Native name
Conventional long name	Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Common name	Luxembourg
Image coat	Coat of Arms of Luxembourg.svg
National motto	''"Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sinn"''(Luxembourgish)"We want to remain what we are"
National anthem	''Ons Heemecht''"Our Homeland"
Royal anthem	''De Wilhelmus''
Map caption
Capital	Luxembourg
Largest city	capital
Official languages	Luxembourgish (''de jure'' since 1984), French, German
Non official languages	Dutch
Demonym	Luxembourgers
Government type	Unitary parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
Leader title1	Grand Duke
Leader title2	Prime Minister
Leader name1	Henri (List)
Leader name2	Jean-Claude Juncker (List)
Legislature	Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg
Sovereignty type	Independence
Established event1	From French empire ''(Treaty of Paris)''
Established date1	9 June 1815
Established event2	1st Treaty of London
Established date2	19 April 1839
Established event3	2nd Treaty of London
Established date3	11 May 1867
Established event4	End of personal union
Established date4	23 November 1890
Accessioneudate	25 March 1957
Area km2	2,586.4
Area sq mi	998.6
Area magnitude	1 E9
Area rank	175th
Percent water	0.00%
Population estimate	511,840
Population estimate year	2011
Population census	439,539
Population census year	2001
Population estimate rank	169th
Population density km2	194.1
Population density sq mi	501.3
Population density rank	59th
Gdp ppp year	2010
Gdp ppp	$41.091 billion
Gdp ppp per capita	$81,383
Gdp nominal	$54.950 billion
Gdp nominal year	2010
Gdp nominal per capita	$108,831
Hdi	0.852
Hdi year	2010
Hdi rank	24th
Hdi category	very high
Currency	Euro (€)
Currency code	EUR
Country code	LUX
Time zone	CET
Utc offset	+1
Time zone dst	CEST
Utc offset dst	+2
Drives on	right
Cctld	.lu
Calling code	352
Footnote1	Not the same as the ''Het Wilhelmus'' of the Netherlands.
Footnote2	Before 1999: Luxembourgish franc.
Footnote3	The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European Union member states. }}

Luxembourg ( ), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (, , ), is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. Luxembourg has a population of over half a million people in an area of approximately 2,586 square kilometres (999 sq mi). A representative democracy with a constitutional monarch, it is ruled by a grand duke. It is now the world's only remaining sovereign grand duchy. The country has a highly developed economy, with the world's highest GDP (nominal) per capita according to the IMF. Its historic and strategic importance dates back to its founding as a Roman era fortress site and Frankish count's castle site in the Early Middle Ages. It was an important bastion along the Spanish Road when Spain was the principal European power influencing the whole western hemisphere and beyond in the 16th–17th centuries.

Luxembourg is a member of the European Union, NATO, OECD, the United Nations, Benelux, and the Western European Union, reflecting the political consensus in favour of economic, political, and military integration. The city of Luxembourg, the capital and largest city, is the seat of several institutions and agencies of the European Union.

Luxembourg culture is a mix of Romance Europe and Germanic Europe, borrowing customs from each of the distinct traditions. Luxembourg is a trilingual country; German, French and Luxembourgish are official languages. Although a secular state, Luxembourg is predominantly Roman Catholic.

History

The recorded history of Luxembourg begins with the acquisition of Lucilinburhuc (today Luxembourg Castle) by Siegfried, Count of Ardennes in 963. Around this fort, a town gradually developed, which became the centre of a small state of great strategic value. In the 14th and early 15th centuries three members of the House of Luxembourg reigned as Holy Roman Emperors. In 1437, the House of Luxembourg suffered a succession crisis, precipitated by the lack of a male heir to assume the throne, which led to the territory being sold by Duchess Elisabeth to Philip the Good of Burgundy.

In the following centuries, Luxembourg's fortress was steadily enlarged and strengthened by its successive occupants, the Bourbons, Habsburgs, Hohenzollerns, and the French, among others. After the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, Luxembourg was disputed between Prussia and the Netherlands. The Congress of Vienna formed Luxembourg as a Grand Duchy in personal union with the Netherlands. Luxembourg also became a member of the German Confederation, with a Confederate fortress manned by Prussian troops.

The Belgian Revolution of 1830–1839 reduced Luxembourg's territory by more than half, as the predominantly francophone western part of the country was transferred to Belgium. Luxembourg's independence was reaffirmed by the 1839 First Treaty of London. In the same year, Luxembourg joined the Zollverein. Luxembourg's independence and neutrality were again affirmed by the 1867 Second Treaty of London, after the Luxembourg Crisis nearly led to war between Prussia and France. After the latter conflict, the Confederate fortress was dismantled.

The King of the Netherlands remained Head of State as Grand Duke of Luxembourg, maintaining personal union between the two countries until 1890. At the death of William III, the Dutch throne passed to his daughter Wilhelmina, while Luxembourg (at that time restricted to male heirs by the Nassau Family Pact) passed to Adolph of Nassau-Weilburg.

During World War I Luxembourg was invaded and occupied by Germany, but was allowed to maintain its independence and political mechanisms.

During World War II, Luxembourg was unable to maintain its policy of neutrality when in 1940 Nazi Germany invaded and occupied the country, due to its strategic location on the invasion route into France. In contrast to the First World War experience, Luxembourg was treated as a Germanic territory and informally annexed to an adjacent province of the Third Reich in 1940. A government in exile based in London fought alongside the Allies, sending a small group of volunteers who participated in the Normandy invasion. Luxembourg was liberated in September 1944. It became a founding member of the United Nations in 1946, and of NATO in 1949.

