There are countries which are more significant than their size would suggest. In Europe one of them is Luxembourg without any doubt. The smallest state in the European Union and one of its 6 founders, the Grand Duchy means much more than green rolling hills, medieval castles and quiet life. For the close neighbors this country is an inexhaustible source of cheap gas. For all the others, especially for those who count their funds by millions, Luxembourg may be the best place for their money. Benefiting from special treatment for non-residents and foreign companies as well as from the relatively lower taxes, many foreigners prefer to invest at least some of their assets in this paradise.

Luxembourg was founded more than 1,000 years ago with a population of predominantly German origin. Famous for its strong fortifications and being at the crossroad between the France and German states, this region was invaded tens of times during the Middle Ages as well as in the modern times. In the last 100 years it was twice smashed under the German military machine. So it isn't surprising that in Luxembourg people prefer to call their own dialect of the German language "Luxembourgish".

The authorities also prefer to assert the presence of the French language. In the official lingo there is almost no place for the German. On the other hand, it's widely spoken among the general population, influenced by the myriad of German TV cable channels. People who already have moved to Luxembourg suggest the newcomers to try to learn Luxembourgish to show their respect for the local people. In fact a third of the working force in the country is born elsewhere, mainly in France, Belgium or Germany so you may not have to practice your Luxembourgish very often outside official correspondence.

Luxumbourg is a paradise for tourists. You can easily see most of the landscape in almost no time. You can also do it in almost every season because the weather in Luxembourg varies within a relatively small corridor. Even if prices are higher than in neighboring countries, some tourist facilities could be found even for budget-concious tourists.

 

For those who wish to move permanently to Luxembourg they should be aware of the prices that are among the highest in Europe. Not so big old apartments of 800 sq. feet are priced at 200-250,000 and up. The new construction is even more expensive. The resale houses of 1,500 sq.feet begin at 250-300,000 and the newly built at 500,000. These prices should be adjusted to include the cost of property registration (6) and the additional transcript tax (1). The municipal property tax varies between 0.7 and 1.0 per year.

For those for whom renting is an option, small apartments can hardly be found below 1,000 per month. As for the houses, their rents start at 2,500. The conclusion could easily be drawn; Luxembourg is fine for those who are invited to some executive positions or for those for whom the tax savings are the main concern. For the rest of the public Luxembourg will remain just another pleasant tourist destination.

    Country profile:

        * Area: 2,586 sq. km
        * Population: 448,569 (July 2002 est.)
        * Population growth rate: 1.25 (2002 est.)
        * Net migration rate: 9.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
        * Life expectancy at birth: 77.48 years
        * Languages:
              o Luxembourgish
              o German
              o French
        * GDP per capita: 44,000 (2002 est.)
        * Main trade partners: Germany, France, Belgium, US.
        * Internet users: 100,000 (2001)

    (Source: CIA - The World Factbook 2002)