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Home  >  World  > Europe  > Luxembourg

General Information

Area: 2586 sq km (999 sq miles).

Population: 435,700 (official estimate 2000).

Population Density: 168.5 per sq km.

Capital: Luxembourg-Ville. Population: 80,700 (2000).

GEOGRAPHY: The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg shares borders to the north and west with Belgium, to the south with France and to the east with Germany. One-third of the country is made up of the hills and forests of the Ardennes, while the rest is wooded farmland. In the southeast is the rich wine-growing valley of Moselle. The capital, Luxembourg-Ville, is built on a rock overlooking the Alzette and Petrusse valleys.

Government: Constitutional monarchy. Luxembourg is a founding member of the European Union and the only Grand Duchy in the world. Head of State: Grand Duke Henri since 2000. Head of Government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker since 1995.

Language: Lėtzeburgesch, a German-Moselle-Frankish dialect, became the officially recognised national language in 1984. French and German are generally used for administrative and commercial purposes. Many Luxembourgers also speak English.

Religion: Around 91 per cent Roman Catholic, with Protestant, Anglican and Jewish minorities.

Time: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Communications:  

Telephone

Full IDD is available. Country code: 352 (no area codes). Outgoing international code: 00. International phones have a yellow sign showing a telephone dial with a receiver in the centre.

Mobile telephone

GSM 900 and 1800 networks. Network operators include Tango SA (website: www.tango.lu) and P & T Luxembourg (website: www.luxgsm.lu).

Fax

There is a fax booth at the Luxembourg-Ville main post office. Faxes may be sent to a central number (491 175) for delivery by express mail within Luxembourg.

Internet

Internet and e-mail services are available in Internet cafes. ISPs include Visual Online Sarl (website: www.vo.lu).

Telegram

There are facilities at the post office at 25 rue Aldringen, Luxembourg-Ville, and in all major towns. Hotels often allow guests to use their facilities.

Post

Post to other European destinations takes two to four days. There are poste restante facilities throughout the country. Prospective recipients must first register for a PO Box. Mail will be held for up to one month. Post office hours are generally Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1330-1700. The Luxembourg-Ville main office (opposite the railway station) is open Mon-Fri 0600-1900, Sat 0600-1200. Smaller offices may open for only a few hours. Telephone 49911 for details.

Press

There are several daily newspapers including the Tageblatt, Luxemburger Wort – La Voix du Luxembourg (which has the highest circulation), Lėtzebuerger Journal, La Republicain Lorrain and Zeitung vum Lėtzeburger Vollek. There is one weekly English-language newspaper, The Luxembourg News.

BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change.

BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice):

MHz15.4912.109.4106.195


Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov):

MHz15.2111.829.7601.197



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