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Luxembourg
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (lb) Grousherzogtum Lëtzebuerg (fr) Grand-Duché de Luxembourg (de) Großherzogtum Luxemburg | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of arms
| |
| Motto: Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sinn (Luxembourgish: "We want to remain what we are") | |
| Anthem: Ons Hémécht (Luxembourgish: "Our Homeland") File:Luxembourg National Anthem.ogg | |
 | |
| Capital and largest city | Luxembourg 49°36′N 6°8′E / 49.600°N 6.133°E |
| Official languages | Luxembourgish, French and German |
| Demonym | Luxembourgish |
| Government | Constitutional parliamentary monarchy |
| Henri | |
| Xavier Bettel | |
| Independence | |
• Recognized | from the Netherlands May 11, 1867 |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,586 km2 (998 sq mi)[1][lower-alpha 1] (179th) |
• Water (%) | 0[1] |
| Population | |
• Estimate | 602,005 (164th) |
• Density | 233.7/km2 (605.3/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2018 estimate |
• Total | US$67 billion (94th) |
• Per capita | US$110,870 |
| GDP (nominal) | 2018 estimate |
• Total | US$72 billion (71st) |
• Per capita | US$120,061[lower-alpha 2] |
| HDI (2017) |  0.904[2]very high (21st) |
| Currency | Euro[lower-alpha 3] (€) ([[ISO 4217|EUR]]) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Calling code | +352 |
| ISO 3166 code | LU |
| Internet TLD | .lu |
Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (Luxembourgish: Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg, French: Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, German: Großherzogtum Luxemburg), is a small country in Central Europe that is part of the European Union. It is a landlocked state, surrounded by France, Germany and Belgium. Luxembourg has a population of half a million inhabitants over an area of 2,586 square kilometers.[1]
The government of Luxembourg is a constitutional and parliamentary monarchy, and it is the only sovereign grand duchy in existence today. The State has a highly developed economy, with the highest gross domestic product per capita in the world according to the World Bank, and the second highest according to the International Monetary Fund.
Luxembourg is a member of the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United Nations and Benelux, reflecting a political orientation in favor of economic, political and military integration. Its capital, Luxembourg, is the seat of numerous institutions and agencies of the European Union.
Luxembourg has diverse cultures and traditions because it lies between Roman Europe and Germanic Europe. The country has three official languages: Luxembourgish, French and German. The town of Schengen, which gave its name to the Schengen Area, is located in Luxembourg.
In 2019, the country's Ecological Debt Day (the day of the year on which human consumption of natural resources exceeds the Earth's capacity to regenerate those resources in that same year)[3] fell on February 15. Luxembourg is the EU country whose consumption most exceeds the planet's capacities.[4]
History
Ancient and Medieval Ages
The territory now occupied by the grand duchy was originally settled by the Treveri, a tribe of Belgic origin. They inhabited the region until the year of the Roman conquest in 53 BC. Around the 5th century, during the Middle Ages, the Franks took over this territory, which later became part of other kingdoms, such as Austrasia (in the northeast of the Frankish kingdom), Lotharingia and, finally, the Holy Roman Empire.
Although documented Luxembourgish history goes back to Roman times, it is considered to begin properly in the year 963 with the acquisition of Lucilinburhuc (today Luxembourg Castle) by Siegfried, Count of the Ardennes. In the 14th century the Germanic emperors made it a duchy. In 1441 it was incorporated into the Burgundian State.
Modern Age
Luxembourg was inherited by the Emperor Charles V and passed on to his son Philip II in 1555. The Duchy remained in the hands of Spain until 1714, when it was ceded to the Austrian line of the Luxembourg dynasty through the Treaty of Rastatt.
