Little Switzerland is a nickname

Nickname

A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....

 for a region in the east of Luxembourg

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...

, bestowed upon the region on account of its reputed geographic similarities

Little Switzerland (landscape)

A little Switzerland or Schweiz is a landscape, often of wooded hills. This Romantic aesthetic term is not a geographic category, but was widely used in the 19th century to connote dramatic natural scenic features that would be of interest to tourists...

 to Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

. It is roughly contiguous with the canton

Cantons of Luxembourg

||The districts of Luxembourg are divided into 12 cantons. These cantons are subdivided into 116 communes. The cantons, listed by district, include:Diekirch District*Clervaux *Diekirch *Redange *Vianden *Wiltz Grevenmacher District...

 of Echternach

Echternach (canton)

Echternach is a canton in the east of Luxembourg, in the Grevenmacher District. The capital is Echternach.The canton consists of the following eight communes:*Beaufort*Bech*Berdorf*Consdorf*Echternach*Mompach*Rosport*Waldbillig-See also:...

. It is also known as the Mullerthal (Luxembourgish: , German: ) after the town of Mullerthal.

Little Switzerland is thought to have similar terrain to its namesake country, hence the name; it is dominated by craggy terrain, thick forests, some caves and myriad small streams. Unlike Switzerland, Little Switzerland is low-lying, even by Luxembourg's standard (its highest peak is only 414 m above sea level).

Little Switzerland is the smallest of Luxembourg’s sub-regions. Within its small territory, covering only 7% of Luxembourg, there is only one medium-sized settlement, Echternach

Echternach

Echternach is a commune with city status in the canton of Echternach, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher, in eastern Luxembourg. Echternach lies near the border with Germany, and is the oldest town in Luxembourg....

 (which is actually Luxembourg’s oldest city). Smaller towns include Beaufort

Beaufort, Luxembourg

Beaufort is a commune and town in eastern Luxembourg. It is part of the canton of Echternach, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher.In 2005, the town of Beaufort, which lies in the centre of the commune, had a population of 1,366. Other towns within the commune include Dillingen.The old...

, Berdorf

Berdorf

Berdorf is a commune and small town in eastern Luxembourg. It is part of the canton of Echternach, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher. Berdorf is known for the sandstone rocks surrounding it....

, and Consdorf

Consdorf

Consdorf is a commune and town in eastern Luxembourg. It is part of the canton of Echternach, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher....

.