Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world
People
Luxembourg
Population:
486,006 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.6% (male 46,729/female 43,889)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 163,356/female 160,425)
65 years and over: 14.7% (male 29,206/female 42,401) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39 years
male: 38 years
female: 40 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.188% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
11.77 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.43 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
8.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.18 years
male: 75.91 years
female: 82.67 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.78 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg
Ethnic groups:
Luxembourger 63.1%, Portuguese 13.3%, French 4.5%, Italian 4.3%,
German 2.3%, other EU 7.3%, other 5.2% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim)
13% (2000)
Languages:
Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language),
French (administrative language)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (1999)
Government
Luxembourg
Country name:
conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg
local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg
local short form: Luxembourg
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
Administrative divisions:
3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg
Independence:
1839 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday:
National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June; note -
the actual date of birth was 23 January 1896, but the festivities
were shifted by five months to allow observance during a more
favorable time of year
Constitution:
17 October 1868; occasional revisions
Legal system:
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir
Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 20
January 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and
appointed by the monarch
elections: the monarch is hereditary; following popular elections to
the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or the
leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the
monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies
note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP
Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%,
DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%, other 2.8%; seats by party -
CSV 24, LSAP 14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5
note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory
body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members
appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister
Judicial branch:
judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district
courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and
tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and
tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are
appointed for life by the monarch
Political parties and leaders:
Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Robert MENLEN];
Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Francois BILTGEN] (also
known as Christian Social Party or PCS); Democratic Party or DP
[Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg Socialist
Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left);
other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union);
Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP
(professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil
service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des
Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists);
Greenpeace (environment protection); LCGP (center-right trade
union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of ecology); OGBL
(center-left trade union)
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional members), Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD,
EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-Paul SENNINGER
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171/72
FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ann WAGNER
embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City
mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE
09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box
9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)
telephone: [352] 46 01 23
FAX: [352] 46 14 01
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; design was based on the flag of France
Economy
Luxembourg
Economy - overview:
This stable, high-income economy - benefiting from its proximity to
France, Belgium, and Germany - features 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. Most banks are foreign owned and have extensive
foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms.
The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about
60% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU members,
suffered from the global economic slump in the early part of this
decade, the country continues to enjoy an extraordinarily high
standard of living - GDP per capita ranks second in the world, after
Qatar. After two years of strong economic growth in 2006-07, turmoil
in the world financial markets will slow Luxembourg's economy in
2008, but growth will remain above the European average.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$38.14 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$50.16 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$79,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13%
services: 86% (2005 est.)
Labor force:
205,000 of whom 121,600 are foreign cross-border workers commuting
primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13%
services: 86% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.5%
highest 10%: 23.8% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $19.78 billion
expenditures: $18.9 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
6.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2007 est.)
Stock of money:
NA
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro
Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi
money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$357.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy products,
livestock products
Industries:
banking and financial services, iron and steel, information
technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food
processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass,
aluminum, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
1.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.01 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
6.748 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
2.887 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
6.847 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 57.3%
hydro: 25.2%
nuclear: 0%
other: 17.5% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
60,640 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
281.5 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
63,760 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
1.329 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
1.329 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$4.921 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$18.42 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products,
glass
Exports - partners:
Germany 21.1%, France 16.3%, Belgium 10.1%, Italy 7.4%, UK 7.1%,
Netherlands 5.4%, Spain 5% (2007)
Imports:
$23.13 billion c.i.f. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods
Imports - partners:
Belgium 27.4%, Germany 23.8%, China 17.1%, France 9.2%, Netherlands
5% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $291 million (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$205.5 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$79.4 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
EUR
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041
(2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Luxembourg
Telephones - main lines in use:
248,200 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
604,200 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and
efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: fixed line teledensity over 50 per 100 persons; nationwide
cellular telephone system with market for mobile-cellular phones
virtually saturated
international: country code - 352 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios:
285,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (1999)
Televisions:
285,000 (1998 est.)
Internet country code:
.lu
Internet hosts:
180,756 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)
Internet users:
345,000 (2007)
Transportation
Luxembourg
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 155 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 275 km
standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (243 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 5,227 km
paved: 5,227 km (includes 147 km of expressways) (2004)
Waterways:
37 km (on Moselle River) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 45
by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 3, chemical tanker 15, container 4,
liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3,
roll on/roll off 9
foreign-owned: 44 (Belgium 7, Denmark 1, France 17, Germany 5,
Netherlands 2, UK 8, US 4)
registered in other countries: 1 (Ukraine 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Mertert
Military
Luxembourg
Military branches:
Army (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
17-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service;
soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping
missions; no conscription; Luxembourg citizen or EU citizen with
3-year residence in Luxembourg (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 116,305
females age 16-49: 114,566 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 95,152
females age 16-49: 93,792 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 3,066
female: 2,909 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Luxembourg
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Macau
Introduction
Macau
Background:
Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first
European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed
by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau
Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. In
this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two
systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be
practiced in Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a high degree of
autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the
next 50 years.
