Geography of Luxembourg

Luxembourg is a small country in the Low Countries, part of North-West Europe. It touches Belgium to the west and north, France to the south, and Germany to the east. Luxembourg has no coast and is far from the North Sea.

Luxembourg has two main areas. The north, called the Éislek, is hilly. The south, called the Gutland, is flat. The longest river is the Sauer, which joins the Moselle. Other rivers include the Alzette in the south and the Wiltz in the north.

The capital and biggest city is Luxembourg City, in the Gutland. Most people live in the south, in towns like Esch-sur-Alzette, Dudelange, and Differdange. Other main towns are near the border with France, in the southern Red Lands area.

Physical geography

Luxembourg is small but has many different landscapes. The north is part of the Ardennes with heights between 450 and 560 metres (1,500 to 1,800 feet). The rest of the country has rolling hills and wide valleys, with the capital, Luxembourg City, in the south.

Much of Luxembourg’s land is used for grazing cattle because the soil is hard to farm. The Upper Sûre National Park in the north is a popular area for hikers. South of the Sûre River lies the Gutland, which makes up most of the country. This area has fertile soil, so many fruits like strawberries, apples, plums, and cherries are grown there. The southern part has red rocks and lots of iron ore.

Luxembourg has several rivers. The largest is the Moselle, which starts in France, flows through Luxembourg for 31 km (19 mi), and then joins the Rhine in Germany. The Sûre runs from Belgium through Luxembourg and into the Moselle. The Our river marks part of the border with Germany. The biggest lake is the Upper Sûre lake, which is great for sailing, canoeing, and kayaking. The town of Esch-sur-Sûre is near this lake.

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Moselle at Wasserbillig - 133 m
highest point: Kneiff near Wilwerdange - 560 m

Environment

Luxembourg has a mild climate with warm summers and cool winters. The weather changes often, especially in the north, where rain and cloudy days are common in winter. The south gets more sun and warmth, which is good for growing crops like grapes.

The country has many different kinds of trees, such as beech and oak. Along rivers, you can find black alder and willow trees. These trees stay healthy even in tough conditions. Some rare animals, like the European otter, live in the valleys of the north. Even in places where people used to dig for minerals, nature has returned with many colorful flowers.

Geographical statistics

Geographic coordinates: 49°45′N 6°10′E / 49.750°N 6.167°E / 49.750; 6.167

Luxembourg is a small country that covers 2,586 square kilometers. It has only land and no bodies of water. It has some natural resources, like iron ore, but this is no longer mined. Most of the land is used for things other than farming, with only a small part used for crops. The country also has a small amount of irrigated land and a modest supply of fresh water.

Area:
total: 2 586 km²
land: 2 586 km²
water: 0 km²

Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Land use:
arable land: 23.9%
permanent crops: 0.56%
other: 75.52% (2011)

Irrigated land: 10 km² (including Belgium) (1993 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 3.1 km³