The smallest member of the European Union (about 350,000 people). The remnant of a once larger state of Luxembourg which controlled much of the middle land between Germany and France (part of Lotharingia, the inheritance of Lothar, one of three grandsons of Charlemagne). The people speak a variety of German but the government is conducted in French. Luxembourg was a member of Benelux, a precursor of the European Community. Financially the country was linked to Belgium (the Luxembourg Franc was equal to the Belgian Franc). The European Court of Justice is located in Luxembourg. (This court judges cases arising from the various European Union treaties, not human Rights, which are heard in the Council of Europe's Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg).

Letzburgish - a German dialect

French

A constitutional monarchy (headed by a Grand Duke) with an elected parliament and executive prime minister.

Luxembourg contained coal mines and steel industry. It is part of the heartland of western European heavy industry, though now in decline and being replaced by services.

It is probably the richest state in the EU with the highest GNP per capita.