ABSTRACT
Bordered on the south by France, on the north and west by Belgium, and on the east by Germany, the Grand Duchy is comprised mostly of rolling uplands with shallow valleys and forms part of the plateau of Ardennes. Luxembourg is slightly smaller than Rhode Island and is completely landlocked. Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area. The National Luxembourg Height Datum, Nivellement General du Luxembourg has its initial reference point at Wemperhardt where the elevation is 528.030m.
