After centuries of foreign rule, it should come as no surprise that Luxembourg’s population is composed of about 30% foreigners - the highest ratio of any EU country. Today’s invading hordes, however, cross the borders quietly, caps in hand, nurturing sweet dreams of employment opportunities rather than pillage and plunder. Luxembourg’s per capita GDP was the world’s highest in 1997, its standard of living consistently rates among the best, and its workforce boasts a remarkably low unemployment rate. Not bad for a country with a population about 30 times less than that of Los Angeles.

Squashed in between two major historical world powers (and having been conquered at times by both of them), Luxembourg takes a good deal of its identity from its neighbours’ contributions. This shows itself both in the generally amicable relationship between the countries and their citizens and in their shared linguistic traits. Multilingualism is universal among Luxembourgers, and both the German and French languages are used in the press, in politics and in daily life. French is most common in government and schools, though Luxembourgish is the language you’ll hear most frequently on the street. English is widely understood in tourist areas.

Luxembourg’s cuisine is similar to that of Belgium’s Wallonia region - plenty of pork, fish and game - but also features some heavy German influence in local specialties like liver dumplings with sauerkraut. Its beer (like that of neighbouring Belgium) is not too shabby; neither are the Moselle Valley’s fruity white wines.

Few Luxembourg natives are internationally famous in the arts, which probably explains why Edward Steichen, a pioneer in American photography, is held in such high regard in his homeland. While the capital has a few good museums and galleries, few of the native artists seem to exhibit beyond the country’s border. Expressionist painter Joseph Kutter brought modern art to Luxembourg. Roger Mandersheid is a respected contemporary writer who often publishes in Luxembourgish.