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 era. In 2005, a referendum on the EU treaty establishing a constitution for Europe was held in Luxembourg.

Politics

Luxembourg is a parliamentary democracy headed by a constitutional monarch. Under the constitution of 1868, executive power is exercised by the Grand Duke and the cabinet, which consists of several other ministers. The Governor has the power to dissolve the legislature and reinstate a new one, as long as the Grand Duke has judicial approval. However, since 1919, sovereignty has resided with the Supreme Court.

Legislative power is vested in the Chamber of Deputies, a unicameral legislature of sixty members, who are directly elected to five-year terms from four constituencies. A second body, the Council of State (''Conseil d'État''), composed of twenty-one ordinary citizens appointed by the Grand Duke, advises the Chamber of Deputies in the drafting of legislation.

The Grand Duchy has three lower tribunals (''justices de paix''; in Esch-sur-Alzette, the city of Luxembourg, and Diekirch), two district tribunals (Luxembourg and Diekirch) and a Superior Court of Justice (Luxembourg), which includes the Court of Appeal and the Court of Cassation. There is also an Administrative Tribunal and an Administrative Court, as well as a Constitutional Court, all of which are located in the capital.

Administrative divisions

Luxembourg is divided into 3 districts, which are further divided into 12 cantons and then 116 communes. Twelve of the communes have city status, of which the city of Luxembourg is the largest.

The districts are Diekirch, Grevenmacher, and Luxembourg.

Foreign relations

Luxembourg has long been a prominent supporter of European political and economic integration. In efforts foreshadowing European integration, Luxembourg and Belgium in 1921 formed the Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union (BLEU) to create an inter-exchangeable currency and a common customs regime. Luxembourg is a member of the Benelux Economic Union and was one of the founding members of the European Economic Community (now the European Union). It also participates in the Schengen Group (named after the Luxembourg village where the agreements were signed), whose goal is the free movement of citizens among member states. At the same time, the majority of Luxembourgers have consistently believed that European unity makes sense only in the context of a dynamic transatlantic relationship, and thus have traditionally pursued a pro-NATO, pro-US foreign policy.

Luxembourg is the site of the European Court of Justice, the European Court of Auditors, the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat) and other vital EU organs. The Secretariat of the European Parliament is located in Luxembourg, but the Parliament usually meets in nearby Strasbourg.

Military

The contribution Luxembourg makes to its defence and to NATO consists of a small army (currently consisting of around 800 people). As a landlocked country, it has no navy.

Luxembourg also lacks an air force, though the seventeen NATO AWACS aeroplanes are for convenience registered as aircraft of Luxembourg. In accordance with a joint agreement with Belgium, both countries have put forth funding for one A400M military cargo plane, currently on order. Luxembourg still jointly maintains three NATO Boeing 707 model TCAs (for cargo and training purposes) based at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen.

Geography

Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in Europe, and ranked 175th in size of all the 194 independent countries of the world; the country is about 2,586 square kilometres (998 sq mi) in size, and measures 82 km (51 miles) long and 57 km (35 miles) wide. It lies between latitudes 49° and 51° N, and longitudes 5° and 7° E.

To the east, Luxembourg borders the German ''Bundesländer'' of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, and, to the south, it borders the French ''région'' of Lorraine. The Grand Duchy borders the Belgian Walloon Region, in particular the latter's provinces of Luxembourg and Liège, part of which comprises the German-speaking Community of Belgium, to the west and to the north respectively.

The northern third of the country is known as the 'Oesling', and forms part of the Ardennes. It is dominated by hills and low mountains, including the Kneiff near Wilwerdange, which is the highest point, at 560 metres (1,837 ft). Other mountains are the 'Buurgplaaz' at 559 metres near Huldange and the 'Napoléonsgaard' at 548 metres near Rambrouch. The region is sparsely populated, with only one town (Wiltz) with a population of more than four thousand people.

The southern two-thirds of the country is called the "Gutland", and is more densely populated than the Oesling. It is also more diverse, and can be divided into five geographic sub-regions. The Luxembourg plateau, in south-central Luxembourg, is a large, flat, sandstone formation, and the site of the city of Luxembourg. Little Switzerland, in the east of Luxembourg, has craggy terrain and thick forests. The Moselle valley is the lowest-lying region, running along the southeastern border. The Red Lands, in the far south and southwest, are Luxembourg's industrial heartland and home to many of Luxembourg's largest towns.

The border between Luxembourg and Germany is formed by three rivers: the Moselle, the Sauer, and the Our. Other major rivers are the Alzette, the Attert, the Clerve, and the Wiltz. The valleys of the mid-Sauer and Attert form the border between the Gutland and the Oesling.

Climate

Luxembourg has an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb), marked by high precipitation, particularly in late summer.

Economy

Luxembourg's stable, high-income economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, which was dominated until the 1960s by steel, has diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. During the past decades, growth in the financial sector has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Services, especially banking and other financial exports, account for the majority of economic output. In March 2010, the ''Sunday Telegraph'' reported that most of Kim Jong-Il's $4bn in secret accounts is in Luxembourg banks. Luxembourg is the world's second largest investment fund center (after the United States), the most important private banking center in the Eurozone and Europe's leading center for reinsurance companies. Moreover, the Luxembourgish government has tried to attract internet start-ups. Skype and eBay are two of the many internet companies that have shifted their regional headquarters to Luxembourg. Concern about Luxembourg's banking secrecy laws, and its reputation as a tax haven, led in April 2009 to it being added to a "grey list" of nations with questionable banking arrangements by the G20. Luxembourg adapted some months later the OECD standards on exchange of information and moved into the category of 'Jurisdictions that have substantially implemented the internationally agreed tax standard.'

