The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg shares borders to the north and west with Belgium, to the south with France and to the east
with Germany. One-third of the country is made up of the hills and forests of the Ardennes, while the rest is wooded farmland.
In the southeast is the rich wine-growing valley of Moselle. The capital, Luxembourg-Ville, is built on a rock overlooking
the Alzette and Petrusse valleys.
Government
Constitutional monarchy. Luxembourg is a founding member of the European Union and the only Grand Duchy in the world. Head of State: Grand Duke Henri since 2000. Head of Government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker since 1995. Recent history: Jean-Claude Juncker, of the conservative Christian Social Party, has been Prime Minister since 1995 when his predecessor,
Jacques Santer, became President of the European Commission. His party had originally formed a coalition government with the
Democratic Party. Following the June 2004 general elections, he formed a coalition with the Socialist Workers Party.
Language
Lëtzeburgesch, a German-Moselle-Frankish dialect, became the officially recognised national language in 1984. French and German
are generally used for administrative and commercial purposes. Many Luxembourgers also speak English.
Religion
Around 88 per cent Roman Catholic, with Protestant, Anglican, Jewish and Muslim minorities.
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz.
SOCIAL CONVENTIONS
Handshaking is the normal greeting. The code of practice for visiting someone’s home is similar to other Western European
countries: it is acceptable to give gifts or flowers if invited for a meal. Smart-casual dress is widely acceptable, but some
dining rooms, clubs and social functions will demand formal attire. Evening wear, black tie (for men) is usually specified
on invitation if required. Smoking is prohibited where notified and is becoming increasingly unacceptable.
Overview 
