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. Full independence was attained in 1867. 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 European Economic Community (later the European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.
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Full Name: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Area: 2,586 sq km (land: 2,586 sq km, water: 0 sq km)
Population: 486,006 (July 2008 est.)
Capital City: Luxembourg
People: Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kososvo) and European (guest and resident workers)
Language: Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language)
Religion: 87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims (2000)
Government Type: Constitutional monarchy
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 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July 2004)
GDP: $US 38.14 billion (2007 est.)
GDP per Capita: $US 79,400 (2007 est.)
Inflation: 2.3% (2007 est.)
Unemployment: 4.4% (2007 est.)
Industries: Banking and financial services, iron and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism
Currency: Euro (€ - EUR)
Member of EU: Yes
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