Counties/Towns

• Capital: Luxembourg
• Administrative divisions: 3 districts (Luxembourg, Diekirch and Grevenmacher) Cantons: 12 cantons
• Local town council areas: 118 local town council areas (communes)
• Electoral constituencies: 4 electoral constituencies (north, south, east and centre)
• Largest communes: Luxembourg (83.800 inhabitants), Esch-sur-Alzette (27,900 inhabitants), Differdange (18,900 inhabitants)
• Natural regions: Oesling in the north (32% of the territory), Gutland in the south (68% of the territory)

The capital, Luxembourg City, is located in the South of Luxembourg, 294km (183mi) east of Paris, 190km (118mi) southeast of Brussels and 176km (110mi) west of Frankfurt. The Müllerthal region, located in the north-east of the capital, is Luxembourg's 'Little Switzerland'; an area of predictable charm and renowned for its recreational possibilities. Just east of the capital there is Luxembourg's portion of the Moselle Valley which is well-known for its vineyards. The northern third of the country, the Eisléck or Oesling, is part of the Ardennes plateau and famous as the scene of the 1944-45 Battle of the Bulge. It is mainly composed of densely forested highlands, peppered with medieval castles like Vianden, Esch-sur-Sûre and Bourscheid. The southern two thirds of the country known collectively as Gutland, or the 'Good Country'  is dedicated mostly to farming and viticulture and is covered in rolling hills and patches of forest. At its southern end, a narrow swath of red soil belies the country's once vast iron ore deposits and aging steel industry in what's known as the Minette, or the 'Land of the Red Earth'. Luxembourg City is the biggest city in Luxembourg and counts some 83.800 inhabitants 60% of which are foreigners. Sources: Luxembourg in figures, online publication: http://www.eu2005.lu/en/savoir_lux/lux_chiffres/index.html, as at 11/07/2007 Lonely Planet Guides, Luxembourg, online publication: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/luxembourg/, as at 11/07/2007