Among the architectural works built in Luxembourg during Spanish rule is the Grand Ducal Palace, whose oldest part still preserves elements inspired by the Spanish Renaissance with Flemish reminiscences. It was built from 1572 to 1573 by order of Pierre Ernest de Mansfeld (a subject first of Charles V and then of Philip II), who from 1545 to 1604 was Governor of the Duchy of Luxembourg, serving as Commander of the garrison troops and as President of the Provincial Council (the highest administrative and judicial authority).
The Place d'Armes of Luxembourg, which was built in 1554 and redesigned by the Spanish-Dutch Jean Christian de Landas in 1671, marked the entrance into Spanish Flanders by the route known as the Spanish Road, which took the Spanish troops from Milan to Brussels.
From the Place d'Armes runs one of the streets, called Avenue Monterey, where there is a plaque that reads "Governor General of the Netherlands 1667-1675", referring to Don Juan Domingo de Zúñiga y Fonseca, Count of Monterrey, under whose mandate the Place d'Armes was completed.
Berg Castle, in which important improvements and extensions were carried out during the Spanish occupation, since it was a key piece of the city's defense.
The Cathedral of Luxembourg, built between 1613 and 1618 originally as the Church of the Jesuit school in Luxembourg, is one of the most important Spanish vestiges in the country. The Cathedral is in the Gothic style, although it has some Renaissance elements.
Among the main tourist attractions of the city are the Pétrusse Casemates, passageways built into the rock by the Spanish from 1674 in order to defend the city. These impressive structures were built to allow the movement of military troops in a discreet and surprising manner. The Beck Bastion was also built by the Spanish in 1644, and years later, in 1673, the Spanish forces also built the so-called Paté Ravelin, a triangular fortification placed in front of the main fortification of the Beck Bastion.
In 1867, when Luxembourg obtained independence from Belgium and the Netherlands through the Treaty of London, it had to provide guarantees by destroying the defensive fortifications built largely during Spanish rule, a task that would take sixteen years and cost 1.5 million gold francs. Among them were the Thüngen Citadel (whose defensive structure's foundations were established during the Spanish period), the Rham Fortress (significantly developed during the Spanish administration, which protected one of the most vulnerable points of the city), the Walls and Bastions (Spanish engineers strengthened the existing walls and built new bastions to improve perimeter defense), and Fort Obergrünewald (the Spanish played a crucial role in its initial construction and development).
Contemporary Age
In 1795 it was conquered by revolutionary France, but after the Napoleonic defeat and the Treaty of Paris of 1815, it came under the administration (personal union) of the King of the Netherlands, who made it a Grand Duchy. The treaty also divided Luxembourg, which had already been divided in 1659 and would be divided again in 1839, coming under the sovereignty of Belgium and the Netherlands. Although these treaties reduced much of its territory, at the same time they increased its independence, which was confirmed after the Luxembourg Crisis in 1867. The Treaty of London of 1867 declared it a neutral state, governed since 1890 by the descendants of Adolphe of Nassau.
It was occupied by Germany during World War I. After the war, a referendum held in 1919 supported the restoration of the Nassau monarchy. In 1940 it was occupied by Hitler. After World War II, Luxembourg concluded a pact with Belgium and Holland, with which it formed Benelux (1947). In 1949 it joined NATO and in the 1950s it was one of the founding States of the European Communities. Over time, it has become one of the richest countries among them, with great growth in the financial services sector facilitated by political stability and European integration. Since its beginnings in 1999 it has been part of the European Monetary Union. The main parties are the Christian Social and the Socialist parties.
Luxembourg and the European Union
As a founding member and thanks to its central geographic location within the EU, Luxembourg has hosted the seat of two institutions of the Union: the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Auditors. It is also the seat of bodies such as the European Investment Bank, as well as the General Secretariat of the European Parliament.
Government and politics
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The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a constitutional monarchy. Under the constitution of 1868, executive power rests with the grand duke and his cabinet, which consists of several ministers led by a prime minister. The grand duke has the power to dissolve parliament and call elections to choose a new one.
