Europe
Page last updated: July 26, 2023
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. In 1867, Luxembourg attained full independence under the condition that it promise perpetual neutrality. 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 EEC (later the EU), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency zone.
Western Europe, between France and Germany
49 45 N, 6 10 E
Europe
Total: 2,586 sq km
Land: 2,586 sq km
Water: 0 sq km
Slightly smaller than Rhode Island; about half the size of Delaware
Area comparison map:
Total: 327 km
Border countries (3): Belgium 130 km; France 69 km; Germany 128 km
0 km (landlocked)
None (landlocked)
Modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
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
Highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m
Lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
Mean elevation: 325 m
Iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land
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.)
0 sq km (2012)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)
Most people live in the south, on or near the border with France
Occasional flooding
Landlocked; the only grand duchy in the world
660,924 (2023 est.)
Noun: Luxembourger(s)
Adjective: Luxembourg
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
Luxembourgish (official administrative and judicial language and national language (spoken vernacular)) 55.8%, Portuguese 15.7%, French (official administrative, judicial, and legislative language) 12.1%, German (official administrative and judicial language) 3.1%, Italian 2.9%, English 2.1%, other 8.4% (2011 est.)
Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 70.6%, Muslim 2.3%, other (includes Buddhist, folk religions, Hindu, Jewish) 0.4%, unaffiliated 26.7% (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 16.73% (male 57,006/female 53,593)
15-64 years: 67.38% (male 228,427/female 216,912)
65 years and over: 15.88% (2023 est.) (male 47,951/female 57,035)
2023 population pyramid:
Total dependency ratio: 44.2
Youth dependency ratio: 23
Elderly dependency ratio: 21.3
Potential support ratio: 4.7 (2021 est.)
Total: 39.5 years
Male: 38.9 years
Female: 40 years (2020 est.)
1.58% (2023 est.)
11.59 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
11.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Most people live in the south, on or near the border with France
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
120,000 LUXEMBOURG (capital) (2018)
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: 0.84 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
31 years (2020 est.)
6 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Total: 3.21 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 2.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Total population: 83.17 years
Male: 80.73 years
Female: 85.76 years (2023 est.)
1.63 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.79 (2023 est.)
NA
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.)
5.8% of GDP (2020)
3.01 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
4.3 beds/1,000 population (2019)
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.)
22.6% (2016)
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.)
Total: 21.1% (2020 est.)
Male: 22.4% (2020 est.)
Female: 19.8% (2020 est.)
NA
51.4% (2023 est.)
5% of GDP (2020 est.)
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA
Total: 15 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 15 years (2020)
Total: 15.2%
Male: 16.3%
Female: 14.1% (2021 est.)
Air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland; unsustainable patterns of consumption (transport, energy, recreation, space) threaten biodiversity and landscapes
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
Modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
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.)
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
0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 10.21 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 8.99 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 0.61 megatons (2020 est.)
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.)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)
Municipal: 50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 1.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 400,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)
3.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
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
Constitutional monarchy
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
12 cantons (cantons, singular - canton); Capellen, Clervaux, Diekirch, Echternach, Esch-sur-Alzette, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, Mersch, Redange, Remich, Vianden, Wiltz
1839 (from the Netherlands)
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
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
Civil law system
Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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 Xavier BETTEL (since 4 December 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Francois BAUSCH (since 11 October 2019); Deputy Prime Minister Daniel KERSCH (since 4 February 2020)
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
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 14 October 2018 (next to be held by 31 October 2023)
Election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 35%, DP 20%, LSAP 16.7%, Green Party 15%, ADR 6.7%, Pirate Party 3.3%, The Left 3.3%; seats by party - CSV 21, DP 12, LSAP 10, Green Party 9, ADR 4, Pirate Party 2, The Left 2; composition (as of September 2021) - men 40, women 20, percent of women 33.3%
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
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]
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
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)
Red, rampant lion; national colors: red, white, light blue
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
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales: Luxembourg City Old Quarters and Fortifications
High-income, EU-member European economy; global financial and information storage leader; high government spending; one of highest GDP per capita countries; unique audit accountancy based on company sizing; aging labor force; hit by COVID-19
$74.045 billion (2021 est.)
