Luxembourg by the numbers: capital, size, population, currency and key facts

Luxembourg is a small country with an outsized profile: it is the world's only sovereign Grand Duchy, a founding member of the European Union, and home to several EU institutions. Here are the verified key facts and figures.

A Grand Duchy at the heart of Europe

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a landlocked state in Western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France and Germany. It is a representative democracy under a constitutional monarch, the Grand Duke — since 3 October 2025 Grand Duke Guillaume, who succeeded his father Henri on the latter's abdication — and is the only remaining sovereign grand duchy on Earth.

Luxembourg was one of the six signatories of the Treaty of Rome in 1957, making it a founding member of the European Economic Community, the forerunner of today's EU. It is also part of the Schengen Area (the 1985 agreement was signed in the Luxembourgish village of Schengen) and of the eurozone: its currency is the euro, adopted in 1999. Luxembourg is also a member of [NATO](/luxembourg), the UN, Benelux and the OECD.

Size and capital

Luxembourg is one of Europe's smallest countries, covering just 2,586 km2 and measuring roughly 82 km north to south and 57 km east to west. Today's territory is the remnant of a once far larger Luxembourg: three partitions between 1659 and 1839 cut the country down from about 10,700 km2, with the rest absorbed into present-day Belgium, France and Germany.

Its capital is Luxembourg City, which had 137,696 residents as of 31 December 2025 according to the city's annual census, up from 136,208 a year earlier. The city is more than three times the size of the country's second-largest commune, Esch-sur-Alzette, and is strikingly international: residents come from some 168 nationalities, and Luxembourgers make up only about 30% of its population. The historic fortifications and old quarters of the city are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Population and diversity

Nationwide, Luxembourg's population reached 690,959 as of 1 January 2026, according to STATEC, the national statistics institute, up 1.3% on the previous year.

A defining feature is the size of the foreign-born community: 322,050 foreign nationals lived in the Grand Duchy on 1 January 2026, or 46.6% of the total population. That share is among the highest in the EU, though it edged down slightly from 47.0% a year earlier as immigration slowed and naturalisations continued.

Luxembourg has three official languages — Luxembourgish, French and German — reflecting its location and history. Luxembourgish is the national language and the everyday spoken tongue, French dominates administration and legislation, and German features in schooling and the press; most residents move between several languages daily. For more on how they are used, see our [explainer on Luxembourg's languages](/luxembourg).

One of the world's wealthiest economies

Luxembourg consistently ranks at or near the top of the world for GDP per capita. The International Monetary Fund put its nominal GDP per capita at around US$135,000 in 2024, the highest of any country. This reflects a large financial and services sector and a workforce swelled by cross-border commuters. For the drivers behind these figures, read our companion piece on [why Luxembourg is so rich](/luxembourg).

A seat of European institutions

Luxembourg City is one of the three official seats of the EU, alongside Brussels and Strasbourg. It hosts the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Investment Fund (EIF), the Court of Justice of the European Union (seated permanently in the city since 1965) and the Secretariat of the European Parliament, most clustered on the Kirchberg plateau.

Key figures at a glance:

• Total population: 690,959 (1 Jan 2026, STATEC)
• Foreign residents: 322,050 (46.6%)
• Capital population: 137,696 (31 Dec 2025)
• Area: 2,586 km2
• Currency: euro (EUR)
• Official languages: Luxembourgish, French, German

Last reviewed: June 2026. Population and foreign-resident figures are from STATEC (1 January 2026); capital figures from the Ville de Luxembourg 2025 census; area and EU facts from official Luxembourg government and EU sources.