Luxembourg

1. Luxembourg Maddie MacMillan Mr. Kelly

2. LocatIon Luxembourg is located in the western part of the continent Europe. Its neighboring countries are France, Germany, and Belgium.

3. Geography The border between Luxembourg and Germany is formed by three rivers. These rivers are The Moselle, The Sauer, and The Our. Other major rivers are Alzette, Attert, Clerve, and Wiltz. South-central Luxembourg is a large, flat, sandstone formation. The east part of Luxembourg consists of thick forests and terrain. The northern third of Luxembourg is dominated by hills and low mountains. This area includes Kneiff, which is the highest point, standing at 1,837 ft. Other mountains include Buurgplaaz and the ‘Napoléonsgaard’.

4. Luxembourg has an oceanic climate. It is temperate and mild. Climate & Environment Some animals in Luxembourg include the cross fox, badger, brown bear, arctic wolf, common otter, a wide range of bats, and many more animals. It has high precipitation, usually in late summer, and their summers are usually cool. They average a temperature of 17 degrees Celsius. Luxembourg consists of plants such as oak and beech trees, the Black Alder, willows, etc. The country also has what they call flora and fauna. Winters aren’t usually severe, with temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius.

5. One famous Luxembourg place, and a beautiful landmark, is the ancient Vianden Castle. It is surrounded by a long and beautifully strong wall. The entrance of the castle leads you through five gates and the first has a drawbridge. Landmarks Clervaux is a medieval market town sunk into a slender valley. Bordered by hills covered with woods, the natural beauty of the place is breathtaking. The 12th century Clervaux Castle is the prime attraction of this medieval town. Nature lovers must visit Ardennes which is located on the north side of Luxembourg. It is a large area, covered by forests. Ardennes is the most favourite natural attraction of the country and visited by almost all tourists who go to this part of the world.

6. History Timeline Luxembourg's independence and isolated lifestyle were again set in place in 1867. In the next number of centuries, Luxembourg's fortress was built up and strengthened by its successful townspeople. In the 14th and early 15th centuries, three members of the House of Luxembourg reigned as Holy Roman Emperors. During World War I, Luxembourg was invaded and occupied by Germany, but was allowed to keep its independence and political practices. In 1437, the House of Luxembourg suffered a succession crisis, caused by the lack of a male heir to take the throne, which led to the territory being sold. During the Belgian Revolution from 1830–1839, Luxembourg's territory was reduced by more than half. During World War II, Luxembourg wasn't able to keep its isolated lifestyle when in 1940 Nazi Germany invaded and occupied the country.

7. & Customs Luxembourg celebrates National Day on June 23 as the sovereign's official birthday. The night before, on June 22, is festive with torchlight parades, fireworks, music, and parties. Most people in Luxembourg celebrate Christmas Eve with their family and friends. Many people attend Midnight Mass and after the family gathers for supper which is a typical Luxembourg winter meal: black-pudding with mashed potatoes and apple sauce. There is no Santa Claus in Luxembourg at Christmas time. There is "St.Nicolas Day" , celebrated on December 6th. In the evening one week before this date, children put their slippers in front of their bedroom doors expecting them to be filled with a small gift by St. Nicolas during the night. Tradit i o n s

8. Luxembourg's government has a constitutional monarchy by inheritance. This means that the monarch is a basically a powerless, symbolic role, with an elected government. This government usually has the real power, but they rule in the monarch's name. Luxembourg's law is a combination of local practice, legal tradition, and French, Belgian, and German laws. Government Belgium France Germany Luxembourg

9. Economy Luxembourg is one of the richest countries in Western Europe, which is impressive due to its small size. The economy of Luxembourg is dependent on the banking, steel, and industrial sectors. At the end of March 2009, there were 152 banks in Luxembourg, with over 27,000 employees. The iron and steel industry, located along the French border, is an important sector of the economy.

10. Luxembourg is home to many famous museums that attract people staying in the area. For example, The National Museum of Military History. The museum includes a collection of weapons, uniforms, military equipment, soldier’s personal belongings, photographs and so much more from the Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg. Tourism The tourists who come to Luxembourg for the nature and beauty of the land will visit the Butterfly Garden in Grevenmacher. Here, you’ll discover everything you need to know about butterfly species from all over the world. You can even find exotic tropical plants. Also, if you’re lucky, you may even witness butterfly births in the “hatchery.”

11. Notable People DésiréeNosbusch is an actress born in 1965 in Luxemourg. She is famous for her roles in the movies Good Morning, Babylon (1987), DerFan (1982), and more. JosyBarthel(1927-1992) was a great athlete from Luxembourg. He was the only person from Luxembourg to win a gold medal at the Olympics, which was in 1952. He won the Men’s 1500m race. Barthel died at the age of 65 due to a severe illness.

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