Agriculture is based on small, family-owned farms. Luxembourg has especially close trade and financial ties to Belgium and the Netherlands (see ''Benelux''), and as a member of the EU it enjoys the advantages of the open European market. Luxembourg possesses the highest GDP per capita in the world (US$87,995 as of 2006), the 24th highest Human Development Index, and the 4th highest rated in the quality of life index. As of March 2006, unemployment is 4.8% of the labor force. For the fiscal year of 2005 and 2006, Luxembourg ran a budget deficit for the first time in many years, mostly because of slower international economic growth. The country ranks with 80 billion $ of U.S. Treasury securities (November 2010) twelfth in the world. The ranking is however imperfect as some foreign owners entrust the safekeeping of their securities to institutions that are neither in the United States nor in the owner's country of residence. Luxembourg is promoting economic relations with foreign firms and countries.

Transport

Luxembourg has efficient road, rail and air transport facilities and services. The road network has been significantly modernized in recent years with 147 km of motorways connecting the capital to adjacent countries. The advent of the high-speed TGV link to Paris has led to renovation of the city's railway station while a new passenger terminal at Luxembourg Airport has recently been opened. There are plans to introduce trams in the capital and light-rail lines in adjacent areas within the next few years.

The number of cars per 1000 persons amount to 680.1 in Luxembourg—within eurozone only British overseas territory Gibraltar and the Principality of Monaco score higher in this respect.

Communications

The telecommunications industry in Luxembourg is liberalized and the electronic communications networks are significantly developed. Competition between the different operators is guaranteed by the legislative framework Paquet Telecom of the Government of 2005 which transposes the European Telecom Directives into Luxembourgean law. This encourages the investment in networks and services. The regulator ILR – Institut Luxembourgeois de Régulation ensures the compliance to these legal rules

Luxembourg has modern and widely deployed optical fibre and cable networks throughout the country. With its central position in Europe, stable economy and low taxes, Luxembourg is an ideal gateway to the European telecommunication markets.

It ranks 2nd in the world in the development of the Information and Communication Technologies in the ITU ICT Development Index and 8th in the Global Broadband Quality Study 2009 by the University of Oxford and the University of Oviedo.

Luxembourg is connected to all major European Internet Exchanges (AMS-IX Amsterdam, DE-CIX Frankfurt, LINX London), datacenters and POPs through redundant optical networks. In addition, the country is connected to the virtual meetme room services (vmmr) of the international data hub operator Ancotel. This enables Luxembourg to interconnect with all major telecommunication operators and data carriers worldwide. The interconnection points are in Frankfurt, London, New York and Hong Kong.

Several providers interconnect Luxembourg to the major European data hubs Teralink (P&TLuxembourg, also called EPT Luxembourg: incumbent operator) LuxConnect (shareholder : Government) Artelis/Cegecom (alternative telecommunications provider in Luxembourg and Saarland) Satellite connectivity – Teleports (SES Astra), Broadcasting Center Europe and P&T Luxembourg-Uplink Cloche d'Or.

Luxembourg is connected through an optical DWDM network, called Teralink to several Tier 1 upstream providers like Level3 and Global Crossing. Teralink offers connectivities up to 100 Gbit/s.

The Internet IPV6 protocol has been introduced to the country by Restena and P&T Luxembourg.

Luxembourg has two Internet exchange points and one Carrier Ethernet Exchange points. LIX is a neutral Internet exchange operated by the RESTENA Foundation. Its aim is to easily interconnect the different Internet Service Providers (ISPs) within Luxembourg. LUX-CIX is Luxembourg's neutral and commercial Internet Exchange Point which was founded in 2009 by Cegecom, Datacenter Luxembourg, Global Media Systems, INEXIO, LuxConnect, P&T Luxemboug and Root eSolutions. It offers a short, fast and efficient route to the major European Internet networks. LEX is the Luxembourg Ethernet Exchange located in the Tier IV certified ebrc datacenter The online portal De Guichet of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a single one-stop online shop for citizens and companies to realize different sorts of administrative steps (procedures, online forms, downloadable forms and advices) by Internet.

PSA Peugeot Citroën, with P&T Luxembourg as its partner, has introduced an integrated mobile telecommunication solution for the development of its telematic services in Europe.

Datacenters

More than 17 data centers are operating in Luxembourg. The number is constantly growing. Two of the ebrc data centers are Tier IV classified & certificated.

Demographics

Ethnicity

The people of Luxembourg are called Luxembourgers. The immigrant population increased in the twentieth century due to the arrival of immigrants from Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, and Portugal, with the majority coming from this latter. In the 2001 census, there were 58,657 inhabitants with Portuguese nationality.

Since the beginning of the Yugoslav wars, Luxembourg has seen many immigrants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia. Annually, over 10,000 new immigrants arrive in Luxembourg, mostly from the EU states, as well and Eastern Europe. As of 2000, there were 162,000 immigrants in Luxembourg, accounting for 37% of the total population. There were an estimated 5,000 illegal immigrants, including asylum seekers, in Luxembourg as of 1999.

