Territory of Luxembourg. Geography of Luxembourg: nature, relief, climate, population Useful information for tourists
Luxembourg is a small landlocked country in Western Europe. By land, the country borders in the south with France (73 km), in the west and northwest with Belgium (148 km), in the east with Germany (138 km).
The territory of Luxembourg is 2586 km2, the elevation difference is 428 m. The northern part is higher, the southern part is low (Red Lands). The relief is mostly flat, in the north there are small uplands of the Ardennes, in the southern part the Luxembourg Plateau is distinguished. The highest point is the Kneiff hill (560 m), the lowest is the confluence of the Sauer into the Moselle at Wasserbillig (132 m).
From the point of view of geology, Luxembourg is divided into two parts: Oesling (Oesling) in the north, about 555 meters above sea level, which is the spurs of the Ardennes and occupies almost a third of the country, all covered with forests and amazingly beautiful, and the Good country (Good country) in the south , with alternating forests and agricultural land, located at 426 meters above sea level. One of the eastern borders is the Moselle wine-growing valley, and in the southeast of the country there is a narrow strip of red earth, which is nothing more than an ore region of Luxembourg. Several rivers cross the country, the largest of them is the Moselle, which is all cut up by canals and has access to the largest European waterways. The river network is dense and branched. The rivers of Luxembourg belong to the Rhine basin. There are iron ore deposits in the southern part of Luxembourg.
Relief of Luxembourg
The relief is mostly smooth highlands with wide deep valleys; the highlands pass in the north into small mountains, and in the southeast it sharply descends into the valley of the Mosell River.
The forested Ardennes stretch across the northern regions of the country, while the Sauer and Moselle rivers form its eastern border. The south of Luxembourg is occupied mainly by a hilly plain, in the north - by the spurs of the Ardennes. The rivers belong to the Moselle basin. Several reserves, part of a natural national park located in Germany.
The southern half of Luxembourg - Gutland - is a continuation of the Lorraine Plateau and is characterized by a wavy cuest relief. A system of ridges and ledges is expressed here, gradually lowering to the east. Cultural landscapes predominate. In the north of the country, in Essling, occupied by the foothills of the Ardennes, a strongly dissected relief is developed with heights up to 400–500 m. The highest point is Mount Burgplatz (559 m). The largest river of Luxembourg - Sur (Sauer) - originates in Belgium and flows to the east, then after confluence with Ur to the southeast and south and flows into the Moselle. The Alzete, a southern tributary of the Sur, flows through the capital city of Luxembourg and the industrial cities of Esch-sur-Alzete, Mersch and Ettelbrück.
Climate of Luxembourg
As for the weather, Luxembourg does not shine with a special variety. Luxembourg is dominated by a temperate type of climate, transitional from maritime to continental - it is characterized by wet winters and cool summers. The hottest month is July, at this time during the daytime the air warms up to 22..24 degrees of heat, and at night it is about +12..+14 degrees. Winter here is mild, the coldest month is January. In January, during the day the air temperature fluctuates from 1 to 3 degrees of heat, at night - from -3 to -1 degrees.
The average temperature in January is 0 °С, in July - about + 17 °С. Snow often falls in the Ardennes in winter. The sunniest months are from May to August, but it is also sunny in the first half of September. During the year, 760 mm of precipitation falls in the south of the country, and the largest amount of precipitation falls in the north of the country - up to 900 mm, snowfalls are frequent here in winter. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, small maxima are observed in May, June and November, December.
Water resources of Luxembourg
If you look at the detailed physical map of Luxembourg, you will notice that it is covered with a kind of thick blue grid - these are the rivers and streams of the country. The river network of the southern part of the duchy is characterized by relatively high water, as a rule, a calm course and a relatively small level fluctuation, while almost all the rivers of Essling are typically mountainous.
Statistical indicators of Luxembourg
(as of 2012)
Almost all the rivers of the Grand Duchy (with the exception of the small river Korn, which flows in the extreme southwest) belong to the Moselle basin - the left tributary of the Rhine. The Moselle is the main river of Luxembourg. It also flows in France and Germany. The Moselle rises on the southwestern slopes of the Vosges and flows predominantly in a deep, narrow valley. Floods occur from November to March, when the maximum precipitation falls. Low water - in summer, when it is warm and dry and the water content of the river is supported mainly by groundwater.
