Oesling
Encyclopedia
The Oesling or Ösling is a region covering the northern part of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, within the greater Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...

 area that also covers parts 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...

 and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

. The Oesling covers 32% of the territory of Luxembourg; to the south of the Oesling lies the Gutland
Gutland (Luxembourg)
Gutland is a region covering the southern and central parts of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Gutland covers 68% of the territory of Luxembourg; to the north of Gutland lies the Oesling, which covers the remaining 32% of the Grand Duchy....

, which covers the remaining 68% of the Grand Duchy.

The region is characterised by hills and large deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...

 forests. Almost all of Luxembourg's tallest hills are in the Oesling, particularly in the north and north-west, near the borders with Belgium and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

. Its main hill chains are cut by scenic river valleys, most notable those of the Clerve
Clerve
The Clerve is a river flowing through Luxembourg, joining the Wiltz at Kautenbach. It flows through both the towns of Troisvierges and the town of Clervaux. Upstream of Clervaux, it is known as the Woltz.- References :...

, Our
Our River
The Our is a river of Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. It is a left tributary to the river Sauer/Sûre. Its total length is 78 km....

, upper Sauer
Sauer
The Sauer or Sûre is a river in Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. A left tributary of the river Moselle, its total length is 173 km....

, and Wiltz
Wiltz River
The Wiltz is a river flowing through Belgium and Luxembourg, joining the Sauer at Goebelsmuhle. The Clerve is a tributary of the Wiltz.-External links:...

.

The Oesling is sparsely-populated, with few large towns; Clervaux
Clervaux
Clervaux is a commune and town in northern Luxembourg, administrative capital of the canton of Clervaux.-History:The city was the site of heavy fighting during World War II, in the December 1944 .-Population:...

, Vianden
Vianden
Vianden is a commune with city status in the Oesling, north-eastern Luxembourg, with over 1,500 inhabitants. It is the capital of the canton of Vianden, which is part of the district of Diekirch. Vianden lies on the Our river, near the border between Luxembourg and Germany., the town of Vianden,...

, and Wiltz
Wiltz
Wiltz is a commune with city status in north-western Luxembourg, capital of the canton Wiltz. Wiltz is situated on the banks of the river Wiltz. It was also a battleground in the Battle of the Bulge, near the end of World War II...

 are the largest, of which only Wiltz has a population of over 2,000 people. Instead, the area is known for its numerous picturesque hill-side villages, which rely upon the visitors that the tourist season brings.

In the 2004 legislative election
Luxembourgian legislative election, 2004
Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 13 June 2004. Voters elected all 60 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral legislature, the Chamber of Deputies...

, the Free Party of Luxembourg
Free Party of Luxembourg
The Free Party of Luxembourg , abbreviated as FPL, was a political party in Luxembourg.-Foundation and 2004 elections:Founded in 2003, it emerged onto the political scene in the run-up to the 2004 legislative elections for the Chamber of Deputies. It fielded 8 candidates, none of whom was elected...

, a small nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...

 party based in the Oesling and led by local personality Jean Ersfeld
Jean Ersfeld
Jean Ersfeld is a politician from Luxembourg.He founded the Free Party of Luxembourg in 2003 and led it in Luxembourg's legislative elections in 2004. None of the FPL's candidates, including Ersfeld, was elected...

, offered candidates, but none were elected. The party had difficulty in continuing to organize after the election.

External links

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