Legislative power resides in the Chamber of Deputies, elected by direct suffrage every five years. A second chamber, the Council of State (Conseil d'État), composed of 21 ordinary citizens appointed by the grand duke, advises the Chamber of Deputies in drafting legislation.[5]
See: Luxembourg European Constitution referendum
Human rights
| Treaty | Status |
|---|---|
| International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) | Signed and ratified |
| Optional Protocol to the CESCR | No information |
| International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) | Signed and ratified |
| First Optional Protocol to the CCPR | Signed and ratified; has recognized the competence to receive and process individual communications |
| Second Optional Protocol to the CCPR | Signed and ratified |
| International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) | Signed and ratified |
| Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) | Signed and ratified |
| Optional Protocol to the CEDAW | Signed but not ratified |
| Convention against Torture (CAT) | Signed and ratified |
| Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) | Signed and ratified |
| Optional Protocol to the CRC on the involvement of children in armed conflict | Signed but not ratified |
| Optional Protocol to the CRC on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography | Signed but not ratified |
| International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers (MWC) | Neither signed nor ratified |
| Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) | No information |
| Optional Protocol to the CRPD | No information |
Administrative divisions
Diekirch District
Grevenmacher District
Luxembourg District
Districts
Luxembourg is divided into 3 districts:
Cantons
These districts are divided into 12 cantons.
Communes
These cantons are divided into communes, the smallest administrative division in Luxembourg.
Cities of Luxembourg by population.
| Flag | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg
|
Luxembourg | 132,835 |
| Luxembourg
|
Esch-sur-Alzette | 74,638 |
| Luxembourg
|
Péiteng | 22,897 |
| Luxembourg
|
Dudelange | 18,507 |
| Luxembourg
|
Ettelbruck | 17,841 |
| Luxembourg
|
Kayl | 12,850 |
Geography
Luxembourg is the seventh smallest country in Europe, ranking 167th worldwide. The Grand Duchy has a mountainous territory with extensive wooded areas. The relief presents two distinct regions: in the north, called Oesling, extend the southern foothills of the Ardennes mountain massif, with a maximum height of 560 meters, through which flow the tributaries of the Moselle. To the south, the Gutland is an extensive plain, a prolongation of the Paris Basin, with an average height of about 250 meters. From east to west the country is crossed by the Sauer (Sûre in French), a tributary of the Moselle, which receives the Alzette on its right bank and the Our and the Clerf, among others, on its left. The Luxembourgish landscape is completed by the course of the Moselle, which flows through the eastern sector, tracing the border with Germany.
The climate is oceanic (Cfb)[6], humid, harsher in the high regions of the north and milder in the south. Annual precipitation is abundant, summers are temperate, while winters are mild. According to the WWF, the territory of Luxembourg belongs to the ecoregion called Western European broadleaf forests.
The capital, Luxembourg, is the largest town in the country. Other important cities are Esch-sur-Alzette, to the southwest of the capital, Diekirch to the north, and Echternach to the east.
Hydrography
Luxembourg has a number of minor rivers, such as the Eisch, the Alzette and the Pétrusse, but the main river is the Moselle, which flows through the eastern sector, tracing the border with Germany, with its tributaries the Sûre and the Our. With the exception of the Chiers, a tributary of the Meuse, all of the country's watercourses belong to the Moselle basin and, as a whole, to that of the Rhine. The most important rivers are the Sûre in the center, the Alzette in the south and the Wiltz in the north.
The Moselle River actually rises in northeastern France and flows north through Luxembourg for 31 km to join the mighty Rhine at Koblenz, Germany. The Moselle is 515 km long and is navigable, thanks to canalization, along 64 km. Green slopes covered with vines flank the river, which is full of meanders.
Rising in Belgium, the Sûre River runs 172 km eastward through Luxembourg and then flows into the Moselle. Its winding course essentially cuts Luxembourg from east to west. The Our River, which runs along the northeastern border, is a tributary of the Sûre. Its valley is surrounded by a landscape untouched by human beings.