Geography
Macau
Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates:
22 10 N, 113 33 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 28.2 sq km
land: 28.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 0.34 km
regional border: China 0.34 km
Coastline:
41 km
Maritime claims:
not specified
Climate:
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Terrain:
generally flat
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
typhoons
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution
(associate member)
Geography - note:
essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring
5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and
Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by
three bridges
People
Macau
Population:
545,674 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.5% (male 47,935/female 42,301)
15-64 years: 75.8% (male 193,571/female 220,108)
65 years and over: 7.7% (male 19,340/female 22,419) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 35 years
male: 35.6 years
female: 34.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.148% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
8.69 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
3.43 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
26.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.23 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 84.33 years
male: 81.36 years
female: 87.45 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
0.9 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups:
Chinese 94.3%, other 5.7% (includes Macanese (mixed Portuguese and
Asian ancestry)) (2006 census)
Religions:
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)
Languages:
Cantonese 85.7%, Hokkien 4%, Mandarin 3.2%, other Chinese dialects
2.7%, English 1.5%, Tagalog 1.3%, other 1.6% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.3%
male: 95.3%
female: 87.8% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 16 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.4% of GDP (2005)
Government
Macau
Country name:
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Macau
local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao
Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
Dependency status:
special administrative region of China
Government type:
limited democracy
Administrative divisions:
none (special administrative region of China)
Independence:
none (special administrative region of China)
National holiday:
National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic
of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated
as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Constitution:
Basic Law, approved on 31 March 1993 by China's National People's
Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"
Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system
Suffrage:
direct election 18 years of age for some non-executive positions,
universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven
years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as
"corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member
Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal
organizations, and central government bodies
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20
December 1999)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of one government secretary,
three legislators, four businessmen, one pro-Beijing unionist, and
one pro-Beijing educator
elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee
for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last
held 29 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected received 296 votes;
three members submitted blank ballots; one member was absent
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 members elected by
popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief
executive; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next in September 2009)
election results: percent of vote - New Democratic Macau Association
18.8%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16.6%, Union for
Development 13.3%, Union for Promoting Progress 9.6%, Macau
Development Alliance 9.3%, others 32.4%; seats by political group -
New Democratic Macau Association 2, Macau United Citizens'
Association 2, Union for Development 2, Union for Promoting Progress
2, Macau Development Alliance 1, others 3; 10 seats filled by
professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief
executive
Judicial branch:
Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region
Political parties and leaders:
Civil Service Union [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development Union
[KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG On-kei];
Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New Democratic
Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; United Forces
note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no
registered political parties; politically active groups register as
societies or companies
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO];
Roman Catholic Church; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG
Kuok-cheong]
International organization participation:
IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate),
UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WFTU, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (special administrative region of China)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is
accredited to Macau
Flag description:
light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in
white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in
center of arc and four smaller
Economy
Macau
Economy - overview:
Macau's economy has enjoyed strong growth in recent years on the
back of its expanding tourism and gaming sectors. Since opening up
its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in
2001, the territory has attracted tens of billions of dollars in
foreign investment that have helped transform it into the world's
largest gaming center. In 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed
that of the Las Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for
75% of total government revenue. The expanding casino sector, and
China's decision beginning in 2002 to relax travel restrictions,
have reenergized Macau's tourism industry, which saw total visitors
grow to 27 million in 2007, up 62% in three years. Macau's strong
economic growth has put pressure its labor market prompting
businesses to look abroad to meet their staffing needs. The
resulting influx of non-resident workers, who totaled one-fifth of
the workforce in 2006, has fueled tensions among some segments of
the population. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has been
in a slow decline. In 2006, exports of textiles and garments
generated only $1.8 billion compared to $6.9 billion in gross gaming
receipts. Macau's textile industry will continue to move to the
mainland because of the termination in 2005 of the Multi-Fiber
Agreement, which provided a near guarantee of export markets,
leaving the territory more dependent on gambling and trade-related
services to generate growth. However, the Closer Economic
Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that
came into effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products
tariff-free access to the mainland. Macau's currency, the Pataca, is
closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar, which is also freely accepted
in the territory.
GDP (purchasing power parity):