One of the richest countries in the world is a small European nation that very few people put on their bucket list: Luxembourg. Or as it is officially known: The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The country of much less than one million inhabitants and smaller than 1,000 square miles, is a mysterious one for many. The head of state is a Grand Duke, there are three official languages, and all public transports are free.
Luxembourg is located in Western Europe. More precisely, it is a landlocked country that is sandwiched between France, Belgium, and Germany.
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is indeed its own country and it has been a member of the European Union since January 1, 1958.
Photo: username/Shutterstock
The capital and the most populated city in the country is Luxembourg City. It is located in the south of the country.
According to official statistics, 660,000 people live in Luxembourg and 197,000 more commute to the small nation daily from surrounding countries to work. Of the 660,000 inhabitants, 47.4 percent does not have Luxembourgish nationality.
According to a report by Global Finance Magazine, Luxembourg ranks as the second-richest in the world behind Ireland in 2023 with a GDP-PPP per capita of $142,490.
The Grand Duchy’s tax regime and its system of banking secrecy attracts some of the wealthiest people in the world.
It is 998 square miles or 2,586 square kilometers. It is the second-smallest country in the European Union behind Malta, and it is the seventh-smallest country in Europe, behind Vatican City, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and more.
Right: Flag of Luxembourg. Left: Flag of the Netherlands. Sabino Parente/Shutterstock and Harald Lueder/Shutterstock
The Luxembourgish flag consists of three horizontal bands: one red, one white, and one blue. Its composition is extremely similar to that of the flag of the Netherlands, except for the fact that the colors of the Luxembourgish one are lighter.
The country has been a member of the Euro community since January 1, 1999, but it only started using euros exclusively in February 2002. Prior to the Euro, the country used the Luxembourgish Franc (LUF).
The three official languages of the country are French, German, and Luxemburgish. Luxemburgish “sounds close to Dutch, being a mixture of German and French with regional and even locally varying dialects,” according to the country’s official website.
The Grand Ducal Palace. Photo: username/Shutterstock
The nation, being a Grand Duchy, has a Grand Ducal family, the head of which is HRH the Grand Duke Henri, Prince of Nassau, Prince of Bourbon-Parma. The Grand Duke is married to HRH the Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and they have five children and six grandchildren.
The nation is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy
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