Luxembourg is next door 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 makes an agreement with Belgium to free itself from German domination.
The political and economic situation in the country is stable and developed. Let's take a closer look at information about the culture, location, languages, economy 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, with an area of only 2.7 thousand square meters. m. The highest point of the state is only 560 m (Kneiff hill). To the east flows the Moselle River, which is a tributary of the Rhine. Previously, the borders of the country were much larger,since the state included the province of Belgium and small regions of neighboring countries. Now it resembles a triangle in shape.
The climate of Luxembourg is temperate. There are mild winters (the minimum temperature in January is 0 degrees) and rather cool summers (the maximum temperature in July is +17 degrees). The weather does not please residents and tourists with diversity, there is a lot of precipitation here. It rains for almost half a year, and it is cloudy outside. But there are beautiful forests here, mostly beech and oak.
The advantageous 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 located at the crossroads of major routes. Today it is the second largest financial center in Europe (only London surpasses it in the number of banks). An important component of the country's economic prosperity is tourism, followed by agriculture (livestock breeding, viticulture and winemaking).
This is a highly industrial state, as there are rich deposits of iron ore. Minerals began to be mined here in the first years of our century. At present, about 80% of all industrial output produced in the country falls on 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 native 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 Celts, Franks and Germanic tribes.
Population density varies by region. So, the least populated northern regions - 30-40 people. per 1 sq. km, the southern and southwestern regions are considered densely populated - 600-1,000 people per 1 sq. km. km. The average life expectancy is about 80 years for women and 73 years for men. Despite the rather high life expectancy, many Luxembourgers have problems with excess weight and addictions (smoking and alcohol).
The state is famous for its very high social security and the level of medicine. Thus, the country allocates about 4.7 thousand dollars a year to maintain the he alth of one person. There is also high-quality emergency medical care provided by the Air Rescue Service.
Luxembourgish language and culture
Due to the fact that the cultural heritage of the state for a long time was influenced by such powerful countries as France and Germany, there are three official languages, they get along well with each other.
French is spoken more often in government offices and at official meetings and ceremonies, German in business circles and the press, Luxembourgish ineveryday life. In 1982, Luxembourgish became the national language, but it is a dialect of Moselle-Frankish West German culture.
Children learn Luxembourgish in elementary school, German in middle school and French in high school. English is also widely used due to the development of tourism, but does not have the status of a national language.
Religion
Luxembourg is a secular state that honors certain religions. The state appoints the clergy, pays their salaries and operating expenses.
There are no exact statistics on how many and what faith people live in the state, there are only average figures. So, 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 equal to 100 cents. Money can be exchanged immediately upon arrival at the airport or railway station. There are exchange offices from 9:00 every day, on Sunday inclusive. You can also exchange currencies in banks located in every city of a tiny country, the largest number of which is concentrated in the capital - Luxembourg.
For lack of cash, you can pay throughout the country with credit cards and traveler's checks. But there is one caveat, credit cards are accepted in some stores.only when buying in the amount of 120 - 200 euros. Goods and services are also subject to taxes ranging from 12% to 15%. Hotels, restaurants and campsites also add VAT - 3-6%.
Only banking, export, postal services, insurance, transfer of ownership are exempt from taxes. That is why the country is so attractive financially, some prices here are much lower than in the European Union.
Transportation
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 fill up the car, they do not need a visa to enter the country. By car, you can cross the entire country along in half an hour, across - in 60 minutes.
The country's main airport is located 6 km from the capital. You can get to Luxembourg by bus, they run frequently. Near the hotels you can take a taxi, you can also order it by phone. Tariffication is per landing (fixed amount) and per kilometer, at night the cost of taxi services increases by 10%, on weekends - by 25%.
There is also a railway in the country, only one branch. From the capital, you can get to most European cities by bus. Buses belong to public transport and are the most popular means of transportation in Luxembourg. You can buy a subscription or pay for each individual ride.
Also in Luxembourgyou can rent a car, but this service is quite expensive. It may include tax, full insurance and unlimited mileage. In addition, to 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. There is an ancient Luxembourgish fortress in the Upper Town. 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 lot of various 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?
- Vianden town - a picturesque corner with a medieval fortress, which stands on a high mountain (high architectural value, magnificent 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;
- city of Berdorf - here is the famousRoman cave;
- Aish Valley (another name is "Valley of the Seven Castles");
- Mondorf-les-Bains is a popular balneological resort with mineral springs.
