Map taken from lonelyplanet.com
About the Country:
OFFICIAL
NAME:
Grand
Duchy of Luxembourg
CAPITAL:
Luxembourg
SYSTEM OF
GOVERNMENT: Constitutional Monarchy
AREA:
2,586 Sq Km (998 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000
POPULATION
399,800
LOCATION
& GEOGRAPHY:
Luxembourg
is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bound by Germany to the
east, Belgium to the west and France to the south. The country is divided
into two distinct geographical regions. (1.) The rugged and fertile woody
uplands of the Ardennes in the north which account for 68% of the land
area and (2.) the fertile lowlands of the south called Bon Pays that cover
32% of the land area and are cut by deep valleys. Most of the rivers drain
into the Sauer which in turn flows into the Moselle River on the eastern
border. Major Cities (pop. est.); Luxembourg 75,800, Esch-sur-Alzette
24,000, Dudelange 14,700, Differdange 8,500, Schifflange 6,900 (1991).
Land Use; forested 34%, pastures 26%, agricultural-cultivated 23%, other
17% (1992).
CLIMATE:
Luxembourg has a temperate and
mild climate with cool summers and mild winters, although the northern
winters can be severe. The high peaks of the Ardennes in the north shelter
the country from the vigorous North Sea winds. Average annual
precipitation is around 762 mm (30 inches) with the southwest receiving
more rainfall. Average temperature ranges in the capital are from -1 to 2
degrees Celsius (30 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit) in January to 13 to 23
degrees Celsius (55 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit) in July.
CURRENCY:
The
official currency is the Euro divided into 100 cents.
ECONOMY:
Gross
National Product; USD $14,233,000,000 (1993). Public Debt; USD
$291,120,000 (1993). Imports; LuxF 261,033,000,00 (1993). Exports; LuxF
205,588,000,000 (1993). Tourism Receipts; USD $286,000,000 (1989). Balance
of Trade; LuxF -55,400,000,000 (1993). Economically Active Population;
164,713 or 42.8% of total population (1991). Unemployed; 1.5% (1991).