Language

Three languages are recognised as official in Luxembourg: French, German, and Luxembourgish, a Franconian language of the Moselle region that is also spoken in neighbouring parts of France and Germany. Though Luxembourgish is part of the West Central German group of High German languages, more than 5,000 words in the Luxembourgish have their origin in the French language. The first printed sentences in Luxembourgish were released by the weekly journal the 'Luxemburger Wochenblatt' in the second edition of the 14. April 1821.

Apart from being one of the three official languages, Luxembourgish is also considered the national language of the Grand Duchy; it is the mother tongue or "language of the heart" for nearly all Luxembourgers.

Each of the three languages is used as the primary language in certain spheres. Luxembourgish is the language that Luxembourgers generally use to speak to each other, but it is not often used as the written language. Since the 1980s, an increasing number of novels have however been written in Luxembourgish. Most official (written) business is carried out in French. German is usually the first language taught in school and is the language of much of the media and of the church.

Luxembourg's education system is trilingual: the first years of primary school are in Luxembourgish, before changing to German, while in secondary school, the language of instruction changes to French. However, as proficiency in all three languages is required for graduation from secondary school, half the students leave school without a certified qualification, with the children of immigrants being particularly disadvantaged.

In addition to the three official languages, English is taught in the compulsory schooling and much of the population of Luxembourg can speak English, at any rate in Luxembourg City. Portuguese, the language of the largest immigrant community, is also spoken by large parts of the population, but by relatively few from outside their community.

Religion

Luxembourg is a secular state, but the state recognises certain religions as officially mandated religions. This gives the state a hand in religious administration and appointment of clergy, in exchange for which the state pays certain running costs and wages. Currently, religions covered by such arrangements are Roman Catholicism, Judaism, Greek Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Russian Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Mennonitism and Islam.

Since 1980 it has been illegal for the government to collect statistics on religious beliefs or practices. An outdated estimation by the CIA Factbook for the year 2000 is that 87% of Luxembourgers are Catholics, including the royal family, the remaining 13% being made up of Muslims, Protestants, Orthodox Christians, Jews, and those of other or no religion.

According to a 2005 Eurobarometer poll, 44% of Luxembourg citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", whereas 28% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 22% that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force".

Education

The University of Luxembourg is the only university in Luxembourg.

Health

Luxembourg sells the most alcohol in Europe per capita. However, the large proportion of alcohol purchase by customers from neighbouring countries contributes to the statistically high level of alcohol sales per capita; this level of alcohol sales is thus not representative of the actual alcohol consumption of the Luxembourg population.

Culture

Luxembourg has been overshadowed by the culture of its neighbours, although, having been for much of its history a profoundly rural country, it retains a number of folk traditions. There are several notable museums, mostly located in the capital; these include the National Museum of History and Art (MNHA), the Luxembourg City History Museum, and the new Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art (Mudam). The National Museum of Military History (MNHM) in Diekirch is especially known for its representations of the Battle of the Bulge. The city of Luxembourg itself is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, on account of the historical importance of its fortifications.

The country has produced some internationally known artists, including the painters Théo Kerg, Joseph Kutter and Michel Majerus, as well as the photographer Edward Steichen. Steichen's ''The Family of Man'' exhibition is now permanently housed in Clervaux, and it has been placed on UNESCO's Memory of the World register. Movie star Loretta Young was of Luxembourgish descent.

Luxembourg was the first city to be named European Capital of Culture twice. The first time was in 1995. In 2007, the European Capital of Culture was to be a cross-border area consisting of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland in Germany, the Walloon Region and the German-speaking part of Belgium, and the Lorraine area in France. The event was an attempt to promote mobility and the exchange of ideas, crossing borders in all areas, physical, psychological, artistic and emotional.

Luxembourg was represented at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China from 1 May to 31 October 2010 with its own pavilion. The pavilion was based on the translation of the word Luxembourg into Chinese, which means ‘Lu Sen Bao’: Forest and Fortress. It represented Luxembourg as the ‘Green Heart in Europe'.

Media

Luxembourg is known in Europe for its radio and television stations (Radio Luxembourg, RTL Group). It is also the uplink home of SES Astra, carrier of major European satellite services for Germany and Britain.

Due to the audiovisual law of 1988, which established a special tax regime for audiovisual investment, the film and co-production in Luxembourg has grown steadily. There exists approximately 30 by agreed production companies in Luxembourg.

Sport

Andy Schleck and Frank Schleck are two famous professional cyclists for Leopard Trek. They are best known for the Mountain stages of the Tour de France.

