Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1124

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LUXEMBURG

administrative decisions and expresses its opinion regarding any other question referred to it by the Grand-duke or by the Law. The Council of State is composed of 15 members chosen for life by the sovereign, who also chooses a president among them each year.

On September 28, 1919, a Referendum was taken in Luxemburg to decide on the political and economic future of the country. Those entitled to vote were men and women of 21 (voters on the register, 127,775 ; actual voters, 90,984). The voting resulted as follows : — for the reigning Grand-duchess, 66,811 ; for the continuance of the Nassau- Braganza dynasty under another Grand-duchess, 1,286 ; for another dynasty, 889 ; for a Republic, 16,885 ; for an economic union with France, 60,133; for an economic union with Belgium, 22,242. But France refused in favour of Belgium to consider the possibility of an economic union, and negotiations are accordingly in pro- gress between Belgium and Luxemberg.

Area and Population. — Luxemburg has an area of 999 square miles, and a population(Dec. 1, 1916) of 263,824 (130,514 males and 133,310 females) The population is Catholic, save (1910) 4,007 Protestants, 1,270 Jews, and 303 belonging to other sects. The chieftown, Luxemburg, has 20,355 (1916) inhabitants. Other towns are Esch a Alz, the centre of the mining district, 20,672 inhabitants ; Differdanga, 14,035 inhabitants ; Dudelange, 10,400 inhabitants; Rumelauge, 5,264 inhabitants; and Diekirch, 3,776 in- habitants.

Instruction- — Education is compulsory for all children between the ages of 6 and 13. In 1920 the primary schools had 1,027 teachers (504 women) ; there are 35 higher elementary schools, 3 classical schools, 2 com- mercial and industrial colleges, a college of agriculture, and an academy of music.

Finance- — Estimated revenue and expenditure (including extraordinary for the last five years) in francs :—

Revenue Expenditure

1917-18

49,761,428

1918-19

42,680,868

101,9(39,074

1919-201

126,044,256 188,084,722

1920-21

120,018,256 170,517,229

1921-22

182,899,571

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i Revenue includes loan of 90,000,000 francs ; expenditure includes 3<>,ooo,00 francs dencits of previous years.

The debt on September 30, 1920, amounted to 129,281,828 francs. The armed forces of the State number 250 men.

Production and Industry.— Agriculture is carried on by about 90,000 of the population (ahout 36 per cent.) ; about 25(1,000 acres are agricultural land. The principal crops are hoetroot and potatoes, but mining is the chief industry. Production of iron and steel for 3 years: —

Year

1916 1917 1918

Iron

Tons

1,950,514 1,528,865 1.266,871

Value in francs

205,794,142 231, 845,054 254,590,396

Ton-

Steel

Value in francs

1,29(1,-107

1,053,596

857,987

195,060,772

207,045, s«.M l'.):',573,806