In addition to the border rivers of the Moselle and Ur, the most significant rivers of the duchy are the Sauer (Sur), flowing along the border of Essling, and the tributaries of the Sauer, flowing towards it through the Ardennes gorges (Wiltz, Clerf and Blais) and from the hilly plateaus of Gutland (Alzet). The latter is the main river of Gutland, on the banks of which there are large industrial cities of the duchy: Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Mersch and Ettelbrück. Almost all tributaries of the Alzet are left-handed, which is explained by the asymmetry of its valley, associated with the cuestal character of the relief.
An important source of nutrition for Luxembourg's rivers is groundwater, which is mostly at a depth of less than 5 m. The rivers of the elevated part of Luxembourg are mostly fed by rain. There are springs, and in the karst areas there are small underground reservoirs, which also serve as a source of river nutrition.
Soils and flora of Luxembourg
Contrasts in relief and climate also affected the diversity of the soil and vegetation cover of Luxembourg, which was formed mainly on sedimentary sandy-clay deposits, shales and limestones.
On the mountain slopes of the Ardennes, brown forest soils developed under the forests. They have a small capacity and are infertile, so the slopes are mostly used for pastures. In the south and south-west of Luxembourg, with the exception of the Moselle valley, humus-carbonate fertile soils are widespread, used everywhere for gardens, vineyards, orchards, and fields. The Moselle and Sauer valleys are dominated by brown soils and rendzins, or sod-calcareous soils, formed on carbonate rocks under coniferous, deciduous-coniferous, and broad-leaved forests. Peaty soils are common in depressions.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when Luxembourg was part of France, it was called the Forest Department (Foret). And still, in comparison with other countries of Western Europe, Luxembourg impresses with a large (relative to the size of its territory) area of forests, naturalness of its nature. More than 1/3 of the territory of the duchy is occupied by oak and beech forests.
Almost all forests are concentrated in Essling and the northern part of Gutland. Here, in addition to oak, beech, hornbeam, ash, alder grow, and birch grows on plateau peat bogs. Among the shrubs, hazel, euonymus, viburnum, wild rose, honeysuckle are most common.
In the upper parts of the northern and western slopes of the Ardennes in Essling, you can also see coniferous trees: larch and spruce. Pine trees were introduced to Luxembourg about 150 years ago and currently define the landscape in the far north of Essling.
On peaty and barren sandy soils, heaths are often found - evergreen shrubs with hard, narrow leaves. Moorlands are typical of places with a cool and humid climate. Among the heather there are clusters of lingonberry shrubs, crowberries, blueberries, bilberries, many mosses and lichens.
Mountain herbs are characterized by various types of nutritious cereal - ryegrass (translated from English literally: "rye grass"), the main plant of pastures. Ryegrass regrows well after grazing and cutting and is eaten by all types of livestock.
In the south and southwest of Luxembourg, with its fertile humus-calcareous soils, large areas are used for agricultural land. There are also many parks here, which to some extent replenish the cut down forests.
In the duchy, there are many southern plants from the Mediterranean flora, reaching here the northern border of their ranges: walnut, apricot, and from shrubs - holly, boxwood, dogwood, barberry. Many of these species are cultivated in southern Luxembourg and form an important part of plantings in parks, home gardens and gardens.
Animal world of Luxembourg
Under the influence of human economic activity, the conditions for the existence of most animals have changed, some of which have completely disappeared. Large animals mostly became victims of unplanned and unsystematic hunting, and some of them were deliberately destroyed by man as pests or predators. Wolves, wild cat bears have long disappeared. Few surviving individuals of roe deer, wild boar chamois are protected by law. In the forest thickets, you can occasionally meet such animals as the marten or weasel, wandering here from the French Vosges.
On arable land, you can often see hares, many more squirrels, and among birds - wood pigeons, jays and buzzards, as well as pheasants. Sparrowhawk became a rare guest. In the forests, in dense thickets, hazel grouse lives. Capercaillie remained in the north of Esling. Here, according to licenses, seasonal hunting for quails and woodcocks is allowed. In the pine forests at any time of the year you can hear the gentle chirping of the beetle. Sometimes flocks of crossbills are seen in the sky. Along the banks of the rivers of Essling, rich in fish, one can meet the blue kingfisher, which has become rare in other places, and remains here for the winter. In summer, you can hear the singing of a robin, a tiny wren, a flute-like voice of an oriole, a cuckoo's cuckoo and a cry of a frightened blackbird.
