Luxembourg

Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Other official names: Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg  (Luxembourgish) Grand-Duché de Luxembourg  (French) Großherzogtum Luxemburg  (German)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sinn"  (Luxembourgish) "We want to remain what we are"
Anthem: Ons Heemecht "Our Homeland" Royal anthem: De Wilhelmus 1
Location of  Luxembourg  (dark green) – on the European continent  (green & dark grey) – in the European Union  (green)  —  [Legend]
Capital and largest city	Luxembourg 49°36′N 6°7′E / 49.600°N 6.117°E / 49.600; 6.117
Official languages	Luxembourgish French German
Demonym(s)	Luxembourgers
Government	Unitary parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
• Grand Duke	Guillaume V (List)
• Prime Minister	Luc Frieden (List)
Legislature	Chamber of Deputies
Independence
• From French empire (Treaty of Paris)	9 June 1815
• 1st Treaty of London	19 April 1839
• 2nd Treaty of London	11 May 1867
• End of personal union	23 November 1890
Area
• Total	2,586.4 km2 (998.6 sq mi) (175th)
• Water (%)	0.60%
Population
• 2025 estimate	681,973 (163rd)
• 2021 census	643,941
• Density	255/km2 (660.4/sq mi) (67th)
GDP (PPP)	2025 estimate
• Total	$106.505 billion (100th)
• Per capita	$154,914 (1st)
GDP (nominal)	2025 estimate
• Total	$96.993 billion (73rd)
• Per capita	$141,709 (1st)
HDI (2023)	0.922 very high · 25th
Currency	Euro (€)2 (EUR)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	352
ISO 3166 code	LU
Internet TLD	.lu3
Not the same as the Het Wilhelmus of the Netherlands. Before 1999: Luxembourg franc. The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European Union member states.

Luxembourg (officially called the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (Luxembourgish: Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg, French: Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, German: Großherzogtum Luxemburg) is a landlocked country in Western Europe.

It is a small country by land area. In 2025, its population was 681,973, making it one of Europe's most densely populated countries.

It was one of the first countries in the European Union. It is also a member of the Benelux. The countries next to Luxembourg are Belgium, Germany, and France. The main language is Luxembourgish but French and German is also spoken there.

History

In 963, Luxembourg was founded. Sigefroid, Count of Ardennes, came to own the ruins of an old Roman fort called "Castellum Lucilinburhuc" ("Little Castle") from the monks of the Abbey of St. Maximin in Trier. In 1354, the emperor Charles IV made Luxembourg a duchy. In 1443, Luxembourg was captured by Philip of Burgundy.

In, 1795, after the French revolution Luxembourg was taken over by France. It became a département of France. In 1815, Luxembourg became a grand duchy. It was ruled by the king of the Netherlands. From 1815 to 1866, Luxembourg became a member of the German Confederation. In 1890, after the death of William III, Luxembourg passed to the House of Nassau-Weilburg.

Between 1914 to 1918, Luxembourg was conquered by Germany during World War I. In 1940, the Germans returned during World War II, and in 1942 Luxembourg became part of the Third Reich. In 1944, Luxembourg became independent in September because the United States Army arrived. In 1945, Luxembourg joined the United Nations.

In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the first six members of the European Economic Community. In 2020, Luxembourg became the first country in the world to make all public transport free to use.

Politics

Luxembourg is a parliamentary democracy lead by a constitutional monarch. Under the constitution of 1868, executive power is in the hands of the Governor and the cabinet, which consists of several other ministers.

Climate

Luxembourg has a continental climate.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Luxembourg was 40.8 °C (105.4 °F), on 25 July 2019 in Steinsel.

The lowest temperature ever recorded in Luxembourg was −24.6 °C (−12.3 °F) on 2 February 1956 in Wiltz.

Districts, cantons, and communes

Luxembourg is divided into twelve cantons. These twelve cantons are divided into 102 communes (towns or cities), which have local governments.

Related pages

• List of rivers of Luxembourg
• Luxembourg at the Olympics
• Luxembourg national football team

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Luxembourg.

1. 1 2 3 4 "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2024". imf.org. International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
2. ↑ "Human Development Report 2023/2024" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. 13 March 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
3. ↑ About... The History of Luxembourg. Information and Press Service of the Government. 2022. ISBN 978-2-87999-298-3. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
4. ↑ Michel Pauly, Geschichte Luxemburgs 2013 p.35
5. 1 2 "Dark Luxembourg: The French massacre of Differdange". May 2021. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
6. ↑ "LUXEMBOURG – 17 mai 1794 – MASSACRE DE DUDELANGE – l'HORRIBLE FIN DE PIERRE GAASCH, GARDE-FORESTIER ... – la Maraîchine Normande". 24 March 2016. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
7. ↑ Kreins (2003), p. 66
8. ↑ "The Second World War: the Toughest Ordeal". Luxembourg.lu. 9 January 2024. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
9. ↑ "The invasion of Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg". Judgment of the International Military Tribunal For The Trial of German Major War Criminals. London: HM Stationery Office. 1951. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2021 – via The Nizkor Project.
10. ↑ "D'Koreaner aus dem Lëtzebuerger Land (Koreans from Luxembourg)". Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
11. ↑ "The Steel Industry That Made Luxembourg's Fortune". Luxembourg.lu. 9 January 2024. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
12. ↑ Abnett, Kate (29 February 2020). "Luxembourg becomes first country to make public transport free". Reuters. Luxembourg. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
13. ↑ solutions, EIU digital. "Democracy Index 2016 – The Economist Intelligence Unit". www.eiu.com. Archived from the original on 11 November 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
14. ↑ "Luxembourg". Stadtklima (Urban Climate). Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2007.
15. ↑ "Luxembourg scorches on hottest day ever". 26 July 2019. Archived from the original on 2023-01-18. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
16. ↑ "Luxembourg's territory". Luxembourg.public.lu. 20 September 2020. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.