Luxembourg is located next to Germany, Belgium and France. The history of the state begins in the 10th century AD and echoes with large and powerful neighbors. Despite the fact that in 1887 the country declared independence and neutrality, during the World Wars the state was under German occupation. After 34 years, Luxembourg concludes an agreement with Belgium to free itself from German rule.
The political and economic situation in the country is stable and developed. We’ll take a closer look at information about the culture, location, languages, economics and sights of a tiny country with the capital of the same name, Luxembourg.
Geographic location
Luxembourg is one of the smallest Western European countries. It is located on a hilly plain, an area of only 2.7 thousand square meters. m. The highest point of the state is only 560 m (Kneiff hill). In the east, the Moselle River flows , which is a tributary of the Rhine. Previously, the country's borders were much larger, since the state included the province of Belgium and small regions of neighboring countries. Now it resembles a triangle in shape.
Luxembourg's climate is temperate. It has mild winters (the minimum temperature in January is 0 degrees) and quite cool summers (the maximum temperature in July is +17 degrees). The weather does not please residents and tourists with a variety, there is a lot of rainfall. Almost half a year a rain pours, it is cloudy on the street. But there are beautiful forests, mainly beech and oak.
The favorable geographical location of the country, next to the powerful states of Western Europe, attracts an increasing number of tourists to Luxembourg every year.
Economy
The Duchy of Luxembourg has always been an important economic and strategic area, as it is at the intersection of the main routes. Today it is the second largest financial center in Europe (only London exceeds it in the number of banks). An important component of the country's economic prosperity is tourism, followed by agriculture (animal husbandry, viticulture and winemaking).
This is a highly industrial state, because there are rich deposits of iron ore. Minerals here began to be mined in the first years of our century. At present, about 80% of all industrial products produced in the country are in mining and ferrous metallurgy. Therefore, the economy depends not only on tourists, but also on export volumes.
Population
Luxembourg is a multinational state in which only 3/4 of a little more than 500 thousand inhabitants are indigenous Luxembourgers, the rest are Belgians, Germans, French and Italians. Almost a fifth of the total population lives in the capital of the country under the same name Luxembourg. Previously, these lands were inhabited by the Celts, Franks and Germanic tribes.
Population density varies by region. So, the northern regions are least populated - 30-40 people. per 1 sq. km, densely populated are the southern and southwestern regions - 600-1,000 people per 1 sq. km. km Life expectancy is about 80 years for women and 73 years for men. Despite the relatively high life expectancy, many Luxembourgers have problems with excess weight and addictions (smoking and alcohol).
The state is famous for the fact that it has a very high social security and the level of medicine. So, the country allocates about 4.7 thousand dollars to maintain the health of one person per year. There is also high-quality emergency medical care provided by the Air Rescue Service.
Luxembourg language and culture
Due to the fact that such powerful countries as France and Germany influenced the cultural heritage of the state for a long time, there are three official languages here, they quietly get along with each other.
French is spoken more often in government offices and at official meetings and ceremonies, German in business circles and the press, and Luxembourgish in everyday life. In 1982, Luxembourgish became the national language, but it is a dialect of the Moselle-Frankish West Germanic culture.
In elementary school, children learn Luxembourgish, in secondary - German, and in high school - French. English is also widely used due to the development of tourism, but does not have national status.
Religion
Luxembourg is a secular state that honors certain religions. The state appoints the clergy, accrues salaries and pays operating expenses.
There are no exact statistics on how much and what kind of faith people live in the state, there are only averaged figures. Thus, approximately 87% of Luxembourgers are Catholics (including the royal family), the remaining 13% are Protestants, Orthodox, Jews and Muslims.
Currency
The national currency of Luxembourg, the photo of which is presented above, is the euro, which is 100 cents. Money can be exchanged immediately upon arrival at the airport or at the railway station. Exchange offices work there from 9:00 every day, on Sunday inclusive. You can also exchange currencies at banks located in each city in a tiny country, the largest number of which is concentrated in the capital, Luxembourg.
For lack of cash, you can pay in the whole country with credit cards and tourist checks. But there is one caveat, credit cards in some stores are accepted only when buying in the amount of 120 - 200 euros. Goods and services are also taxed in the amount of 12% to 15%. Hotels, restaurants and campsites also add VAT - 3-6%.
Only banking, export, postal services, insurance, transfer of ownership are not taxed. That is why the country is so attractive financially, some prices are much lower than in the European Union.
Transport
According to reviews, Luxembourg has some of the most developed and ideal driving comfort roads in the world. The traffic here is right-hand, and gasoline is the cheapest in Europe. That is why residents of neighboring countries, Germans and Belgians, often come here to refuel a car; they do not need a visa to enter the country. By road, the entire country can be crossed along in half an hour, across - in 60 minutes.
The main airport of the country is 6 km from the capital. You can get to Luxembourg by bus, they run often. Near the hotels you can take a taxi, and it can also be ordered by phone. Billing is for landing (a fixed amount) and per kilometer, at night the cost of taxi services increases by 10%, on weekends - by 25%.
There is a railway in the country, just one branch. From the capital you can get to most European cities by bus. Buses are public transport and are the most popular means of transportation in Luxembourg. You can buy a subscription or pay for each individual trip.
You can also rent a car in Luxembourg, but this service is quite expensive. The price may include tax, full insurance and unlimited mileage. In addition, for rent you need to have an international driver's license and a minimum driving experience of one year.
Resorts
Despite the fact that Luxembourg is a miniature state, there are a large number of historical and cultural attractions. Natural landscapes are also striking in their beauty.
The hallmark of the country's capital, Luxembourg, is the Adolf Bridge. It connects the Upper and Lower City. At the time of construction (1903), it was considered the largest stone bridge in the world. In the Upper Town there is an ancient Luxembourgish fortress. Also in the capital, which was founded a thousand years ago, there are a large number of museums where various exhibits are exhibited. In the city of Luxembourg there are houses built in the Gothic style, a mass of diverse squares. There are about 111 bridges in the capital, which were built according to individual projects and are strikingly different from each other.
What to visit in the state of Luxembourg?
- the town of Vianden - a picturesque corner with a medieval fortress that stands on a high mountain (high architectural value, excellent interior decoration and a collection of weapons and armor from different eras);
- “Little Switzerland”, located on the territory of the town of Echternach - one of the oldest settlements in the country;
- Birddorf city - here is the famous Roman cave;
- Ash Valley (another name is “Valley of the Seven Castles”);
- Mondorf-les-Bains is a popular spa resort with mineral springs.