term of office: judges of both courts appointed by the monarch for life

Subordinate courts: Court of Accounts; district and local tribunals and courts

Political parties and leaders

Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Fred KEUP]

Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Claude WISELER]

Democratic Party or DP [Lex DELLES]

Green Party [Djuna BERNARD, Meris SEHOVIC]

Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Dan BIANCALANA, Francine CLOSENER]

Pirate Party [Starsky FLOR, Rebecca LAU]

The Left (dei Lenk/la Gauche) [collective leadership, Central Committee]

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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; the coloring is derived from the Grand Duke's coat of arms (a red lion on a white and blue striped field)

National symbol(s)

Red, rampant lion; national colors: red, white, light blue

National anthem

Name: "Ons Heemecht" (Our Motherland); "De Wilhelmus" (The William)

Lyrics/music: Michel LENTZ/Jean-Antoine ZINNEN; Nikolaus WELTER/unknown

Note: "Ons Heemecht," adopted 1864, is the national anthem, while "De Wilhelmus," adopted 1919, serves as a royal anthem for use when members of the grand ducal family enter or exit a ceremony in Luxembourg

National heritage

Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)

Selected World Heritage Site locales: Luxembourg City Old Quarters and Fortifications

Economy

Economic overview

High-income EU and eurozone economy; global, highly capitalized banking sector; one of highest GDP-per-capita countries; trending toward recovery after economic contraction from energy-driven inflation, reduced exports and investments, and financial sector weakness

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$88.533 billion (2023 est.)

$89.514 billion (2022 est.)

$88.295 billion (2021 est.)

Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

-1.1% (2023 est.)

1.38% (2022 est.)

7.17% (2021 est.)

Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$132,400 (2023 est.)

$137,100 (2022 est.)

$137,900 (2021 est.)

Note: data in 2021 dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$85.755 billion (2023 est.)

Note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.74% (2023 est.)

6.34% (2022 est.)

2.53% (2021 est.)

Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Credit ratings

Fitch rating: AAA (1994)

Moody's rating: Aaa (1989)

Standard & Poors rating: AAA (1994)

Note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

Agriculture: 0.3% (2017 est.)

Industry: 12.8% (2017 est.)

Services: 86.9% (2017 est.)

Comparison rankings: services 14; industry 195; agriculture 214

GDP - composition, by end use

Household consumption: 30.2% (2017 est.)

Government consumption: 16.5% (2017 est.)

Investment in fixed capital: 16.2% (2017 est.)

Investment in inventories: 1.1% (2017 est.)

Exports of goods and services: 230% (2017 est.)

Imports of goods and services: -194% (2017 est.)

Agricultural products

Milk, wheat, barley, triticale, potatoes, pork, grapes, beef, oats, rapeseed (2022)

Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

Banking and financial services, construction, real estate services, iron, metals, and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation and logistics, chemicals, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism, biotechnology

Industrial production growth rate

0.49% (2023 est.)

Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force

352,000 (2023 est.)

Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate

5.19% (2023 est.)

4.59% (2022 est.)

5.25% (2021 est.)

Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

Total: 15.2% (2021 est.)

Male: 16.3%

Female: 14.1%

Population below poverty line

17.3% (2021 est.)

Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

32.7 (2021 est.)

Note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Lowest 10%: 2.8% (2021 est.)

Highest 10%: 24.6% (2021 est.)

Note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Remittances

2.72% of GDP (2023 est.)

2.72% of GDP (2022 est.)

2.83% of GDP (2021 est.)

Note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Budget

Revenues: $31.74 billion (2019 est.)

Expenditures: $30.014 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt

23% of GDP (2017 est.)

20.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Taxes and other revenues

25.97% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Current account balance

$5.826 billion (2023 est.)

$6.168 billion (2022 est.)

$6.819 billion (2021 est.)

Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports

$176.133 billion (2023 est.)

$172.145 billion (2022 est.)

$184.932 billion (2021 est.)

Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - partners

Germany 20%, France 15%, Belgium 10%, Netherlands 8%, Italy 4% (2022)

Note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports - commodities

Iron blocks, plastic products, rubber tires, plastics, gas turbines (2022)

Note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

$146.807 billion (2023 est.)

$141.761 billion (2022 est.)

$152.01 billion (2021 est.)

Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - partners

Belgium 26%, Germany 26%, France 11%, Netherlands 6%, US 3% (2022)

Note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports - commodities

Refined petroleum, cars, electricity, natural gas, scrap iron (2022)

Note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.977 billion (2023 est.)

$2.874 billion (2022 est.)

$2.921 billion (2021 est.)

Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt - external

$4,266,792,000,000 (2019 est.)

$4,581,617,000,000 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates

Euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:

0.925 (2023 est.)

0.95 (2022 est.)

0.845 (2021 est.)

0.876 (2020 est.)

0.893 (2019 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

Electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

Installed generating capacity: 2.002 million kW (2022 est.)

Consumption: 6.122 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Exports: 1.639 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Imports: 7.146 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses: 147.934 million kWh (2022 est.)

Comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 58; imports 36; exports 60; consumption 124; installed generating capacity 122

Electricity generation sources

Fossil fuels: 13.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Solar: 28% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Wind: 43.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Hydroelectricity: -40.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) note: Luxembourg has negative net hydroelectric power generation based on losses from use of pumped storage hydropower

Biomass and waste: 55.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal

Consumption: 62,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Exports: 30.2 metric tons (2022 est.)

Imports: 3,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum

Refined petroleum consumption: 51,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Natural gas

Consumption: 594.24 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Imports: 590.144 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

8.694 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

From coal and metallurgical coke: 135,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids: 7.338 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

From consumed natural gas: 1.221 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

232.384 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

Total subscriptions: 261,000 (2022 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Total subscriptions: 876,000 (2021 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 137 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

General assessment: Luxembourg has a small telecom sector; there remains some pressure from regulatory measures, though no further reductions to fixed and mobile interconnection tariffs have been imposed through to 2024; high mobile penetration has slowed subscriber growth in the mobile market since 2005, though a recent law requiring SIM card registration has not had an adverse effect on the number of mobile subscribers despite network operators deactivating unregistered cards (2021)

Domestic: fixed-line teledensity about 42 per 100 persons; 140 per 100 mobile-cellular subscriptions (2021)

International: country code - 352

Broadcast media

Luxembourg has a long tradition of operating radio and TV services for pan-European audiences and is home to Europe's largest privately owned broadcast media group, the RTL Group, which operates 46 TV stations and 29 radio stations in Europe; also home to Europe's largest satellite operator, Societe Europeenne des Satellites (SES); domestically, the RTL Group operates TV and radio networks; other domestic private radio and TV operators and French and German stations available; satellite and cable TV services available

Internet country code

.lu

Internet users

Total: 633,600 (2021 est.)

Percent of population: 99% (2021 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Total: 235,155 (2020 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2020 est.)

Transportation

National air transport system

Number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020)

Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 66

Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,099,102 (2018)

Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 7,323,040,000 (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

LX

Airports

3 (2024)

Heliports

11 (2024)

Pipelines

142 km gas, 27 km refined products (2013)

Railways

Total: 271 km (2020) 262 km electrified

Roadways

Total: 2,746 km (2022)

Waterways

37 km (2010) (on Moselle River)

Merchant marine

Total: 147 (2023)

By type: bulk carrier 3, container ship 1, general cargo 24, oil tanker 4, other 115

Military and Security

Military and security forces

Luxembourg Army (l'Armée Luxembourgeoise) (2024)

Note: the Grand Ducal Police maintain internal security and report to the Ministry of Internal Security

Military expenditures

1.3% of GDP (2024 est.)

1% of GDP (2023)

0.6% of GDP (2022)

0.5% of GDP (2021)

0.6% of GDP (2020)

Military and security service personnel strengths

Approximately 900 active-duty personnel (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The inventory of Luxembourg's Army is a small mix of Western origin equipment (2024)

Military service age and obligation

18-26 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (abolished 1969) (2024)

Note 1: since 2003, the Army has allowed EU citizens 18-24 years of age who have been a resident in the country for at least 36 months to volunteer

Note 2: 2023, women made up about 12% of the military's full-time personnel

Military - note

Founded in 1881, the Luxembourg Army is responsible for the defense of the country and fulfilling the Grand Duchy’s commitments to NATO, European security, and international peacekeeping, as well as providing support to civil authorities in the event of emergencies, such as floods or disease outbreaks; the Army is an active participant in EU, NATO, and UN missions and has contributed small numbers of troops to multinational operations in such places as Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chad, Croatia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, North Macedonia, Mali, Mozambique, and Uganda; it trains and exercises regularly with EU and NATO partners and has contributed to the NATO battlegroup forward deployed in Lithuania since 2017; Luxembourg was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) establishing NATO in 1949

In 2015, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg signed an agreement to conduct joint air policing of their territories; under the agreement, which went into effect in January 2017, the Belgian and Dutch Air Forces trade responsibility for patrolling the skies over the three countries (2024)

Space

Space agency/agencies

The Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA; established 2018) (2024)

Space program overview

Aims to be the commercial space hub for Europe; LSA established largely to develop space policy, encourage and coordinate commercial space ventures, support space education, and to promote the country’s space-related capabilities internationally; has a national space strategy; has set up policy and funding initiatives (such as LuxIMPULSE) aimed at encouraging space research, development, innovation, and entrepreneurship and attracting space-based industries; focused on developing commercial satellites and infrastructure (Luxembourg is home to some of the largest commercial satellite companies in the world), as well as other space sector capabilities and technologies, such as autonomous vehicles, robotics, remote sensing (RS), communications, and software; member of the European Space Agency (ESA), participates in ESA programs, and cooperates with individual ESA and EU member states; also has relations with other foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Canada, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the UAE, and the US (2024)

Note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Refugees (country of origin): 6,065 (Ukraine) (as of 11 August 2023)

Stateless persons: 174 (2022)