Greater Region of Luxembourg
Encyclopedia
The Greater Region of Luxembourg (or simply Greater Region) is a geopolitical region within Europe, created to promote economic, cultural, touristic and social development. It occupies an area of 65,401 km2 with Luxembourg
at its center and including adjacent regions of Belgium, Germany and France.
, Wallonia, Saarland
, Lorraine
, Rhineland-Palatinate
and the German-speaking community of Belgium
, covering a total area of 65,401 km2 and spreading more than 400 km from east to west and more than 350 km from north to south. Northern Wallonia and the Rhine valley
are parts of a single mountain ridge, which forms a natural border in the north and northeast of the Greater Region. Numerous large cities and a high density of population and transport networks significantly influence the layout of this northern part. In the south, on the other hand, the Greater Region is connected to a diagonal of small population density and low economic dynamism proceeding from the center of Spain to the eastern plains of the Paris Basin
. In between these two regions, the Euroregion
of SaarLorLux
constitutes an industrial core area with many urban agglomerations in the geometric center of the Greater Region. Within this area, the densely populated axes of the Moselle
and Saar valleys, and the extensive transport network that connects this central region with the outlying regions of the Rhine, provide internal continuity and essential access to the neighboring regions.
A very slight decrease of the total population of the Greater Region is forecast for 2030. However, there are important differences in the projected evolution of the populations of the various subregions. For example, Luxembourg will experience an increase of 0.25%, while a decrease of 0.11% is predicted for the German state of Saarland
.
in France, Rodange
in Luxembourg and Athus
in Belgium.
The European center situated between the rivers Saar, Moselle and Meuse presents the highest number and density of cross-border commuters in the European Union
. More than half of them come from Lorraine
and almost three-quarters (73.4%) work in Luxembourg. Luxembourg and the Saarland both have a net in-flow of cross-border commuters. However, that of Luxembourg is constantly high, while that of the Saarland is continuously diminishing. The other subregions have more out-commuters than in-commuters. Lorraine provides the highest number of workers for the neighbouring regions (89,478 as of 2009).
for a period of one year, during which they had the chance to showcase their cultural life and cultural development. For their focal themes, the subregions selected:
The Espace culturel Grande Région (Cultural Space Greater Region) association was created in 2007 while the Greater Region was a European Capital of Culture. This association is a project cofinanced by the European Regional Development Funds, within the framework of the INTERREG IV A program Grande Région. Its goals are the pursuit and conservation of cross-border cultural cooperation. The main activities of the association are to bring cultural authorities of the Greater Region together and to define a common work program. This work program of the Espace culturel Grande Région is has the following key themes:
The partners of the Espace culturel Grande Région are:
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
at its center and including adjacent regions of Belgium, Germany and France.
Geography
The Greater Region of Luxembourg is composed of the Grand Duchy of LuxembourgLuxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, Wallonia, Saarland
Saarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...
, Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
, Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
and the German-speaking community of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, covering a total area of 65,401 km2 and spreading more than 400 km from east to west and more than 350 km from north to south. Northern Wallonia and the Rhine valley
Rhine Valley
The Rhine Valley is a glacial alpine valley, formed by the Alpine Rhine , i.e. the section of the Rhine River between the confluence of the Anterior Rhine and Posterior Rhine at Reichenau and its mouth at Lake Constance....
are parts of a single mountain ridge, which forms a natural border in the north and northeast of the Greater Region. Numerous large cities and a high density of population and transport networks significantly influence the layout of this northern part. In the south, on the other hand, the Greater Region is connected to a diagonal of small population density and low economic dynamism proceeding from the center of Spain to the eastern plains of the Paris Basin
Paris Basin
Paris Basin may refer to:*As a hydrological basin, it is largely the basin of the River Seine* Paris Basin , the geological basin...
. In between these two regions, the Euroregion
Euroregion
In European politics, the term Euroregion usually refers to a transnational co-operation structure between two contiguous territories located in different European countries. Euroregions represent a specific type of cross-border region.-Scope:...
of SaarLorLux
SaarLorLux
SaarLorLux or Saar-Lor-Lux, , a portmanteau of Saarland, Lorraine, Luxembourg, is a Euroregion of five different regional authorities located in four different European states. The term has also been applied to cooperations of several of these authorities or of their subdivisions, administrations,...
constitutes an industrial core area with many urban agglomerations in the geometric center of the Greater Region. Within this area, the densely populated axes of the Moselle
Moselle valley
The Moselle valley is a region in north-eastern France, south-western Germany, and eastern Luxembourg, centred on the river valley formed by the Moselle...
and Saar valleys, and the extensive transport network that connects this central region with the outlying regions of the Rhine, provide internal continuity and essential access to the neighboring regions.