Occasionally there is a large black woodpecker with a sparkling fiery red crest. High in the sky sometimes a kite, a falcon soar, looking out for mice in the furrows of arable land. The singing of a lark and the monotonous melody of oatmeal are heard. Shrikes fly low over the bushes in search of prey. Where cattle graze, starlings and magpies appear.
The green woodpecker lives in the orchards, and in the spring a many-voiced roll call is heard in the bushes, led by willow warblers and chiffchaffs, warblers, finches and tits. In the warm valleys you can also hear the nightingale. In autumn, tits, goldfinches and linnets gather in large flocks. Sparrows and swallows are constantly scurrying around human habitation.
Coots live near the water. Trout, mollusks, as well as snails, water bugs, and ciliary worms (turbellaria) are found in the streams and rivers of Essling.
Population, language and culture of Luxembourg
The population of Luxembourg is 550 thousand inhabitants. Over the past 30 years, population growth has amounted to almost 100,000. This growth was mainly due to immigration. Currently, about 46% of the population has foreign citizenship. Of the 435,000 inhabitants, according to estimates, 290 thousand inhabitants are citizens of Luxembourg, and the rest are foreigners, including the French - 69.2 thousand people, Germans - 33.9 thousand people, Belgians - 33.7 thousand people and others
The official languages are German and French, but in 1982 the Luxembourgish language, which is a mixture of the Moselle-Frankish dialect, was given national status. It is he who is the language of everyday communication of local residents. English is also widely used. French is most commonly used for official ceremonies.
The modern history of Luxembourg begins with the Congress of Vienna, which proclaimed an independent Grand Duchy, and in 1867 the Treaty of London secured the permanent neutrality of Luxembourg. Until 1890, the Grand Duchy was part of the Netherlands, but since 1890 it has been ruled by its own dynasty. In 1948, Luxembourg renounced its neutrality in order to enter the new associations of post-war Europe. France and Germany had the most noticeable influence on the local culture, however, the country developed a sense of its own independence, which was most clearly manifested in the official approval of its own national language. The population of the city of Luxembourg is small (86 thousand people), which is more than 1/6 of the country's population. The population of the city can be divided into two ethnic groups - Germans and French, each of which has the right to speak their native language.
Source - http://evrotrip.ru/
It is not surprising that in a country of such modest size, the climate is almost the same everywhere. Much more unusual is that the climate changes little with the seasons.
Luxembourg has moderate weather for most of the year, with warm summers and cool winters. It is relatively cold only from November to February, but even during this period the temperature almost never drops below zero.
The most sunny days are from May to August, during this time the average temperature is about 20 °C during the day and about 10 °C at night.
April and September are also quite sunny. In the Ardennes, snow often lies throughout the winter, at which time the sun appears for only a few hours during the day. Precipitation falls almost evenly throughout the year. This means that one good rain falls on average once every three days.
Spring is the best time of the year to visit the country
Nature is flourishing, and numerous holidays and national folklore festivals are in full swing.
From spring to autumn, the weather favors being outdoors, but you should not pay attention to the rain. Winters in Luxembourg are much milder than in neighboring countries.
Luxembourg is a truly amazing country, the cradle of European Gothic castles and other masterpieces of ancient architecture, as well as memorable picturesque natural landscapes of deciduous and coniferous forests.
Luxembourg on the world map
The picturesque state called Luxembourg is located in the heart of Western Europe and is one of the most famous tourist centers in the region.
Luxembourg covers only 2,600 square kilometers, making it one of the smallest countries in the world. The capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is the city of the same name - "Luxembourg". At the moment, about 550 thousand people live in the country. The local population is fluent in French and German, but the Luxembourgish language is no less in demand. 
The country has no access to the oceans and seas. The southern state border, 73 kilometers long, separates the European pearl from, from the northwest Luxembourg is adjacent to Belgium, sharing about 150 kilometers of a common border with this country, and from the east it borders on, the length of the cordon is almost 140 kilometers.
