A small country in Western Europe is Luxembourg. Despite its miniature size, the state has a rich history, a unique culture and a very patriotic population. Luxembourg has a high quality of life, which has a positive effect on the country's demographics.
Geography
It's not easy to see Luxembourg on the map of Europe. The capital, the area, the population can be characterized in very small numerical terms. The area of the country, for example, is only 2,586.4 km². Next to such neighbors as Belgium, Germany and France, the country, of course, looks very modest. However, the state and people, for whom Luxembourg is a beloved Motherland, are very proud that they manage to maintain sovereignty surrounded by such powerful countries.
The country's relief is predominantly hilly, which in the north rests on the Ardennes mountains. The main water artery of the state is the Moselle River and its tributaries. There are also several medium-sized reservoirs flowing here. If you look at the map of Luxembourg, thenit becomes clear that the country is predominantly populated. The free territory (about 20% of the total area) is occupied by dense forests and rivers. The climate here is temperate, influenced by the close Atlantic. Luxembourgers often compare their state with Switzerland, claiming that they have similar living conditions. However, the mountains here are smaller and the climate is more temperate.
History of settlement
The territory on which modern Luxembourg is located was settled already in ancient times. Archaeologists have found a lot of evidence that already in the Upper Neolithic there were human settlements here. A settled population appears around the 13th century BC. Later Gauls and Franks lived here. During this period, the population of Luxembourg was small. Actually, the history of the country begins in the Middle Ages, when a protective fort was created here in the 10th century. At this time, the gradual mass settlement of the territory begins. This piece of land has been inherited for several centuries by several aristocratic families in Europe. Castles, cities are being built here, the population density is growing. Soon the country takes on a modern look.
Luxembourg State
Luxembourg - a state whose population is of interest because of its size - has all the attributes of a modern country. From the point of view of the political structure, the state is a constitutional monarchy. The main person in the state is the Grand Duke, today it is Henri, or Heinrich (in the German manner), from the royal family of Nassau. He has the right to take anddismiss the government, intervene in the legislature, represent the country at the highest levels. In addition, it may have some impact on the work of deputies.
However, in reality, all legislative power remains with the parliament, and the executive - with the government. The Duke is only the face of the country. The state has a multi-party system. Through democratic elections, a parliament is elected. The State of Luxembourg has a lot of weight in the European Union. Here are several institutions of the united Europe, including the treasury. In 1867, the permanent neutrality of the state was proclaimed. And only to join the united Europe, the country decided to give up part of its sovereignty.
Territorial division
The country is divided into three districts, which, in turn, are divided into cantons, and those into communes. The main population of Luxembourg lives in cities. In total, there are 12 cantons in the state, each of which heads a large settlement. The largest city is the capital of the same name. Its population is about 100 thousand people. The second largest city is El-sur-Alzette. Its population is approximately 30 thousand. Next come the almost equal Differdange and Dudelange, slightly short of 20 thousand each. In other cities, less than 10 thousand people live. The smallest town is Vianden. Only 1.5 thousand inhabitants live here.
Traditions and culture
Population, demography, religion, traditions, customs, cultureLuxembourg is a subject for long discussion and research. Briefly, it can be noted that local features were formed under the strong influence of the nearest neighbors, especially Germany and France. The culture of the Netherlands also had a certain impact. Despite a fairly short independent history, the population, for whom Luxembourg is their beloved homeland, is very patriotic and diligently maintains its national identity. Since the state was formed on the basis of a Christian monastery, the canons of faith are still very strong here.
Approximately 70% of the population professes Catholicism, but Orthodox, Jews, Protestants and Anglicans coexist in peace and harmony with them. The most beloved and widely celebrated holiday in the country is Easter. On this day, national dishes are prepared, festivals and concerts are held. The cuisine of Luxembourg is peculiar, although the features of neighboring countries can be seen in it. The locals love meat and know how to cook it, and there are a lot of pastries, cheeses and unique Moselle wines on their tables. The country's population is distinguished by he althy conservatism. Here they do not really like innovations and revere traditions. The residents are also extremely polite.