$70.45 billion (2020 est.)
$71.016 billion (2019 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
5.1% (2021 est.)
-0.8% (2020 est.)
2.32% (2019 est.)
$115,700 (2021 est.)
$111,800 (2020 est.)
$114,500 (2019 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
$71.089 billion (2019 est.)
2.53% (2021 est.)
0.82% (2020 est.)
1.74% (2019 est.)
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.
Agriculture: 0.3% (2017 est.)
Industry: 12.8% (2017 est.)
Services: 86.9% (2017 est.)
Comparison rankings: agriculture 214; industry 195; services 14
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.)
Milk, wheat, barley, triticale, potatoes, pork, beef, grapes, rapeseed, oats
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
2.87% (2021 est.)
333,900 (2021 est.)
Note: data exclude foreign workers; in addition to the figure for domestic labor force, about 150,000 workers commute daily from France, Belgium, and Germany
Agriculture: 1.1%
Industry: 20%
Services: 78.9% (2013 est.)
5.23% (2021 est.)
6.77% (2020 est.)
5.59% (2019 est.)
Total: 15.2%
Male: 16.3%
Female: 14.1% (2021 est.)
17.5% (2018 est.)
34.2 (2019 est.)
Lowest 10%: 3.5%
Highest 10%: 23.8% (2000)
Revenues: $31.74 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $30.014 billion (2019 est.)
1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
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
25.13% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
Calendar year
$4.141 billion (2021 est.)
$3.496 billion (2020 est.)
$2.459 billion (2019 est.)
$177.831 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$145.417 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$139.559 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Germany 23%, France 13%, Belgium 12%, Netherlands 6%, Italy 5% (2019)
Iron products, cars and vehicle parts, tires, gas turbines, adhesive plastics (2021)
$148.15 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$121.328 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$116.803 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Belgium 27%, Germany 24%, France 11%, Netherlands 5% (2019)
Cars, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, scrap iron, aircraft (2019)
$2.921 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$1.119 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$1.055 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
$4,266,792,000,000 (2019 est.)
$4,581,617,000,000 (2018 est.)
Euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)
0.893 (2019 est.)
0.847 (2018 est.)
0.885 (2017 est.)
Electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Installed generating capacity: 1.899 million kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 6.188 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Exports: 1.079 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Imports: 6.543 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 156 million kWh (2020 est.)
Comparison rankings: installed generating capacity 120; consumption 117; exports 59; imports 35; transmission/distribution losses 152
Fossil fuels: 13.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Solar: 14.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Wind: 27.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 7.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Biomass and waste: 36.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 65,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 74,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 63,900 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
59,020 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Consumption: 776.022 million cubic meters (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 772.624 million cubic meters (2019 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
11.308 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 149,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 9.564 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 1.594 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
310.068 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
Total subscriptions: 270,000 (2021 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 42 (2021 est.)
Total subscriptions: 880,000 (2021 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 140 (2021 est.)
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
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
.lu
Total: 633,600 (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 99% (2021 est.)
Total: 235,155 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2020 est.)
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
LX
2 (2021)
1
Note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
1
Note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
1 (2021)
142 km gas, 27 km refined products (2013)
Total: 271 km (2020) 262 km electrified
Total: 2,875 km (2019)
Paved: (2011)
37 km (2010) (on Moselle River)
Total: 149
By type: bulk carrier 4, container ship 1, general cargo 27, oil tanker 3, other 114 (2022)
River port(s): Mertert (Moselle)
Luxembourg Army (l'Armée Luxembourgeoise) (2023)
Note: the Grand Ducal Police maintain internal security and report to the Ministry of Internal Security
0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.5% of GDP (2021)
0.6% of GDP (2020)
0.6% of GDP (2019)
Approximately 900 active personnel (2023)
The inventory of Luxembourg's Army is a small mix of Western origin equipment (2023)
18-26 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (abolished 1969) (2023)
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
Luxembourg is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) 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 of 2017, the Belgian and Dutch Air Forces trade responsibility for patrolling the skies over the three countries (2023)
None identified
Refugees (country of origin): 5,890 (Ukraine) (as of 13 June 2023)
Stateless persons: 174 (2022)