Luxembourg

A landlocked country in north-western Europe, Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in the world. Throughout its long history, Luxembourg has been under the jurisdiction of many states and monarchies, but since the 10th century it has been an independent, if not always autonomous, political entity. The ancient Saxon name for the capital, Lucilinburhuc, means " Little Fortress". This symbolized the strategic position of the town, which was the "Gibraltar of the North", along the main military route connecting Germanic and Frankish territories. The country's northern third is called Oesling and is part of the Ardennes. It is made up of hills and low mountains, including Kneiff near Wilwerdange, the highest point at 560 meters. Gutland is the southern two-thirds of the country, and is more populated than Oesling. In addition, it is more diverse and is split into five geographical sub-regions. The Luxembourg Plateau is a large, flat, sandstone formation in the south-central part of Luxembourg, and is where the city of Luxembourg is located. To the east of Luxembourg, Little Switzerland has a craggy topography and dense forests. The lowest-lying region is the Moselle Valley, which stretches along the south-eastern border. Far to the south and south-west, the Red Lands are the industrial center of Luxembourg, where many of Luxembourg's largest towns are located. Three rivers form the border between Luxembourg and Germany: the Moselle, the Sauer and the Our.