Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.06 cu km/yr (42%/45%/13%)
per capita: 121 cu m/yr (1999)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland
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:
491,775 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.5% (male 46,918/female 44,052)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 165,342/female 162,681)
65 years and over: 14.8% (male 29,839/female 42,943) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.2 years
male: 38.2 years
female: 40.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.172% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Birth rate:
11.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
Death rate:
8.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
Net migration rate:
8.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
Urbanization:
urban population: 82% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 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: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 199
male: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.33 years
country comparison to the world: 31
male: 76.07 years
female: 82.81 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.78 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
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)
country comparison to the world: 131
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, born 11 November 1981)
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 7 June 2009 (next to be held by June 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 38%, LSAP 21.6%, DP
15%, Green Party 11.7%, ADR 8.1%, The Left 3.3%, other 2.3%; seats
by party - CSV 26, LSAP 13, DP 9, Green Party 7, ADR 4, The Left 1
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 (three Justices of the Peace, two
district courts, and one 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 MEHLEN];
Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Francois BILTGEN];
Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois
BAUSCH]; dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left); Luxembourg Socialist
Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; 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 member), 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 through 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; the coloring is derived from the Grand Duke's coat of
arms (a red lion on a white and blue striped field)
Economy ::Luxembourg
Economy - overview:
This stable, high-income economy - benefiting from its proximity to
France, Belgium, and Germany - has historically featured 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 third in the world, after Liechtenstein and Qatar. After two
years of strong economic growth in 2006-07, turmoil in the world
financial markets trimmed Luxembourg's economy in 2008.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$39.47 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
$39.84 billion (2007 est.)
$37.87 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$54.97 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-0.9% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
5.2% (2007 est.)
6.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$81,200 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
$83,000 (2007 est.)
$79,800 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 13.6%
services: 86% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
206,000 of whom 125,400 are foreign cross-border workers commuting
primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 17.2%
services: 80.6% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
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)
country comparison to the world: 126
Investment (gross fixed):
20.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Budget:
revenues: $22.42 billion
expenditures: $21 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
10.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
6.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
2.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 107
5% (31 December 2007)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
area
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 16 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
Stock of domestic credit:
$369.6 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 22
$100.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 41
$166.1 billion (31 December 2007)
$79.52 billion (31 December 2006)
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.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Electricity - production:
2.696 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
Electricity - consumption:
6.525 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
Electricity - exports:
2.483 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
6.83 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
Oil - consumption:
59,140 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Oil - exports:
168 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Oil - imports:
60,030 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Natural gas - consumption:
1.255 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 160
Natural gas - imports:
1.255 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Current account balance:
$2.979 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
$4.928 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$21.43 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
$18.26 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products,
glass
Exports - partners:
Germany 21.8%, France 17.4%, Belgium 10%, Italy 6.9%, UK 6.5%,
Netherlands 6%, Spain 4.9% (2008)
Imports:
$27.73 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
$23.09 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods
Imports - partners:
Belgium 28%, Germany 24%, China 18.9%, France 10%, Netherlands 4.8%
(2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$397.8 million (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
$205.5 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.02 trillion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 10
$NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$11.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007),
0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Communications ::Luxembourg
Telephones - main lines in use:
260,600 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 118
Telephones - mobile cellular:
707,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 149
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 (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (1999)
Internet country code:
.lu
Internet hosts:
220,107 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 62
Internet users:
387,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 113
Transportation ::Luxembourg
Airports:
2 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 208
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 155 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 275 km
country comparison to the world: 125
standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (243 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 5,227 km
country comparison to the world: 152
paved: 5,227 km (includes 147 km of expressways) (2004)
Waterways:
37 km (on Moselle River) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 106
Merchant marine:
total: 45
country comparison to the world: 74
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 (2009)
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: 95,840
females age 16-49: 94,641 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 3,170
female: 2,995 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Transnational Issues ::Luxembourg
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Macau (East & Southeast Asia)
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 the People's Republic 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
country comparison to the world: 235
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 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:
559,846 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.1% (male 47,853/female 42,019)
15-64 years: 76.2% (male 199,593/female 227,010)
65 years and over: 7.7% (male 20,245/female 23,126) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 35.2 years
male: 35.9 years
female: 34.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.995% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Birth rate:
8.88 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213
Death rate:
3.5 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213
Net migration rate:
14.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
Urbanization:
urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.22 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 219
male: 3.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 84.36 years
country comparison to the world: 1
male: 81.39 years
female: 87.47 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
0.91 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 223
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 or 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)
country comparison to the world: 160
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 the People's Republic 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 1 government secretary, 3
legislators, 4 businessmen, 1 pro-Beijing unionist, and 1
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 26 July 2009 (next to be held on in July 2014)
election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected with 296 votes in 2004
election; Fernando CHUI Sai-on elected in 2009 with 282 votes, takes
office on 20 December 2009
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 members elected by
popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief
executive; serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held on 20
September 2009)