Language
Close proximity to several large countries causes the population to be polyglots. The official languages of Luxembourg are German and French. This allows the inhabitants of the country to easily communicate with their neighbors. In 1982, Luxembourgish, which is a Moselle language, became an official language. Frankish dialect. It is owned by all the locals. It is on it that they prefer to talk in everyday life. Today, integration into greater Europe forces residents to learn English. And young people speak it freely. But people in small villages may not understand the language at all.
Ethnic composition
Recent statistics of the population of Luxembourg suggests that 60% of its composition are native Luxembourgers. These are the descendants of the Celtic tribes with a large admixture of Germanic and Frankish blood. There are also many people from Germany, Belgium and France living in the country. The Dutch diaspora is quite large. In recent years, Luxembourg has experienced a large influx of immigrants from Italy and Portugal. In connection with the latest events in the Middle East, the country expects the appearance of Syrian refugees, but so far their number has not reached a significant figure. The government is taking certain actions to prevent a large flow of visitors. Therefore, for now, nothing threatens the number of indigenous people.
Population dynamics
The main value of the country is the population of Luxembourg. The population over 300 years of observing the dynamics of growth has grown by more than 100 times. Today, more than 500 thousand people live in the country. And sociologists predict a further increase in population. On average, the dynamics of the country changes as follows: about 18 children are born here every day. 12 people die every day. Luxembourg also receives an average of 30 expats every day.
Today the country has one of the highestpopulation densities in Europe. And experts say that this figure will only grow, especially due to migration processes. Today the density is more than 156 people per square kilometer. For example, in Russia this figure is calculated as 8.5, and in France - 116.
Demographics
Today the population of Luxembourg is growing by just over 2,000 people a year. At the same time, the growth is mainly provided by emigrants, since the birth rate here, as in all of Europe, is not very high. So, over the past 100 years in the country, this figure has decreased from 31 to 11 people per 1,000 inhabitants. But in the state there is a steady increase in life expectancy. It is today: for men - 73 years, for women - 80 years. This is slightly higher than the global average. Sociologists estimate the dependency ratio in the country, that is, the number of disabled people. It includes people under 15 and over 65 years of age. This indicator is 49.5. It is considered quite low, since the number of able-bodied people is quite able to feed their dependents. The pension burden ratio is 22%.
Speaking of age indicators, it should be noted that Luxembourg belongs to a prosperous rejuvenating type of state. The number of young people here prevails over the elderly by about 15%, and the largest number are residents of working age. The sex ratio in Luxembourg is generally in line with the European trend. At birth, the number of boys slightly outnumbers girls, and at the age of 65, the number of men is almost a third less than that of women.
Employment of the population
A fairly large number of residents have been recorded in the country. The population, for whom Luxembourg is the place of permanent residence, is experiencing some difficulties in finding employment. The unemployment rate is 6.6. This is due to the fact that labor migrants come to the country every year, whose number reaches 50% of the able-bodied population. About 80% of the population is employed in the service sector, a large proportion of which are catering and tourism. About 18% work in the field of industrial production, in agriculture - only 2.5%.
Economy of the country
Luxembourg, with a GDP per capita of about $100,000, is one of the richest countries in the world. Local residents are accustomed to a high standard of living and do not want to part with it. Today the country has one of the best medical services in Europe. The government constantly cares about the quality of education and the living conditions of its population. The country has a fairly low unemployment rate and low inflation. Today, the crisis leaves its mark on economic indicators, but they are quite optimistic.
The country is actively developing industry. If earlier the steel industry was the main source of income, today it is developingchemical industry, food production is growing. The biggest problem for the Luxembourg economy is the huge external debt. It is 80% of GDP. The government is trying to reduce economic risks by actively diversifying production and promoting entrepreneurship.
