Luxembourg coming in at a whopping 999 square miles is a true David among Goliaths. The triangle-shaped country is surrounded on all sides, like a well set ambush, by Germany to the east, France to the south, and Belgium to the west. With a temperate climate and a rather low population density it is the perfect place to get away from the fast paced life many of us share here in the states. The southern portion of the country is known as the “the Good Land” or in words of the surrounding populace Bon Pays or Gutland in French and German, contains one of Europe’s major iron ore deposits. This natural resource is the main source of the country’s wealth. The remaining northern portion, called Eisléck is a heavily forested hilly area even more sparsely populated. The country is the main hub between the surrounding countries and as such the residents are multilingual. The main languages are French, German, and Luxembourgish, known formally as Lëtzebuergesch. The native residents speak Luxembourgish in more intimate casual settings. The
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Therefore, the prime minister is appointed by the grand duke or duchess, the traditional head of state and the prime minister is responsible to a Chamber of Deputies of around sixty members that are elected by the popular vote every five years. There are three factions in the political realm, the conservative Christian Social Party, the liberal Socialist Workers’ Party, and the centrist Democratic Party. The legal system is mostly influenced by French legal practice. The highest court is the Cour de Superieure de Justice or the Superior Court of Justice. The grand duke appoints the judges for life. Luxembourg is also an active member of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The country spends less than one percent of its gross domestic product on defense and has a volunteer army of approximately eight hundred active duty
Therefore, the prime minister is appointed by the grand duke or duchess, the traditional head of state and the prime minister is responsible to a Chamber of Deputies of around sixty members that are elected by the popular vote every five years. There are three factions in the political realm, the conservative Christian Social Party, the liberal Socialist Workers’ Party, and the centrist Democratic Party. The legal system is mostly influenced by French legal practice. The highest court is the Cour de Superieure de Justice or the Superior Court of Justice. The grand duke appoints the judges for life. Luxembourg is also an active member of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The country spends less than one percent of its gross domestic product on defense and has a volunteer army of approximately eight hundred active duty