Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LUXEMBOURG
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is one of Europe's small countries—51 miles (82
kilometers) long and 32 miles (57 kilometers) wide, encompassing 999 square miles
(2,586 square kilometers)—a little smaller than the state of Rhode Island. It is a
constitutional monarchy with a population of about 400,000. Germany borders it to
the east, France to the south, and Belgium adjoins it on the north and west. Luxem-
bourg vies with Switzerland in the field of international banking. A substantial num-
ber of corporations doing business in the European community maintain accounts
there.
The Grand Duchy once dominated an area nearly 300 times its current size. In
more recent times, as well as in the past, Luxembourg's fate and fortunes have
been linked with those of Belgium. The forces of French king Louis XIV conquered
the city of Luxembourg in the middle of the 17th century. Subsequent fortifications
built by the French and succeeding conquerors earned the city the title “Gibraltar of
the North.”
Luxembourg was overrun by the Germans during World War I, but its independ-
ence was restored by the Treaty of Versailles. It was occupied again by German
forces during World War II. During the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, the
tides of war surged around Luxembourg. Liberated earlier by U.S. forces, the city
was recaptured by the Germans, who executed many members of the Belgian and
Luxembourgese underground before Luxembourg was again taken by the Allied
forces.
For more information on Luxembourg, contact the Luxembourg National Tourist
Office in North America:
NewYork: 17 Beekman Place, New York, NY 10022; Tel: (212) 935-8888; Fax:
(212) 935-5896; www.visitluxembourg.com ;
E-mail: info@visitluxembourg.com or luxnto@aol.com
Banking
Currency: Euro (€)
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