Lower Saxony

Lower Saxony is a large coastal state in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area and has around 8 million people living there. The state borders many places, including the North Sea, Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, and the Netherlands. It also includes two special areas called enclaves from the state of Bremen.

Lower Saxony has many different landscapes. In the north, you can find beautiful coastal areas with islands that many people visit. In the south, there are gentle hills and even some mountains, like the Harz Mountains. The Lüneburg Heath is a big open area with heathland, famous for its natural beauty.

The state was created in 1946 from several smaller historic areas, including the Kingdom of Hanover. Today, its largest city is Hanover, the state capital, but there are many other important cities such as Braunschweig, Oldenburg, and Göttingen. Lower Saxony is important for its farming, especially for growing apples in the sunny and fertile areas near the Elbe river.

Geography

Lower Saxony is a big state in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by area and has about 8 million people. The state has a coastline along the North Sea and includes parts of the River Elbe. It also has many hills and mountains. The highest point is the Wurmberg, which is 971 metres (3,186 feet) tall.

Lower Saxony has important rivers, such as the Ems, Weser, Aller, and Elbe, that flow northward. The main cities are Hanover, Braunschweig, Wolfsburg, and Hildesheim. The area has different landscapes, from sandy heathlands to fertile farmlands. It also includes nature parks like the Harz and Lüneburg Heath. The climate changes, with milder, wetter conditions near the coast and bigger temperature changes further inland.

Administration

Lower Saxony has 37 districts called Landkreise or Kreise. There are also eight cities that are not part of any district and two cities with special status.

In the past, from 1946 to 2004, the districts and towns were grouped into eight regions. In 1978, these regions became four larger areas, like the Governorate of Hanover. These larger areas were later dissolved in 2005.

Some big towns in Lower Saxony are Hanover, the capital, Braunschweig, Hildesheim known for its tall church, Lüneburg, Cuxhaven, Göttingen, Oldenburg, Celle, Wolfsburg where Volkswagen has its main office, Wilhelmshaven, Osnabrück, Salzgitter, Goslar with important old buildings, Emden, and Peine.

History

The name "Saxony" comes from the Germanic Saxons tribe. Long ago, there was a bigger area called the Duchy of Saxony. The name "Lower Saxony" started being used after this area split up in the late 1300s. It helped tell apart areas ruled by the House of Welf from other nearby lands.

During a time when many people moved, called the Migration Period, some Saxons moved south over the Elbe River. They settled in parts of what is now northwest Germany and the Netherlands. By the 7th century, Saxons lived in an area about where Lower Saxony is today. They also lived in parts of Westphalia and other close regions. The Frisians, another group, stayed independent in the northwest. The people there spoke West Low German, a type of the Low German language.

Demographics

Lower Saxony has people from many different countries. By the end of 2023, about 1 million people living there were not German citizens. Some places, like Braunschweig, have many people whose families came from other countries.

Most people in Lower Saxony believe in Christianity. Many belong to the Protestant Church in Germany, and some are part of the Catholic Church. Other religions, such as Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism, also have smaller groups of followers. Many people do not follow any specific religion.

Economy

The economy of Lower Saxony is strong and varied. In 2018, the state created 229.5 billion euros in wealth. This was about 8.7% of Germany’s total economy. For each person, this wealth was about 33,700 euros. This is a bit more than the average for Europe.

Agriculture is very important here. The state has many cows, pigs, and chickens. Farmers grow crops like wheat, potatoes, rye, and oats. In the south, they grow a lot of sugar beet. Many food companies are based here.

Mining has been important for many years. Silver was found in the Harz Mountains long ago. Today, Lower Saxony provides some oil for Europe. The state makes many things, with Volkswagen being the biggest employer. Other important industries include making airplanes, ships, medicine, and steel. Services like tourism, trading, and communications are also growing, with big companies such as TUI AG based in Hanover.

World Heritage Sites

Lower Saxony has several special places that are important to the whole world. These include:

• Hildesheim Cathedral
• St. Michael's Church in Hildesheim
• Mines of Rammelsberg
• Historic Town of Goslar
• Upper Harz Water Regale
• Lower Saxony Wadden Sea
• Fagus Factory in Alfeld

Transport

The main airport in Lower Saxony is Hannover Airport. It has flights to many places in Germany and Europe.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Lower Saxony

Politics in Lower Saxony are led mainly by two big groups: the centre-right Christian Democratic Union and the centre-left Social Democratic Party. The state helped start Germany's environmental movement, which led to the Green Party forming in 1980. Because Germany has many parties, leaders often need to work together.

The leader of the state government is called the Minister-President. They are chosen by the Landtag of Lower Saxony. Some past leaders include Christian Wulff, David McAllister, and Stephan Weil. Stephan Weil has been Minister-President for several years, working with the Social Democrats and the Greens.

Lower Saxony was formed after World War II by joining old states such as Hanover, Oldenburg, Brunswick, and Schaumburg-Lippe. Hanover is the largest part, and it is also the capital city. The state's rules aim to be fair, democratic, and caring for the environment. Everyone has the right to go to school, and people choose their leaders by voting. Lower Saxony helps decide on schools and police, while national rules handle things like money and foreign affairs.

Coat of arms

Main article: Coat of arms of Lower Saxony

The coat of arms shows a white horse, called the Saxon Steed, on a red background. This horse is an old symbol of the Saxon people. The colors white and red come from the Holy Roman Empire and represent important ideas about faith.