Climate
Luxembourg has a modified oceanic climate with mild winters and temperate summers (Cfb). It enjoys a temperate climate without extremes. The average annual temperature in the capital Luxembourg is 9°C.[6] The climate is harsher in the high regions of the north (Eisléck), and milder in the south (Guttland). The low temperatures and humidity lead those who live in the north of the country to call it, somewhat ironically, an "invigorating climate". The mild climatic conditions in the Moselle valley are favorable to the cultivation of the vine.
In winter, there is considerable influence from Atlantic systems, in which the passage of frequent low pressures gives rise to unstable weather conditions. This results in cloudy skies and considerable drizzle. However, snow is not very frequent, not even in the coldest regions. Precipitation in Luxembourg decreases from west to east. Rain reaches 1,200 mm per year in some parts of the west and falls to 700 mm in the Moselle valley. In summer, excessive heat is rare and temperatures drop significantly at night.
| Climate data for Luxembourg | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12 (54) |
16 (61) |
23 (73) |
29 (84) |
30 (86) |
34 (93) |
37 (99) |
33 (91) |
33 (91) |
22 (72) |
17 (63) |
14 (57) |
37 (99) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 3 (37) |
4 (39) |
10 (50) |
14 (57) |
18 (64) |
21 (70) |
23 (73) |
22 (72) |
19 (66) |
13 (55) |
7 (45) |
4 (39) |
13.1 (55.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −1 (30) |
−1 (30) |
1 (34) |
4 (39) |
8 (46) |
11 (52) |
13 (55) |
12 (54) |
10 (50) |
6 (43) |
3 (37) |
−1 (30) |
5.3 (41.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −15 (5) |
−20 (−4) |
−11 (12) |
−4 (25) |
−2 (28) |
4 (39) |
5 (41) |
4 (39) |
1 (34) |
−5 (23) |
−7 (19) |
−14 (7) |
−15 (5) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 61 (2.4) |
65 (2.6) |
42 (1.7) |
47 (1.9) |
64 (2.5) |
64 (2.5) |
60 (2.4) |
84 (3.3) |
72 (2.8) |
53 (2.1) |
67 (2.6) |
81 (3.2) |
760 (30) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 20 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 191 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 89 | 84.5 | 76 | 71.5 | 73 | 79.5 | 75 | 77 | 80 | 85.5 | 89.5 | 93 | 81.1 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 31 | 58 | 155 | 180 | 186 | 180 | 186 | 186 | 150 | 93 | 30 | 31 | 1,466 |
| Source: BBC Weather (2011)[7] | |||||||||||||
Economy
Luxembourg has an economy based on the management of investment funds, high-risk funds (hedge funds), telecommunications management, logistics (thanks to its privileged location between France, Germany and Belgium), aerospace investment and management (especially in satellites, thanks to the Luxembourgish company SES S.A.), private banking, and capital management. All of this is accompanied by one of the laxest tax regimes in the European Union, which has generated certain scandals amid accusations that certain multinationals such as Pepsi, IKEA, Accenture, Burberry, Procter & Gamble, Heinz, JP Morgan, FedEx, Amazon or Deutsche Bank, among others, have evaded millions of euros in taxes every year.[8] Its economy is stable, with high incomes and moderate growth, low inflation and a low unemployment rate. The industrial sector, until recently dominated by steel, has been expanding and diversifying to include the chemical, rubber and other products industries. During past decades, the growth of the financial sector had more than compensated for the decline of the steel industry. Agriculture is based on small family farms.
Luxembourg is one of the most important commercial and financial centers, competing with Belgium and the Netherlands. Luxembourg has the second highest GDP per capita in the world after Qatar, although some bodies place it first. Luxembourg also hosts the headquarters of several multinational corporations, among them Ternium, Tenaris, and one of the six headquarters of the world steel leader ArcelorMittal.