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Tourists from all over the world come here almost all year round; this duchy has its own indescribable and unique charm. In almost every town in Luxembourg, you can find an ancient medieval castle, which has survived to this day thanks to the incredible efforts of the local population. Luxembourgers value and honor their traditions, so national festivals and events are celebrated on a grand scale. That is why many people come here to experience the unforgettable festive atmosphere and get to know the culture better.
The northern regions of Luxembourg are characterized by rolling hills, which gradually turn into swampy lowlands in the south. The relief of the country is predominantly flat. The small northern uplands were called the Ardennes. In the south of the country, the relief is represented by the Luxembourg Plateau. It is here that the high-altitude maximum of the duchy is located - a hill called Kneiff with a height of about 560 meters. Not far from it, you can also see the lowest point of Luxembourg - the place where the three rivers Wasserbillige, Sauer and Moselle become one. This point rises above sea level by 132 meters.
More than thirty percent of the public domains of Luxembourg are covered with a dense cover of forests, which are a national treasure and are under the protection of the state. These lands look really beautiful. Bright dark green forests are closely intertwined with agricultural land. In the east of the country, the luxurious valley of the Moselle River stretches, the territory of which the hardworking inhabitants of Luxembourg use to grow grapes. Southeast of the rich vineyards, industrial areas of the duchy stretch, where ore is mined.
As for the water resources of Luxembourg, they are represented by several full-flowing rivers that flow through the territory of this country. The most important river in these lands is considered to be the Moselle. It has a fairly dense network of canals and tributaries, and is also directly connected to many European waterways. However, in terms of its size and scope, the Sauer is considered the largest river in Luxembourg. A river that originated in and carries its waters to the Moselle through the territory of Luxembourg.
Flag of Luxembourg
The national flag of Luxembourg has three horizontal stripes of red, white and blue in the respective order from top to bottom. One can hardly fail to notice the similarities between the state symbol of Luxembourg and Holland. The thing is that the military history of these countries dates back to the eighteenth century.
In 1815, Holland and Luxembourg were under the rule of King Willem the First. It was he who first used the national flag of this color. Modern Luxembourg, as an independent state, officially adopted such a flag only in August 1972. So that the similarity between it and the Dutch flag was not so obvious, it was decided to lighten the blue stripe. A new version of the national symbol was adopted in 1992.
Features of the climate of Luxembourg
Since Luxembourg occupies a small area, the weather conditions in different parts of the duchy differ little from each other. The state is ruled by a temperate climate with relatively warm and humid winters and cool summers. The temperature maximum is observed in July, when the air temperature during the day exceeds 24 degrees Celsius, and at night it drops to 12 degrees with a plus sign. The most sunny days in Luxembourg are in August and September.
You should not expect severe frosts from winter in Luxembourg, because even on the coldest day in January, the temperature column here does not fall below one degree of heat. Only at night can be observed minus temperature - up to three degrees of frost. The highlands of the Ardennes usually experience snowfall in winter.
As for precipitation, Luxembourg receives no more than 900 millimeters of precipitation per year. Most of them belong to the winter period, when fluffy snow brings a fairy tale to the duchy. It is impossible to single out the most suitable period of time for traveling in Luxembourg, as here you can find something to your liking all year round. In summer, cozy well-groomed streets of cities, blooming parks and flower beds simply cannot but impress tourists with their grace and ingenuity. But the winter landscapes of Luxembourg, as well as traditional New Year and Christmas celebrations, turn this country into a fairy tale come true with ancient castles, dense forests and unsurpassed traditional cuisine.
Recreation and entertainment in Luxembourg
Wine connoisseurs should definitely visit Luxembourg and taste local alcoholic drinks. Wine here is made not only from grapes, but also from black currants. It is better to try the masterpieces of traditional wineries from the Moselle River Valley with chocolates prepared by craftsmen from Luxembourg. Not only alcoholic drinks deserve special attention, but also the traditional cuisine of the Duchy.
The magnificent museums of Luxembourg can acquaint travelers with the rich culture and history of this miniature European state. The National Museum of History and Art impresses with its scope. Attention should also be paid to local churches and cathedrals, for example, Notre Dame Cathedral, which was built in the seventeenth century. However, most of all tourists love local castles. These majestic centuries-old architectural structures bring us back to those distant times, when horse-drawn carts traveled along the European streets of Luxembourg, and ladies in magnificent dresses went to magnificent balls and solemn meetings in castles.
