Luxembourg

Country Briefs: With a mere area of 2,586 square kilometers, though Luxembourg is lilliput in size but not in natural beauty and splendor. Luxembourg is rich in verdant landscapes that are wonderfully crisscrossed by rivers and sprinkled with so called rural hamlets that are often compared with fairy tales. In this tiny area Luxembourg also boasts of having other attractions such as a globally acclaimed family amusement park, a small zoo, mini-train playground etc. 

The population of Luxembourg is around 468,571 out of which around 82,000 people are nestled in its largest and capital city that has the same name, Luxembourg.

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small landlocked country situated in the northwest of continental Europe and bordered by France, Germany and Belgium. The origination of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg can be traced back to Middle Ages year 963 when the Luxembourg Castle was created. The Count of Ardennes, Sigfrid constructed a small fort and named it as Castellum Lucilinburhuc around which a town developed in later years.

Luxembourg remained independent chieftain or Earl of the Holy Roman Empire till 1354. After this Charles IV raised the status of Luxembourg to that of a duchy. Few years after, in 1437 the governance passed into the hands of Habsburgs. In 1443 the Philip of Burgundy captured the country and it became one of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands. Power got transferred back to the Habsburgs after the death of Mar of Burgundy in 1482.

The French revolution that took place from 1789 to 1799 brought Luxembourg under the control of France and it remained under it till 1815 when napoleon was defeated. Luxembourg was then placed under the rule of king of Netherlands.

Luxembourg also actively participated in the Belgian Revolution against the Dutch rule. Luxembourg was a province of the new Belgian state from 1830 to 1839. But the Treaty of London divided Luxembourg into two parts where more than half of its territory was given to Belgium.

Luxembourg’s independence was formally ratified in 1867. In 1867 France and Prussia came at loggerheads for the authority over Luxembourg. But Luxembourg was granted perpetually independent and neutral in the Treaty of London.

Luxembourg continued to be a possession of the king of Netherlands until the death of William III in 1890 after which under the Salic law the Grand Duchy was passed to the House of Nassau-Weilburg.

In 1914, during the First World War, Luxembourg was invaded by Germany but the government was not removed from office till 1918. During the Second World War the German invasion on 10^th may 1940 threw aside the government and monarchy. Till 1942 Luxembourg was under military occupation after which it was placed under the Third Reich or Germany under the control of National Socialist German Workers Party. From this time till 1944 the Luxembourgian faced countless problems that wrecked them in almost every way.

In September 1944 US forces again freed Luxembourg in their virtual victory in the Battle of Bulge. The Germans were completely ousted in beginning of the year 1945.

In 1949 Luxembourg became a founding member of NATO and United Nations. Luxembourg is also one of the founding countries of the European Economic Community.

Luxembourg Districts

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