Demographics
In 2018 Luxembourg had approximately 602,000 inhabitants.[9] Over the last 30 years the population has increased by more than 100,000 people. Compared with its neighboring countries, this is an exceptional phenomenon. The main reason for this growth is immigration. Nationals have seen their population stagnate at around 280,000, and without recourse to naturalizations they would have decreased. The average annual immigration rate was 1% for the decade 1990–2000, when the average of the Europe of the Fifteen was around 0.23%.
Of the 455,000 inhabitants in 2005, 277,600 were Luxembourgers, 65,700 Portuguese, 22,400 French, 18,800 Italians, 16,100 Belgians, 10,400 Germans, 4,500 British, 3,500 Dutch, 9,600 citizens of other European Union countries and 26,300 citizens of other states. [needs update]
The phenomenon of immigration goes back to the 19th century. As early as 1880, 6% of the population was of other nationalities, rising to 12.2% in 1900, 12.8% in 1922 (despite the negative effects of World War I) and 18.6% in 1930. Only the crisis of 1929 and World War II counteracted the phenomenon, so that the percentage of foreigners in 1947 was 10%. But after the postwar period the earlier pace continued, reaching 18.4% in 1970, 26.3% in 1981, 29.7% in 1991, and 39% in 2005.
In addition to immigrants residing in Luxembourg, one third of the workforce is provided by day immigrants who live in neighboring countries.
Health
Luxembourg has a health system based on the Bismarck system, in which the State manages health services through taxes, while each patient pays approximately 20% of the medical expenses they incur, whether medicines, visits or hospitalization.[citation needed]
In Luxembourg it is not compulsory for there to be a general practitioner in each area. Citizens can hire one (in Luxembourg it is common for the doctor to see patients in private homes) or go to health services in other areas.[citation needed]
On January 1, 2003, an assistance program for people with low incomes, promoted by the Ministry of Health, was launched.[citation needed]
Culture
Language
The linguistic situation of Luxembourg is characterized by the recognition of three official languages: French, German and Luxembourgish. The mother tongue of the local population is Luxembourgish, a language of High German origin, in which they express themselves colloquially.
Linguistic characteristics
In the country's early days, French had great prestige, and it is still preferred as the administrative and official language. German was used in the political sphere, to formulate laws and ordinances in order to make them understandable to all. In primary school, education was limited to German, while French was taught in secondary education.
Legislation
The law of July 26, 1843 reinforced bilingualism by introducing the teaching of French in primary schools.
Luxembourgish, a dialect of German heavily influenced by colloquial French, native to the Moselle region, was introduced in primary school in 1912.
| Date | Name in Luxembourgish | Name in English |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Neijoerschdag | New Year's Day |
| February | Fuesent | Carnival |
| March/April | Ouschterdag | Easter Monday |
| May 1 | Dag vun der Aarbecht | Labor Day |
| May/June | Christi Himmelfahrt | Ascension |
| May | Päischtméindeg | Pentecost Monday |
| June 23 | Nationalfeierdag | Grand Duke's Birthday (National Day) |
| August 15 | Mariä Himmelfahrt | Assumption of Mary |
| November 1 | Allerhellgen | All Saints' Day |
| December 25 | Chrëschtdag | Christmas |
| December 26 | Stiefesdag | St. Stephen's Day |
Official languages
Until 1984, the official use of languages was based on the decrees of 1830, 1832 and 1834, which allowed a free choice between French and German. French was preferred for the administration. Luxembourgish did not yet have official status.
The constitutional revision of 1984 gave legislators the possibility of regulating languages by law. On February 24, 1984, a law made Luxembourgish the official language: "Luxembourgish is the national language of Luxembourgers," says its Article 1. In addition, this law recognized the three languages in use (French, German and Luxembourgish) as official languages. French still remains the language of legislation (as set out in Article 2 of the aforementioned law), owing to the application of the Napoleonic civil code. The third article establishes French, German and Luxembourgish as administrative and judicial languages.
