Expat Sales professionals who relocate to Luxembourg are likely to be very pleasantly surprised that this diminutive nation offers a virtual goldmine of opportunities – both in monetary and non-monetary terms.

Luxembourg is a small landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by France, Germany, and Belgium. The world’s only ‘Grand Duchy’ (i.e. one that has a Grand Duke or Grand Duchess as head of state), Luxembourg is the second-smallest country in the European Union, larger only than Malta.

The country houses a population of less than a half million people in an area of about 2,500 square kilometers.

Ruled by a Grand Duke, Luxembourg is a legislative representative democracy. The nation was a founding member of the European Union, NATO, the United Nations, and the Western European Union. The country is trilingual; French, German, and Luxembourgish are official languages. English is also widely spoken there.

According to significant – albeit partly subjective – 2005 surveys, Luxembourg ranks fourth out of 111 in ‘Quality of Life’ listings. The surveys included such subjective factors as ‘life-satisfaction’, as well as objective determinants such as material well-being, health, and political stability.

In other surveys, Luxembourg ranked first among 215 cities worldwide as the world's safest - rating 39 criteria, including crime, health, education, and transport. Also, Luxembourg City was listed by the European Union as a leader of Europe’s cleanest cities.

Stable, Robust Economy

The economy of Luxembourg is noteworthy for its close links with the rest of Europe, since the country is not large enough to maintain a self-sustaining domestic market. Luxembourg’s wealth was initially based on the iron and steel industry, which in the 1960s accounted for as much as 80% of the total value of exports.

By the late 1900s, however, the nation’s economic dynamism stemmed chiefly from its involvement in international banking and financial services, and in various non-commercial activities, including hosting Europe-wide political activities.

Luxembourg's steady, dynamic economy is characterised by reasonable growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector has become more expansive, and includes chemicals, rubber, and other products.

The country’s financial sector has undergone tremendous growth during the past decades. Services, in particular banking, account for the majority of the generated revenue. The financial sector now accounts for about 28% of Luxembourg’s GDP.

Highest GDP

Luxembourg maintains markedly close financial ties to Belgium and the Netherlands and, as an EU member, reaps the rewards of the open European market.

As of 2006, the nation possessed the largest GDP per capita in the world – at US$87,995. And, in 2007, unemployment was just under 5% of the labour force.

Doing Business in Luxembourg

Expat investors, employees and others report an extremely long list of incentives that draw them to Luxembourg as a business locale. Among them:

• Strategic location
• Impartiality
• Security
• Country’s financial health
• Skilled multi-lingual workforce
• Outstanding infrastructure
• Superior IT Framework
• Flexible authorities
• Appealing lifestyle

Enthusiastic expats almost always describe their stay in Luxembourg in the most superlative terms.

Leisure Activities

When you’re not busy earning a very lucrative income, you’ll find this beautiful country has much to offer with respect to leisure activities. Among the most popular pursuits:

• Hiking: Despite its small size, Luxembourg has a broad network of hiking and walking routes. Almost one third of the nation consists of forests, and – at last count - there were 171 official hiking routes and 19 national footpaths.
• Golf: Luxembourg offers six golf clubs, including five 18-hole courses and one 9-hole course.
• Water Sports: Swimming, sailing and windsurfing are very popular and various sailing schools offer lessons.
• Wine Tasting: The gentle, sunny climate here is ideal for wine making – and for wine-tasting, a very popular pastime.
• Fishing: Fishing is allowed only in designated areas of lakes and rivers throughout the country, with trout being the most popular catch.
• Cycling: With more than 30 marked cycling routes, it is feasible to ride from the south to the north on car-free routes.

For those who are drawn to pub-hopping, a wide diversity of establishments exists, in part due to the large and varied expat population there. Lively night clubs also abound. The capital is a cosmopolitan European capital with a fun and exciting night life.

Despite significant modernisation, Luxembourg City still preserves a healthy measure of peace and serenity. The amalgamation of multinational cultural events, the central location, high quality of life – and so much more - makes Luxembourg a locale of huge popularity and great prominence in Europe.

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For further information about Luxembourg we recommend that you visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxembourg where you will find many useful links and informative articles to prepare you for your move.