See also

References

Further reading

Plan d'action national luxembourgeois en matière de TIC et de haut-débit

CEE- Europe’s Digital Competitiveness Report –Volume 2: i2010 –ICT Country Profiles- page 40-41

Inauguration of LU-CIX

Art and Culture in Luxembourg

External links

Category:Benelux countries Category:Constitutional monarchies Category:Divided regions Category:Duchy of Luxembourg Category:European countries Category:Member states of the European Union Category:French-speaking countries Category:German-speaking countries Category:Landlocked countries Category:Liberal democracies Category:Member states of La Francophonie Category:Member states of the Union for the Mediterranean Category:NUTS 1 statistical regions of the European Union Category:NUTS 2 statistical regions of the European Union Category:States and territories established in 1815 Category:States of the German Confederation Category:Western Europe Category:Member states of NATO Category:Member states of the United Nations

ace:Luksèmburg af:Luxemburg als:Luxemburg am:ሉክሰምበርግ ang:Letseburg ar:لوكسمبورغ an:Luxemburgo arc:ܠܘܟܣܡܒܘܪܓ roa-rup:Luxemburg frp:Luxembôrg (payis) ast:Luxemburgu gn:Luxemburgo az:Lüksemburq bn:লুক্সেমবুর্গ zh-min-nan:Luxembourg be:Люксембург be-x-old:Люксэмбург bcl:Luhemburgo bi:Luxembourg bar:Luxmburg bo:ལུ་སེམ་བའུརག (རྒྱལ་ཁབ།) bs:Luksemburg br:Luksembourg (bro) bg:Люксембург ca:Luxemburg cv:Люксембург (патшалăх) ceb:Luxembourg cs:Lucembursko co:Lussemburgu cy:Lwcsembwrg da:Luxembourg pdc:Luxemburg de:Luxemburg nv:Látsębooʼ dsb:Luxemburgska et:Luksemburg el:Λουξεμβούργο eml:Lussembûrgh es:Luxemburgo eo:Luksemburgo (lando) ext:Lussembulgu eu:Luxenburgo ee:Luxembourg fa:لوکزامبورگ hif:Luxembourg fo:Luksemburg fr:Luxembourg (pays) fy:Lúksemboarch (lân) fur:Lussemburc ga:Lucsamburg gv:Lucsemburg gag:Lüksemburg gd:Lucsamburg gl:Luxemburgo - Lëtzebuerg gu:લક્ઝેમ્બર્ગ hak:Lù-sêm-pó xal:Лүксин Балһсна Нутг ko:룩셈부르크 haw:Lukemapuka hy:Լյուքսեմբուրգ hi:लक्ज़मबर्ग hsb:Luxemburgska hr:Luksemburg io:Luxemburgia ilo:Luxembourg bpy:লুক্সেমবুর্গ id:Luksemburg ia:Luxemburg ie:Luxemburgia os:Люксембург (паддзахад) is:Lúxemborg it:Lussemburgo he:לוקסמבורג jv:Luksemburg kl:Luxembourg (nunaat) pam:Luxembourg krc:Люксембург ka:ლუქსემბურგი (ქვეყანა) csb:Luksembùrskô kk:Люксембург kw:Lushaborg rw:Lugizamburu ky:Люксембург sw:Luxemburg kv:Люксембург kg:Luxembourg ht:Liksanbou (peyi) ku:Lûksembûrg ltg:Luksemburga la:Luxemburgum lv:Luksemburga lb:Lëtzebuerg (Land) lt:Liuksemburgas lij:Luxemburgo li:Luxemburg (land) ln:Luksamburg jbo:lEtsyburg lmo:Lüssemburgh hu:Luxemburg mk:Луксембург mg:Loksemborga ml:ലക്സംബർഗ് mt:Lussemburgu mi:Rakapuō mr:लक्झेंबर्ग xmf:ლუქსემბურგი arz:لوكسيمبورج ms:Luxembourg mn:Люксембург my:လူဇင်ဘတ်နိုင်ငံ nah:Luxemburgo nl:Luxemburg (land) nds-nl:Luxemburg (laand) ne:लक्जेम्बर्ग ja:ルクセンブルク ce:Люксембург frr:Luxemborj pih:Luksemborg no:Luxembourg nn:Luxembourg nrm:Luxembourg nov:Luxembourg oc:Luxemborg (estat) uz:Luksemburg pnb:لکسمبرگ pap:Luxembourg ps:لوګزامبورګ koi:Лецебург pcd:Lussimbourq pms:Lussemborgh nds:Luxemborg pl:Luksemburg pnt:Λουξεμβούργο pt:Luxemburgo kbd:Луксембург kaa:Lyuksemburg crh:Lüksemburg ro:Luxemburg rmy:Luksemburgo rm:Luxemburg qu:Luksimbur ru:Люксембург sah:Лүксембург se:Luxemburg sa:लक्सम्बर्ग sc:Lussemburgu sco:Luxembourg stq:Luxembuurich sq:Luksemburgu scn:Lussimburgu simple:Luxembourg ss:Lusembogu sk:Luxembursko cu:Люѯємбоургъ sl:Luksemburg szl:Luksymburg so:Luksemburg ckb:لوکسەمبورگ srn:Luksemburgkondre sr:Луксембург sh:Luksemburg fi:Luxemburg sv:Luxemburg tl:Luxembourg ta:லக்சம்பர்க் kab:Luxembourg tt:Люксембург tet:Luxemburgu th:ประเทศลักเซมเบิร์ก tg:Люксембург tr:Lüksemburg tk:Lýuksemburg udm:Люксембург uk:Люксембург ur:لکسمبرگ ug:ليۇكسېمبۇرگ vec:Lusenburgo vi:Luxembourg vo:Luxämburgän fiu-vro:Luksõmburk wa:Grande-Dutcheye do Lussimbork zh-classical:盧森堡 vls:Luxemburg (land) war:Luxemburgo wo:Luksambuur yi:לוקסעמבורג yo:Lúksẹ́mbọ̀rg zh-yue:盧森堡 diq:Luksemburg zea:Luxemburg (land) bat-smg:Lioksembōrgs zh:卢森堡

name	Austin Healey
birth name	Austin Sean Healey
nickname	Oz, The Leicester Lip
birth date	October 26, 1973
birth place	Wallasey, Merseyside, England
height
weight	13 st 10 lbs (87 kg)
ru position	scrum half,winger, fly-half, fullback
ru amateuryears	1990–19942006-present
ru amateurclubs	WaterlooBishop’s Stortford
ru nationalteam
ru nationalyears	1997-20031997, 2001
ru nationalcaps	512
ru clubyears	1994-19961996-2006
ru proclubs	OrrellLeicester
ru clubcaps	237
ru clubpoints	(322)
ru sevensupdate	England
ru coachyears	| ru_coachupdate }}