According to recent surveys, French remains the most widely used language in professional life.[10]
In everyday life, French is the dominant language in commerce and in written communications intended for the public (for example, traffic signs, billboards). German is very present, along with French, in the print media. For example, it is common for written publications to alternate articles in French and articles in German without translation.
Official documents (for example, passports) and government communications are generally written in French only.
Education
Luxembourgish is taught in schools, after French and German. Its teaching is limited to only one hour per week and during the first years of primary school. In secondary schools English is also taught, and often also Latin, Spanish or Italian. At university, the variety of languages allows local students to continue their higher education in countries where German, French or English is spoken.
Religion
| Religion | Share |
|---|---|
| Catholic Church | 70% |
| Irreligion | 25% |
| Other | 5% |
In 2008, the year of the last survey, 73% of Luxembourgers adhered to forms of Christianity (68.7% are Catholics, 1.8% are Protestants, while 1.9% adhere to other Christian denominations, especially Orthodox Christianity). 2.6% of the population follows non-Christian religions, most of them Muslims (2%). 24.9% of Luxembourgers are not part of any religion. Regardless of their religious affiliations, 56% say they are religious, 35% say they are non-religious and 9% say they are atheists.
Luxembourg is a secular state, but the state recognizes certain religions as officially mandated religions. This gives the state a hand in religious administration and the appointment of clergy, in exchange for which the state pays certain operating costs and salaries. Currently, the religions covered by such agreements are Catholicism, Judaism, Greek Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Russian Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Calvinism, Mennonitism and Islam.
Since 1980 it has been illegal for the government to collect statistics on religious beliefs or practices. An estimate by the CIA Factbook for the year 2000 is that 87% of Luxembourgers are Catholic, including the grand ducal family, and the remaining 13% is made up of Protestants, Orthodox Christians, Jews, Muslims and others, without religion. According to a 2010 Pew Research Center study, 70.4% are Christians, 2.3% Muslims, 26.8% unaffiliated and 0.5% other religions.
According to a 2005 Eurobarometer survey, 44% of Luxembourg citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", while 28% responded that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 22% that "they don't believe there is any sort of spirit, god or life force".
The education system
Public preschool begins at four years of age. Classes are held five mornings and three afternoons a week. Primary school runs from six to eleven years of age. Secondary schools are divided into complementary, technical and general. Luxembourg has a single university (the University of Luxembourg), founded in 2003.[11] All teachers must demonstrate their command of Luxembourgish, French and standard German before starting to work in schools.
Sports
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Luxembourg's most famous athlete is the skier Marc Girardelli (Austrian by birth, but a naturalized Luxembourger), overall winner of the Alpine Skiing World Cup in 1985, 1986, 1989, 1991 and 1993. He was also silver medalist in the giant slalom and super-G events at the Olympics of Albertville 1992.
Four cyclists from Luxembourg have been champions of the Tour de France: François Faber in 1909, Nicolas Frantz in 1927 and 1928, Charly Gaul in 1958 and Andy Schleck in 2010. Schleck was 2nd in the 2009 and 2011 Tours de France, and is the brother of fellow rider Fränk Schleck (3rd in the 2011 Tour de France). The Tour de France has started from Luxembourg in the 1989 and 2002 editions.
In tennis, Gilles Muller and Mandy Minella have stood out, reaching 34th and 66th place in their respective ATP and WTA rankings.
