According to , as of January 1, 2024, the country had 672,050 inhabitants, with a high proportion of foreign residents (47.3%). The year 2023 marked a new milestone in migratory flows, with 26,964 arrivals and 16,588 departures, generating a positive migratory balance of 10,376 people.

France is home to the largest number of Luxembourgers living abroad

As of 1 January, 32,925 Luxembourgers were living in France, with the three countries bordering Luxembourg (France, Belgium and Germany) accounting for around 59% of Luxembourgers living abroad. After France come Brazil (27,632), Belgium (27,212) and Germany (20,466). The number of Luxembourgers living abroad is continually increasing, partly due to people who have acquired Luxembourg nationality while residing abroad.

689 Portuguese babies

Of the 6,320 births registered in 2023, 48.1% of newborns had a foreign nationality. Of these babies with foreign nationality, 689 were Portuguese. The next most common nationalities of newborns were French (507), Italian (234), Belgian (144) and Spanish (113).

Naturalised French and Portuguese citizens

Of the 109,214 people who acquired Luxembourg nationality between 2009 and 2023, 20,369 people (18.7%) were of French nationality, while 17,858 (16.4%) were of Portuguese nationality. Belgians came third with 16,017 acquisitions (14.7%). Interestingly, the large number of naturalisations of Brazilians and Americans (13,135 and 907 respectively between 2009 and 2023) is explained by the recovery procedure, which allows descendants of an ancestor who was Luxembourgish on 1 January 1900 to obtain nationality.

One in five lives in Luxembourg City

With 134,697 inhabitants on 1 January, Luxembourg City accounts for one-fifth of the country’s total population (20.0%). The capital has more men than women, contrary to the general trend in the country. The share of foreigners in Luxembourg City’s population is the highest in the grand duchy, reaching 70.4%. Luxembourg City attracts many international immigrants, with a positive net migration of 4,907 people in 2023. At the same time, it experiences a negative internal net migration, which means that more residents leave Luxembourg City for other municipalities in the country than settle there. After Luxembourg City, the following municipalities are the most populated: Esch-sur-Alzette (37,455 inhabitants), Differdange (30,364 inhabitants) and Dudelange (22,043 inhabitants). On the other hand, the least populated municipalities are Saeul (980 inhabitants), Putscheid (1,176 inhabitants), Kiischpelt (1,260 inhabitants) and Fischbach (1,300 inhabitants).

An aging population

The population is ageing, as evidenced by the increase in the share of people aged 40 to 64 and those aged 80 and over. This phenomenon is visible through the evolution of the age pyramids, which show a narrowing of the base (younger generations) and a broadening of the top (older generations). The proportion of young people aged 0 to 19 has decreased over time. This is linked to the decline in fertility observed in Luxembourg, which has led to a reduction in the number of births. Life expectancy at birth increased considerably between 1980 and 2023, from 70 to 81 years for men and from 76.7 to 85 years for women.

This increase also contributes to the ageing of the population. Immigration plays an important role in the age structure of the Luxembourg population. Migrants, often of working age, contribute to the increase in the working population and mitigate the ageing of the population. There is an over-representation of foreigners in the 30 to 54 age groups. Foreign residents are on average younger than Luxembourgers. The age pyramid of foreigners shows a broader base than that of nationals, which reflects a higher proportion of young people.

Single people are ever more numerous

The proportion of single people has increased in recent decades. In 2024, 307,763 people were single, an increase compared to previous years. In 2024, there were 256,713 married people, which represents a decrease compared to previous years. The number of people living in a civil partnership has increased significantly in recent years. In 2024, 28,150 people were in a civil partnership.

This article was originally published in .