Austin Sean Healey (born 26 October 1973 in Wallasey, Merseyside) is a former English rugby union player, who played as a utility back for Leicester Tigers, and has represented the England national rugby union team and the British Lions.

He has 51 England caps and 2 Lions caps. He has played for England at scrum half, fly-half, fullback and wing, and has often been used as a replacement (or substitute) because of his versatility. He is a famously competitive and "outspoken" character, gaining the nickname "The Leicester Lip".

In 2008, he took part in Strictly Come Dancing (Series 6) which started on the 20th September. He made it to the quarter-finals, with dance partner Erin Boag.

Healey revealed on Strictly Come Dancing that he has four daughters; Ellie-Mae born 2002, Daisy in 2003, and twins, Betsy and Bibi-dee (named after his late mother), born early 2008.

Early life and education

He was educated at St Anselm's College, Birkenhead and at Leeds Polytechnic.

Rugby career

Early career

Austin played for England U21 in 1992 and went on to represent England A and the Barbarians ‘96 tour of Japan. After spells at Waterloo and Orrell Healey initially signed for Leicester as a scrum half, having played at wing and outside centre for Orrell. He made his England debut against Ireland during the 1997 Five Nations tournament, and toured with the British Lions in 1997, making two appearances.

He has played in 4 Five/Six Nations tournaments (‘98-'02) and was a key figure in the 1999 World Cup. In the 1999/00 season he was voted both Leicester Tigers' and Allied Dunbar’s Player of the Season.

Leicester coach Bob Dwyer switched him to the wing to accommodate Fijian Waisale Serevi at scrum half since Serevi's defense was not good enough for him to play wing. Healey was then selected on the wing for England.

After an injury to Tigers' South African fly-half Joel Stransky, and the unsuitability of others such as Pat Howard and Andy Goode to fill the role, Healey was switched to fly-half. In this position, however, he was unable to make much of an international impression, his sole appearance at fly-half coming in the 2000 tour to South Africa in the first test, after Jonny Wilkinson fell victim to food poisoning.

In 2001 he made the break during the Heineken Cup final that resulted in the winning try - Healey had started the match at scrum half with Andy Goode at 10, but was switched to fly-half in the closing minutes. He also scored the second and decisive try against Munster when Tigers retained the cup the following year.

His excellent form for Tigers during the 2001 season, was rewarded with a call up to England’s starting line-up during the Six Nations, and selection for the British and Irish Lions squad to tour Australia, where he put in some good performances for the mid-week team but unfortunately missed out on further caps due to injury.

However, for many people the abiding memory of this tour will be the controversy caused by his comments on Wallaby lock Justin Harrison in his column in the ''Guardian''. The comments backfired after Harrison was selected to make his debut for the Third and deciding test of the series, and stole a crucial lineout - sealing the series victory for Australia. There was some suggestion that Healey's comments had served as motivation for the Wallabies team.

On his return from Australia he played in every game for England until he was rested for the summer 2002 tour to Argentina, showing his versatility by starting at fullback, scrum half, and wing and came on twice as a replacement.

He returned to international action appearing as a replacement in all three of the following season's autumn internationals when England recorded a series of victories over Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Versatility

Healey played in many positions throughout his long career, and many often asked the question: 'would he have been more successful had he simply stuck to one position?'. His long time friend Matt Dawson often said that his pass was far superior and that Austin was lucky he didn't stick to scrum half.

However, worth noting was his incredible versatility, he started for England at every position in the backs at some point apart from centre, and played all positions at club level, this earned him wide respect as one of the greatest Utility backs to have played the game in recent history.

2003/2004 season

Injuries curtailed much of the 2003-04 season, he returned for the Tigers' European quarter final against Munster but again had to leave the pitch. He recovered well enough to be included in England's preparations for the 2003 World Cup, playing in the game against France in Marseilles, but missed the final cut when the 30-man squad was announced. He travelled to Australia halfway through the World Cup as cover at scrum half, but didn't play.

After the disappointment of the World Cup Healey returned to the Tigers and played on the wing for the most part of a disappointing season for Tigers who only scraped into the Heineken cup through a wildcard final. Austin was discarded by the England coaches, and has not played for them since the Rugby World Cup warm up match against France.

On the Lions tour to Australia in 2001 he developed a rivalry with Australian lock Justin Harrison calling him 'the plank'. When the Lions played the Australia A side Healey claimed that Harrison ran 80 yards just to bump him in the chest. Later when Australia played England at Twickenham, Harrison's mum asked Healey to sign a picture of Healey to take home. She claimed that the feud between Healey and Harrison had made Harrison more famous in Australia then his Rugby ability could.

