Geography of Luxembourg
Luxembourg (Luxembourgish: Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg, French: Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, German: Großherzogtum Luxemburg) is a state in Western Europe, situated between France to the south and Germany to the east; to the north and west it borders Belgium.
Physical geography
With its 2,586 km², Luxembourg is the seventh smallest country in Europe, ranking 167th worldwide.
Relief
Luxembourg's landscape is dominated by broad, gently rounded hills and shallow valleys. It is slightly mountainous in the north and slopes down to the plains drained by the Moselle River to the southeast. It comprises two regions of different orography: the Oesling to the north and Gutland to the south.
To the north of Luxembourg City lies the Oesling (also Éislek, Œsling, Oesling, Ösling or Eisling). It covers approximately the northern third of the territory, has an area of 828 km² with an average height of 450-500 m a.s.l. no. m.. This set of highlands corresponds to the southern foothills of the Ardennes plateau. Its relief is rugged, higher than the rest of the country and is covered by coniferous forests (especially spruce). The tributaries of the Moselle run through it.
Gutland, in the south and center of the country, covers 1,758 km². It continues the undulating plains of the Lorraine that are deeply carved by the rivers that form narrow and meandering valleys that descend from the southwest to the northeast. It is the land of the most fertile land, the mildest climate and subsoils rich in minerals such as iron and coal. For this reason it is known as Bon Pays or Gutland ("Good Country"). It has an average altitude of 215 m s. no. m., and is interrupted to the East in the wine-producing valleys of the Moselle River.
The lowest point in the country is located on the Moselle river at Wasserbillig (point of confluence with the Sauer) 133 meters above sea level, in the commune of Mertert. The highest point is Op Kneiff in Wilwerdange 595 masl (Ëlwen/Troisvierges commune). The Buergplatz (town square) of Huldang/Huldange is often considered the highest point, although at that point the altitude is 558.35 m s. no. m..
Rivers
Luxembourg has a number of minor rivers such as the Eisch, the Alzette and the Pétrusse, but the main river is the Moselle, which runs through the eastern sector, tracing the border with Germany, with its tributaries the Sûre and the Our. With the exception of the Chiers tributary of the Meuse, all the country's water courses belong to the Moselle basin and to the Rhine as a whole. 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 31km to join the mighty Rhine at Koblenz, Germany. The Moselle is 515 km long, and is navigable, due to channeling, for 64 km. The green slopes, covered with vines, flank the river, full of meanders.
Source in Belgium, the Sûre River runs 172 km east through Luxembourg and then empties into the Moselle. Its winding course essentially cuts Luxembourg from east to west. The Our River, which runs along the north-eastern border, is a tributary of the Sûre. Its valley is surrounded by a landscape untouched by man.
Climate
Luxembourg has a modified oceanic climate with mild winters and mild summers (Cfb). Enjoy a temperate climate without extremes. The average annual temperature in the capital Luxembourg is 9 °C. The climate is harsher in the northern highlands (Eisléck), and more moderate in the south (Guttland). i>). The low temperatures and humidity cause it to be called "invigorating climate", in a somewhat ironic way, by those who live in the north of the country. In the south, although the rainfall is not significantly low, the difference is in the temperatures between winter and summer, especially high in the Moselle valley. Crops, especially vines, grow here. With an annual average temperature of 10 °C, the sunniest months are May to August.
In the winter, there is considerable influence from the Atlantic systems, in which the passage of frequent low pressures gives rise to unstable weather conditions. This results in overcast skies and considerable drizzle. However, snow is not very frequent, not even in the colder regions. Precipitation in Luxembourg decreases from west to east. Rainfall reaches 1,200 mm a year in parts of the west and falls to 700 mm in the Moselle valley. In the summer, excessive heat is rare, and temperatures drop significantly at night.
Environment
According to WWF, the territory of Luxembourg corresponds to the ecoregion called broadleaved forest of Western Europe. According to the regulations of the European Union, the territory of this country belongs to the continental biogeographic region. 313 hectares are protected as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, in total, two Ramsar sites: Haff Réimech and Vallée de the Haute-Sure.
Ecological Concerns: Air and water pollution in urban areas, particularly acid rain and soil contamination from farmland.
Human Geography
Luxembourg has a population of 590,667 (January 2017 est.), which means it has a high population density of 228.4 inh/km². The mostly urban population (82% in 2008) has an annual growth rate that does not exceed 1,172% (2009 est.). Main ethnic groups: Luxembourgers 63.1%, Portuguese 13.3%, French 4.5%, Italians 4.3%, Germans 2.3%, other European Union nationals 7.3%, other 5.2% (2000 census). Luxembourgish is spoken, the national language dialect of German with elements of French and Dutch; German (administrative language) and French (administrative language). Due to the high number of Portuguese-speaking immigrants and French-speaking border workers, French is very present, particularly in the cities. Regarding religion, Catholicism is the most practiced with 87%, although there are Protestant, Jewish and Muslim minorities that make up the remaining 13% (year 2000).
The capital, Luxembourg, has the largest population in the country, with 114,000 inhabitants in 2017. Other important cities are Esch-sur-Alzette, an industrial center to the southwest of the capital, on the border with France, and Diekirch, to the north.
Until 2015, Luxembourg was divided into three districts: Diekirch, Grevenmacher and Luxembourg. Traditionally, in Luxembourg twelve cantons were distinguished: Luxembourg, Capellen, Esch, Mersch, Clervaux, Diekirch, Redange, Vianden, Wiltz, Echternach, Grevenmacher and Remich.
Economic geography
Luxembourg's main natural resources are: ferrous minerals, which gave rise to a large steel industry; no longer exploited) and mineral coal and arable land] that represent 27.42% of land use and includes vineyards. 0.69% (2005) is dedicated to permanent crops; permanent pastures 20%, forest and wooded, 21% and other 34% (est. 1993). In 1993 it was estimated that irrigated land represented 10 km², currently (2009) data is not available.
The composition of GDP by sector is: agriculture 0.4%, industry 13.6% and services 86% (2007 est.). Agriculture employs 2.2% of the active population, industry 17.1% and services 80.6% (2007). The active population is estimated at 208,000 workers. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for 60% of its workforce: 125,400 are foreign workers living across the border who come mainly from France, Belgium and Germany.
It has a small, stable economy, with high incomes. It benefits from its proximity to France, Belgium and Germany. Historically both inflation and unemployment have been low. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has diversified to include chemicals, rubber and other products. Growth in the financial sector, which now accounts for 28% of GDP, has more than offset the decline in steel. The banks are mostly in foreign hands, and most of the business is in foreign operations.
Like the rest of the European Union, after undergoing strong expansion between 2004 and 2007, it suffered the 2008-2009 crisis, but despite this it continues to enjoy a high standard of living, since its GDP per capita is the third in the world, after Liechtenstein and Qatar, and is the highest in the European Union.
The main agricultural products are: wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat and fruits. Dairy products are obtained from livestock. Regarding industrial products, it is worth mentioning: banking and financial services, iron and steel, information technology, telecommunications, freight transport, food industry, chemical substances, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum and tourism.
There are 275 km of railways, and 5,227 km of highways, all of them paved and including 147 km of highway (2004). As for waterways, there are 37 km in the course of the Moselle river (2008). The most important river port is Mertert, in the Grevenmacher district.