As for the holidays and significant events that deserve the attention of tourists, it is worth remembering the spring fire festival, when all the people of Luxembourg set fires and meet the sun. Also in August, the whole country celebrates the so-called Schueberführer festival, which is also called the March of the Sheep. Citizens dress up in national costumes and walk along the local streets with painted sheep to the enchanting sounds of music. A trip to Luxembourg will certainly become a bright and memorable event in your life!
The territorial location of Luxembourg determines the climate, transitional from maritime to continental and temperate.
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The territorial location of Luxembourg determines the climate, transitional from maritime to continental and temperate. In the middle of summer, temperatures usually range from +22 C° to +24 C°.
Winter weather is characterized by its mildness. Average winter temperatures range from +1 C° to +3 C° (during the day) and from -1 C° to -3 C° at night.
Precipitation varies from 760 mm in the south to 900 mm in the north.
Weather in Luxembourg cities now
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2586 km2, elevation difference - 428 m. The northern part is higher, the southern part is lowland (Red Lands).
The relief is mostly flat, in the north there are small uplands of the Ardennes, in the southern part the Luxembourg Plateau is distinguished. The highest point is the Kneiff hill [(560 m), the lowest is the confluence of the Sauer into the Moselle in the Wasserbillig (132 m).
From the point of view of geology Luxembourg is divided into two parts: Oesling (Oesling) in the north, about 555 meters above sea level, which is a spur of the Ardennes and occupies almost a third of the country, all covered with forests and amazingly beautiful, and the Good country (Good country) in the south, with alternating forests and agricultural land, located at 426 meters above sea level.
One of the eastern borders is wine-growing Moselle valley, and in the south-east of the country there is a narrow strip of red earth, which is nothing more than an ore region of Luxembourg.
Several rivers cross the country, the largest of them is the Moselle, which is all cut up by canals and has access to the largest European waterways. The river network is dense and branched. The rivers of Luxembourg belong to the Rhine basin. In the southern part Luxembourg there are deposits of iron ore.
Relief of Luxembourg
The relief is mostly smooth highlands with wide deep valleys; the highlands pass in the north into small mountains, and in the southeast it sharply descends into the valley of the Mosell River.
overgrown with forests Ardennes mountains stretch through the northern regions of the country, and the Sauer and Moselle rivers form its eastern border.
The south of Luxembourg is occupied mainly by a hilly plain, in the north - by the spurs of the Ardennes. The rivers belong to the Moselle basin. Several reserves, part of a natural national park located in Germany.
Southern half of Luxembourg Gutland- is a continuation of the Lorraine plateau and is characterized by a wavy cuesta relief. A system of ridges and ledges is expressed here, gradually lowering to the east.
Cultural landscapes predominate. In the north of the country, in Essling, occupied by the foothills of the Ardennes, a strongly dissected relief is developed with heights up to 400–500 m.
The highest point is Burgplatz (559 m). The largest river of Luxembourg - Sur (Sauer) - originates in Belgium and flows to the east, then after confluence with Ur to the southeast and south and flows into the Moselle.
The Alzete, a southern tributary of the Sur, flows through the capital city of Luxembourg and the industrial cities of Esch-sur-Alzete, Mersch and Ettelbrück.
Climate of Luxembourg
As for the weather, Luxembourg does not shine with special variety. Luxembourg is dominated by a temperate type of climate, transitional from maritime to continental - it is characterized by wet winters and cool summers.
The hottest month is July, at this time during the daytime the air warms up to 22..24 degrees of heat, and at night it is about +12..+14 degrees. Winter here is mild, the coldest month is January. In January, during the day the air temperature fluctuates from 1 to 3 degrees of heat, at night - from -3 to -1 degrees.
The average temperature in January is 0 °С, in July - about + 17 °С. Snow often falls in the Ardennes in winter. The sunniest months are from May to August, but it is also sunny in the first half of September.
During the year, 760 mm of precipitation falls in the south of the country, and the largest amount of precipitation falls in the north of the country - up to 900 mm, snowfalls are frequent here in winter. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, small maxima are observed in May, June and November, December.