2004/2005 season

In the 2004/05 season Healey hit form again, and with the failings of the England backline, there were calls for him to be reinstated to ignite it. England coach Andy Robinson humoured the press that there was a chance of a recall, but it never came. Instead Healey turned his attention to the 2005 Lions' tour. He was included in the long list, but not the tour party (having not played international rugby for 3 years). He wrote a column for the Guardian on the tour, which included the quote 'Have you heard the latest from the Lions' camp? Clive's sending Andy Robinson to a fancy dress party tonight. He's going as a pumpkin, they're hoping when it gets to midnight he'll turn into a real coach!'

2005/2006 season

Tigers finished top of the league. A notable performance for Healey was Away at Wasps, where he scored in the last minute to steal a draw. However, Wasps hammered Tigers in the final. In the 05/06 season, Healey was handed club vice-captaincy and regularly captained the team from scrum half and fly half during the international period. He looked back to near his best form and pressed both Harry Ellis and Andy Goode out of their respective regular slots of 9 and 10 at different times throughout the season.

Retirement

Following retirement from Leicester Tigers at the end of the 2005/6 season, Healey planned to start a new career as a banker with Credit Suisse and to also continue working as a BBC analyst. Although no longer playing full-time professional rugby, citing injuries as the main reason, Healey now plays at club level for Bishop's Stortford Rugby Football Club 1st XV. Bishop's Stortford are in the UK London Division One.

Television appearances

Healey competed in the sixth series of the BBC competition series ''Strictly Come Dancing'' with professional dancer Erin Boag. After Week 11, he was top with an average of 34.4/40. He was awarded the first 10 of the series by Len Goodman for his Quickstep in week 7, and was awarded two more 10s for his week 9 Tango. Bruno Tonioli gave him a 10 for his Foxtrot in week 11, and then three of the judges - Craig, Arlene and Bruno awarded him 10s for his week 11 Paso Doble, which received the first standing ovation of the series. He was eliminated in week 12 of the competition to come 4th overall after a dance-off with Lisa Snowdon (her third dance-off). He commented saying he had an amazing experience, and thanked all of the people at Strictly, Erin, and his wife. They danced their leaving dance to Dionne Warwick - "That's what friends are for".

He achieved the highest score ever for a Paso Doble, and the highest male Cha Cha and Tango scores throughout any series. His Jive in week 3 was the highest scoring Jive of the series, with a total score of 34. (In the final, he returned to perform his Jive one last time, along with other fellow Strictly 2008 competitors).

{|class="wikitable" align="left" |rowspan="2" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|Week # |rowspan="2" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|Dance/Song |colspan="5" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|Judges' score |rowspan="2" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|Result |- |- |bgcolor="CCCCCC" width="10%" align="center"|Horwood |bgcolor="CCCCCC" width="10%" align="center"|Phillips |bgcolor="CCCCCC" width="10%" align="center"|Goodman |bgcolor="CCCCCC" width="10%" align="center"|Tonioli |bgcolor="CCCCCC" width="10%" align="center"|Total |- |- |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|1 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Waltz / The Rainbow Connection |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|7 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|32 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |- |- |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|3 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Jive / You Can't Stop the Beat |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|34 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |- |- |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Samba / Move Your Feet |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|32 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |- |- |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|6 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Viennese Waltz / Send in the Clowns |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|34 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |- |- |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|7 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Quickstep / S'Wonderful |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|10 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|36 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |- |- |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Rumba / When You Tell Me That You Love Me |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|29 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |- |- |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Tango / Libertango |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|10 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|10 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|38 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |- |- |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|10 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Cha Cha Cha / It's Raining Men |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|35 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |- |- |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6" rowspan="2"|11 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Foxtrot / L-O-V-E |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|10 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|36 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6" rowspan="2"|Safe |- |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Paso Doble / Espana Cani |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|10 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|10 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|10 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|38 |- |- |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6" rowspan="2"|12 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|American Smooth / The Best Is Yet to Come |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|34 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6" rowspan="2"|Eliminated |- |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Salsa / Johnny's Mambo |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|10 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|9 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|36 |}

Throughout the series, he made guest appearances on The Paul O'Grady Show, Loose Women, BBC Breakfast, National Television Awards (where he and Erin presented the award of Most Popular Newcomer to EastEnders star Rita Simons), and regular appearances on Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two.

Austin joined Gary Lineker on ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' Christmas Special, on 23 December 2008, on ITV1, at 8pm. Together they won £50,000 for their chosen Charity; Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation.

Austin presented ''The Big Tackle'' on ITV in March 2009, aimed at promoting and assisting rugby clubs around the country. In January 2009, he obtained his basic coaching qualifications, in order to put him in a better position from which to advise clubs. During the filming, he returned to his roots and visited his former local club, Birkenhead Park. Some of the other teams that he coached on the series included; Bristol Barbarians, Witney Angels RFC, Rosslyn Park, and University of Sussex.

Austin competed on show one of the new series of ''Beat the Star'' in April 2009. He won 4/8 games, and ended up with 22 points overall, beating his opponent; Factory Manager, Glenn Clarke, who had 14 points overall.

Healey has been announced as one of the team captains for the second series of ''Hole in the Wall'' along with ex-EastEnders star Joe Swash.

Austin is the host of the ITV gameshow ''The Fuse'', which began on 13 July 2009.

Autobiography

Healey's autobiography, ''Lions, Tigers and Roses'', was published by Oxford University Press in 2001.