Luxembourg has won 4 Olympic medals throughout the history of the Olympic Games (both winter and summer).
| Medal | Name | Games | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | Joseph Alzin | Antwerp 1920 | Weightlifting | Men's +82.5 kg |
| Silver | Marc Girardelli | Albertville 1992 | Alpine skiing | Men's giant slalom |
| Silver | Marc Girardelli | Albertville 1992 | Alpine skiing | Men's super-G |
| Gold | Josy Barthel | Helsinki 1952 | Athletics | Men's 1500 meters |
Television and radio
Luxembourg has public television media such as RTL (Radio Television Luxembourg), TVDOK and Luxe TV. There are different radio stations depending on the 3 official languages, but there are also stations in Portuguese such as "Radio Latina" (owing to the large Portuguese community in the country) and likewise in English. "RTL Radio Luxembourg" is the largest and broadcasts in Luxembourgish. In French, there is the new "Radio L'essentiel", which comes from the same group as the free French-language newspaper "L'essentiel". In Luxembourgish there is also "Radio 100,7", a station with a cultural program[12]. The main media group is RTL Group, a private group that has expanded throughout Europe. Another peculiarity of Luxembourg is that television channels broadcast simultaneously in PAL and SECAM; PAL for the French-speaking part of Belgium and Luxembourg itself, and SECAM for France. The Grand Duchy is also the seat of SES Astra, the company that owns and operates the Astra series of geostationary satellites. An important milestone worth bearing in mind is that on September 1, 2006, it became the first country in the world to complete the transition to digital broadcasting.
Gastronomy
The gastronomy of Luxembourg is influenced by the cuisine of its neighboring countries. There are few dishes that do not exist in a similar form in one of the neighboring regions. Specifically, there are German influences (e.g. Sauerkraut), French influences (e.g. quiche lorraine), and Belgian influences (e.g. moules-frites, mussels with French fries). Considered national dishes, among others, are:
- Bouneschlupp: a soup with green beans
- Judd mat Gardebounen: pork with broad beans
- Kachkéis: a type of semi-liquid cheese, also known in France, where it is called Cancoillotte.
Fine dining in Luxembourg is clearly of the French type (haute cuisine française), while traditional cuisine is simpler and has rather Germanic or Lorraine features. As in many countries, an international cuisine (Italian, Chinese, Greek, Japanese, Mexican, American fast food...) has also become established and enjoys a certain success. Owing to the large number of Portuguese immigrants, Portuguese cuisine is also very well represented, so many Luxembourgers have become accustomed to dishes from that country.
Lying on the border between the Latin and Germanic worlds, the country has both a wine culture and a beer culture. A great deal of both is drunk[13], and both are produced locally. Luxembourgish beer is typically of the Pilsner type, while Luxembourgish wines are light white wines or sparkling wines, in that case called crémant.
Defense
Luxembourg, which belongs to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), maintains an army of 3,000 members. In 1997 defense spending accounted for 2% of public expenditure.
See also
- Hugo Gernsback
- Schengen Agreement
Luxembourg at the Olympics- Museum of Luxembourg
- National Library of Luxembourg
Notes
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 CIA. "Luxemburgo - Geografía - Libro Mundial de Hechos" (in español). Retrieved February 11, 2017.
- ↑ UNDP (September 14, 2018). "Human Development Report 2018 Data" (PDF). New York, United States: hdr.undp.org. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
- ↑ The overshoot day calculated by country is the day on which global overshoot would occur if the entire world population consumed like the population of the country in question.
- ↑ http://www.leparisien.fr/environnement/jour-du-depassement-quelles-solutions-pour-la-planete-10-05-2019-8069085.php
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20060619171336/http://www.ce.etat.lu/structure.htm
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Clima: Luxemburgo Climate-data.org. Retrieved February 9, 2018
- ↑ BBC Weather (2011). "Luxembourg". BBC.co.uk. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
- ↑ The Guardian
- ↑ https://datosmacro.expansion.com/demografia/poblacion/luxemburgo
- ↑ "Regard sur les langues au travail, STATEC" (PDF) (in français).
- ↑ University of Luxembourg
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ https://www.livescience.com/18493-global-alcohol-consumption-top-countries.html
External links