Demography
On 1 January 2008, the Greater Region of Luxembourg had 11,359,815 inhabitants distributed very unevenly among its five subregions. More than half of the population lived in Rhineland-Palatinate and Wallonia. Only 4.26 % of the total population lived in Luxembourg, the smallest subregion.A very slight decrease of the total population of the Greater Region is forecast for 2030. However, there are important differences in the projected evolution of the populations of the various subregions. For example, Luxembourg will experience an increase of 0.25%, while a decrease of 0.11% is predicted for the German state of Saarland
Saarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...
.
Economy
The Greater Region of Luxembourg is characterized by a very high number of daily commuters: in 2007–08 there were 164,000 altogether, of whom 132,000 worked in Luxembourg. Common economic problems arising from drastic changes in the industrial and coal mining areas of the four countries have led to the creation of a community of interest and to the development of common projects like the European Development Pole in the cross-border area of LongwyLongwy
Longwy is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.The inhabitants are known as Longoviciens.-Economy:Longwy has historically been an industrial center of the Lorraine iron mining district. The town is known for its artistic glazed pottery.-History:Longwy initially...
in France, Rodange
Rodange
Rodange is a town in the commune of Pétange, in south-western Luxembourg. It lies next to the border with Belgium, across which is the town of Athus. The town is to the south-west of the town of Pétange and to the west of the smaller town of Lamadelaine...
in Luxembourg and Athus
Athus
Athus is a town in the Aubange municipality of the province of Luxembourg, in south-eastern Belgium. It is located in the far south of the country, near the borders with France and Luxembourg...
in Belgium.
The European center situated between the rivers Saar, Moselle and Meuse presents the highest number and density of cross-border commuters in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. More than half of them come from Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
and almost three-quarters (73.4%) work in Luxembourg. Luxembourg and the Saarland both have a net in-flow of cross-border commuters. However, that of Luxembourg is constantly high, while that of the Saarland is continuously diminishing. The other subregions have more out-commuters than in-commuters. Lorraine provides the highest number of workers for the neighbouring regions (89,478 as of 2009).
Culture
In 2007 Luxembourg and the Greater Region were designated by the European Union to be the European Capital of CultureEuropean Capital of Culture
The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by theEuropean Union for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong European dimension....
for a period of one year, during which they had the chance to showcase their cultural life and cultural development. For their focal themes, the subregions selected:
- Luxemburg: Migration;
- Rhineland-Palatinate: Important European personalities;
- Saarland: Industry as cultural heritage;
- Lorraine: Culture and memorization;
- Wallonia: Modern forms of expression.
The Espace culturel Grande Région (Cultural Space Greater Region) association was created in 2007 while the Greater Region was a European Capital of Culture. This association is a project cofinanced by the European Regional Development Funds, within the framework of the INTERREG IV A program Grande Région. Its goals are the pursuit and conservation of cross-border cultural cooperation. The main activities of the association are to bring cultural authorities of the Greater Region together and to define a common work program. This work program of the Espace culturel Grande Région is has the following key themes:
- to reflect on the strategies of cultural policy in the Greater Region;
- to develop and conduct cross-border cultural projects;
- to develop professional skills networks;
- to encourage mobility in the Greater Region;
- to build bridges linking culture to education and other fields.
The partners of the Espace culturel Grande Région are:
- In Lorraine:
- Directorate General of the departments Moselle, Meuse and Meurthe-et-Moselle;
- Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs of Lorraine;
- Region Lorraine;
- In Luxembourg:
- Ministry of Culture of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg;
- City of Luxembourg;
- in Rhineland-Palatinate:
- Ministry of Education, Science, Youth and Culture of Rhineland-Palatinate;
- City of Trier;
- In Saarland
- Ministry of Culture of the Saarland;
- In Wallonia
- Ministry of the French Community of Belgium;
- Ministry of the German Speaking Community of Belgium.
Interregional cooperation
- Interregional labour market observatory;
- Interregional parliamentary council;
- Network of mediators;
- EuRegio SaarLorLux +;
- e-BIRD;
- Cooperation of development;
- Interregional council of the Chamber of Crafts Saar-Lor-Lux;
- Association Espace culturel Grande Région (Cultural Space Greater Region);
- Association of the museums of the Greater Region;
- Cultural portal of the Greater Region plurio.net;
- Musical cooperation of the Greater Region ;
- Chorus Robert Schumann;
- 1, 2, 3 GO;
- Germano-luxembourgeois secondary school Schengen-Perl;
- Charter of universitarian cooperation;
- University of the Greater Region;
- Interregional press;
- TIMIS flood;
- Statistical offices;
- Interregional syndicate council;
- Interregional syndicate des Trois Frontières (of the three borders);
- Syndical platform of the Greater Region;
- Cross-border Eures;
- Quattropole.