The term 'drives' coming into general use as a mildly abusive term has been credited to Healey following comments in his autobiography. On the way to a midweek game on the 2001 Lions Tour, Healey recalled this exchange with a coach driver: "I was up the front of the coach, right behind the driver. He said he hates it when people call him 'drives'. Big mistake, drives!"

See also

List of top English points scorers and try scorers

References

External links

Leicester profile

Lions profile

Sporting Heroes profile

BBC News Austin Healey retires

BBC News The world according to Healey

Bishop's Stortford Observer - National hero becomes a local hero

Telegraph.co.uk - Austin Healey in national news

Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of Leeds Metropolitan University Category:British and Irish Lions rugby union players from England Category:English rugby union players Category:Leicester Tigers players Category:People from Wallasey Category:Rugby union scrum-halves Category:Strictly Come Dancing participants Category:England international rugby union players Category:Northern Division rugby union players Category:People educated at St. Anselm's College Category:Birkenhead Park FC players

fr:Austin Healey it:Austin Healey

Name	Ann Louise Wagner
Ambassador from	United States
Country	Luxembourg
Term start	July 1, 2005
Term end	June 30, 2009
Predecessor	Peter Terpeluk, Jr.
Successor	Cynthia Stroum
President	George W. Bush, Barack Obama
Birth place	St. Louis, Missouri
Party	Republican
Spouse	Raymond Wagner, Jr. }}

Ann Wagner is an American political campaign manager who served as the United States Ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg from 2005 to 2009. She was also Chair of the Missouri Republican Party for six years, from 1999 until 2005, and Co-chair of the Republican National Committee for four years.

Early life and education

Wagner was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, attended the all-girls' Cor Jesu Academy, and graduated from the University of Missouri in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in business administration.

Political career

Wagner entered Republican politics in 1990, heading the GOP's efforts during the decennial redistricting of Missouri. In 1992 she was state director of the campaign for the re-election of President George H.W. Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle.

She was elected to her first term of office as chair of the Missouri party in 1999, becoming the first woman to occupy the position. Her most significant achievement in that role came during her second two-year term when she oversaw the party's taking of majority control of both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly, winning the Senate in the 2001 special election and the House in the 2002 general election, the first time this had been seen for over 40 years. During her third term, the party held its majorities in both chambers and also took the Governor's seat for the first time in 12 years with the election of Matt Blunt on 2 November 2004. This was a three-win combination which had not been seen in the state since 1922. In the elections of 2 November the party also secured the majority of Missouri's Congressional representation and that state's Presidential electors.

In 2001 she took office as a co-chair of the Republican National Committee, and took part in presiding over the 2004 Republican National Convention. In this role she showed a great interest in the potential of grassroots campaigning, and took a strong role in directing the development of the Winning Women initiative, whose aim was to improve the image of the GOP towards women and demonstrate the relevance of its platform to them. Her work with the committee took her to 48 states. On the first day of the 2004 Convention, she gave a speech during which she told the story of Rita Arnaout, a 19-year-old cancer sufferer and road traffic accident survivor who, on being warned of the danger of over-exertion in her condition, told her doctor that the re-election of President George W. Bush was of greater importance to her and so required her efforts in the Bush/Cheney campaign. Wagner added that Republican activists had much to learn from this story. In January 2005, she left her role as co-chair after one term.

On February 20, 2005, Wagner was elected to a fourth term as Chair of the state GOP. On May 16 she was nominated by President Bush to the position of US Ambassador to Luxembourg. She had no previous diplomatic experience. On 16 July 16 she was confirmed in the post by a voice vote in the United States Senate, after which Senator Jim Talent (R-Mo) said that she was "a considerate woman, whose character and abilities uniquely qualify her to represent our nation." She resigned as state chair on the same day and was replaced by Doug Russell by acclamation of the state committee.

On August 1 she was sworn in as Ambassador by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the Benjamin Franklin Room of the Harry S. Truman Building of the US Department of State in Washington D.C..

In 2004, Wagner was a fundraising "ranger" for President George W. Bush, meaning she bundled $200,000 or more in contributions, a status that helped her land a presidential appointment as U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg. However, her time there was not without controversy. According to a Washington Post column, during 2006 she missed almost a third of all work days by being out of the country. Slate Magazine also mentioned her by name in an article on unqualified political appointees.

After returning from Luxembourg, Wagner served as Chairman for Roy Blunt's successful 2010 U.S. Senate campaign.

2011 RNC Chairman Campaign

On November 29, 2010, Wagner sent a video message to the committee members of the Republican National Committee announcing she was running for RNC Chair. The election was held in January 2011, and Wagner conceded after the sixth round after receiving 17 votes The contest was won by Reince Priebus, Chairman of the Wisconsin Republican Party.

2012 U.S. Congressional Campaign

Wagner has announced she is running for Missouri's 2nd Congressional District after incumbent Todd Akin announced plans to run for the U.S. Senate in 2012.

She is against government programs like The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and President Obama's economic policies.

Personal life

Wagner is married to Ray Wagner, a former Missouri director of revenue, and has three children: Raymond III, Stephen and Mary Ruth. She has been involved with a number of charities in her hometown of St. Louis, including the Foster Care Coalition and the American Red Cross. Her favorite bar is her kitchen table.

References

External links

Official Campaign Website

Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:Missouri Republicans Category:People from St. Louis, Missouri Category:State political party chairs of Missouri Category:United States ambassadors to Luxembourg Category:University of Missouri alumni