Nestled within the heart of Europe, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has long captivated travelers with its picturesque landscapes, rich history, and undeniable charm. While often overshadowed by its larger European counterparts, this small yet extraordinary nation has a lot of surprises in store.
Whether you are living, working or traveling in Luxembourg: here are 23 facts that you probably didn't know about the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Luxembourg is the second smallest country in the European Union.
With an area of 2,586 square kilometers, Luxembourg is the second smallest country in the European Union, right after Malta.
It is also the second least populated country...
in the European Union with an estimated population of 660.800 (2023).
Despite that, it has the fastest population growth rate of Europe.
This is due to its open migration policy. Today, immigrants and foreigners represent half the population of Luxembourg.
Luxembourg means "little fortress".
The country is named after the historic 10th century castle, called the Lucilinburhuc that stood on the territory that makes up Luxembourg City today.
Luxembourg is the last remaining Grand Duchy in the World.
The Grand d-Duchy was established as such in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna. Today, Luxembourg is a consitutional moonarchy headed by the monarch, the Grand Duke or the Grand Duchess.
“We will remain what we are”
"Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sinn" means "we will remain what we are" and is the official motto of Luxembourg. The motto was originally a lyrics from a poem written by Michel Lentz in 1859.
Luxembourg City is the first city in Europe to be named the “European Capital of Culture” twice.
Among the 40 European cities that have won the prize, Luxembourg is the only city to win twice in 1995 and 2007.
Luxembourg is the founding member of many international and European agencies...
Such as the European Union (EU), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations (UN) that were formed after the World War II, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Regional Cooperation of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, as known as Benelux.
Luxembourg passport is ranked the 3rd best passport in the world.
It allows its citizens to travel to 190 differents countries.
One of the safest countries in the world.
Luxembourg is next to Switzerland or Ireland one of the safest countries in the world and was even declared the safest country for expats worldwide in 2017. It only has 2 prisons and 2,815 policemen for a population of more than 600,000.
There is always a castle to see.
The country counts 130 castles on its 2,586 square kilometers such as the Vianden castle, which is one of the most beautiful castles in Europe.
-Vianden castle in the Mullerthal.-
LGBT rights are well recognized and respected...
and the current Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, is the first openly LGBT Prime Minister in the world.
Luxembourg is the richest country in the world.
With its GDP per capita (Gross Domestic Product) of 128,820 USD (117.327,97 Euro) Luxembourg counts as the richest country in the world.
One-third of the country is covered in forests.
The largest forest in Luxembourg is Bambësch Forest and even if one lives in the city, there is always a hiking trail nearby.
It has the highest number of expats among European countries.
With more than 46% of the population consisting of foreign residents.
Luxembourg's 5 largest foreign communities are Portuguese, French and Italian...
followed by Belgian and German.
RTL Group, Europe’s largest entertainment network, is based in Luxembourg.
It was established 1933 and now employs more than 18,600 employees. Many international groups are also based in Luxembourg, such as Amazon, Paypal, Ferrero...
Immigrants and cross-border employees make up 75% of the country’s workforce.
Luxembourg has a thriving, international labor market and foreign workers are generally sought after by recruiters.
The country has only two universities.
The University of Luxembourg and Sacred Heart University Luxembourg are the only two universities in the country and offer study programs in all kind of fields such as Law, Medicine or Technology.
Luxembourg ranks second in the ranking of the highest monthly minimum wage in the world...
However, in Europe it ranks first. The current monthly minimum wage in Luxembourg (2023) for unskilled workers is 2,508.24 euros and 3,009.88 euros for skilled workers.
Even though the cost of living is generally high, Luxembourg’s petrol is one of the cheapest in the EU.
Cigarettes are also much cheaper than in its neighboring countries. This is due to its low taxes on petrol and cigarettes.
Around 14,000 jobs are created each year.
The companies in Luxembourg are constantly looking for new talents. Find your new opportunity in Luxembourg.
Luxembourg is first country in the world to make public transport free.
Since 1 March, 2020, trains, buses and other public transports are free for everyone in the train, no matter if you are a resident, working here or just passing through.
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