Luxembourg (country)

I

Introduction

Luxembourg (country), small country in western Europe. A landlocked nation bordering France, Germany, and Belgium, Luxembourg is one of Europe’s oldest and smallest independent states. With Belgium and the Netherlands, Luxembourg forms the Low, or Benelux, Countries. The nation’s capital and largest city is called Luxembourg City (Luxembourg-Ville).

Slightly smaller in area than the state of Rhode Island, Luxembourg measures only about 89 km (55 mi) from north to south and 56 km (35 mi) from east to west. The northern region, known as the Oesling, or E’sleck, consists of the rugged uplands of the Ardennes plateau. In the south is the Bon Pays (“Good Land”), a fertile area of low, gently rolling, hills. Much of Luxembourg is crisscrossed by the broad, deep valleys of swift streams and rivers. The principal river is the Sauer (Sûre), a tributary of the Mosel. The Sauer cuts across northern Luxembourg through winding, wooded valleys and past historic towns such as Esch-sur-Sûre.

Although famous for its picturesque villages, medieval castles, and natural beauty, Luxembourg is a prosperous urban and industrialized nation. Until the 1970s, iron and steel industries dominated Luxembourg’s economy, but depleted iron-ore reserves and declining international demand prompted considerable economic diversification. Other important heavy industries, many of which are financed by foreign investment, include the production of tires, glass, and chemicals. In recent decades the growth of financial services has established Luxembourg as a tax haven and major banking center.

Despite its declaration of neutrality after 1867, Luxembourg was occupied by Germany during both World War I and World War II. After World War II, Luxembourg abandoned its neutrality in support of greater international cooperation. Luxembourg was a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and of the European Economic Community (EEC), a forerunner of the European Union (EU). Most Luxembourgers share a strong sense of national identity and independence, reflected in the national motto, Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sin (“We want to remain what we are”).

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II

Land and Resources

Luxembourg has an area of 2,586 sq km (998 sq mi). Luxembourg is part of the geological region in which the Lorraine plateau of northern France meets the hills of southwest Belgium and the Mosel (Moselle) Valley and Rhineland of western Germany.

Southern Luxembourg, the area known as the Bon Pays, is a rolling continuation of Lorraine. Northern Luxembourg is crossed by the foothills of the Ardennes to the west. Rich deposits of iron ore were once heavily mined in the southwest, although most of these have now been exhausted. The nation’s highest point is Buurgplaatz (559 m/1,834 ft), in the Ardennes plateau in the north.

The Sauer (Sûre) is Luxembourg’s most important river, rising in Belgium and flowing eastward 80 km (50 mi) to the confluence with the Our and later with the Mosel on Luxembourg’s eastern border. A tributary from the south, the Alzette, passes through Luxembourg City.

Luxembourg has a moderate climate similar to the other Low Countries to the north and west, with a mean annual temperature of 10°C (50°F). Summers are mild and winters are cool, and annual precipitation measures about 81 cm (about 32 in), some of it in the form of snow. In Luxembourg City, the average daily high temperature ranges from 2.5°C (36.5°F) in January to 22.9°C (73.2°F) in July.

III

People

Luxembourg has been a crossroads for migrating peoples throughout European history. The heritage of modern Luxembourgers derives largely from the Celts, Franks, and other Germanic peoples who moved across the region before and after the Roman occupation (see Roman Empire). From this rich cultural heritage, Luxembourgers have developed a keen sense of national identity.

The population of Luxembourg (2009 estimate) is 491,775, giving the country an overall population density of 190 persons per sq km (493 per sq mi).

Luxembourg has one of the lowest population growth rates in Europe, creating a chronic labor shortage that must be offset by foreign workers. Most migrants are from France, Portugal, and Italy. About 30 percent of Luxembourgers are foreign-born, the highest percentage for any nation in the European Union (EU). In addition, many German, French, and Belgian citizens commute daily to Luxembourg to work. As a result, about 50 percent of Luxembourg’s current workforce is foreign-born.

A

Principal Cities

The principal cities of Luxembourg are centers of industrial production and the growing service economy. The capital and largest city is Luxembourg City, also known as Luxembourg-Ville, with a population (2007) of 83,800. Located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse rivers, the city is a manufacturing, banking, and administrative center. It is also the seat of several important institutions of the European Union (EU), including the European Investment Bank and the European Court of Justice.

The city of Esch-sur-Alzette is Luxembourg’s second largest (population, 2004 estimate, 27,900). Located in the southwest, Esch-sur-Alzette is the center of Luxembourg’s steel industry. Other important cities are Differdange (18,900) and Dudelange (17,500).

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