Lower Saxony

Lower Saxony is a big state in Northern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, covering 47,614 km², and has around 8 million people. Lower Saxony is special because it has both coastal areas near the North Sea and mountainous regions, unlike any other German state.

The state borders many places, including Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, and the Netherlands. It also surrounds two small areas called enclaves, which belong to the state of Bremen. Major cities in Lower Saxony include Hanover, the state capital, and Braunschweig, Oldenburg, and Osnabrück.

Lower Saxony has many different landscapes. In the northwest, you can find the East Frisian Islands, which are popular with visitors. Further south, there are hills and even part of the Harz Mountains. The Lüneburg Heath is a large, open area with heathland, famous for its natural beauty. The region also produces lots of apples because of its nice climate and rich soil.

Geography

See also: List of cities in Lower Saxony by population

Further information (in German): List of cities and municipalities in Lower Saxony

Further information (in German): List of regions and regional associations in Lower Saxony

Location

Lower Saxony is a big state in northern Germany. It borders the North Sea to the north and includes parts of the River Elbe. The city of Bremen is an enclave inside Lower Saxony. The southeast part has the Harz mountains, which are part of Germany’s Central Uplands. Most of the state is flat land, with some hills like the Weser Uplands, Leine Uplands, and Lüneburg Heath. Important rivers here are the Ems, Weser, Aller, and the Elbe.

The highest point in Lower Saxony is the Wurmberg in the Harz, standing at 971 meters tall. The lowest point is near Freepsum, just below sea level. Big cities such as Hanover, Braunschweig, Wolfsburg, and Hildesheim help the state’s economy and homes.

Regions

Lower Saxony has many different regions, each with its own history and culture. Areas near old states like Brunswick, Hanover, Oldenburg, and Schaumburg-Lippe have strong local traditions. Regions near Bremen and Hamburg often feel closer to those cities.

Some regions in Lower Saxony include:

• Altes Land
• Ammerland
• Artland
• County of Bentheim
• Bramgau
• Brunswick Land
• Calenberg Land
• Eastphalia
• East Frisia
• Eichsfeld
• Elbe-Weser Triangle
• Emsland
• Grönegau
• Land Hadeln
• Land Wursten
• Hannover
• Harz Mountains
• Hildesheim Börde
• Hümmling
• Innerste Uplands
• Kehdingen
• Leine Uplands
• Lüneburg Heath
• Middle Weser Region
• Oldenburg Land
• Oldenburg Münsterland
• Osnabrück Land
• Schaumburg Land
• Solling
• South Lower Saxony
• Stade Geest
• Wendland
• Weser Uplands
• Wesermarsch
• Wümme Depression

About 20% of Lower Saxony’s land is nature parks, such as Dümmer, Elbhöhen-Wendland, Elm-Lappwald, Harz, Lüneburger Heide, Münden, Terra.vita, Solling-Vogler, Lake Steinhude, Südheide, Weser Uplands, Wildeshausen Geest, and Bourtanger Moor-Bargerveen.

Climate

Lower Saxony’s weather is shaped by winds from the west. The northwest, near the North Sea, has milder temperatures and more rain. The southeast has bigger temperature changes and less rain. The Harz mountains get the most rain. The average temperature is about 8 °C, ranging from 7.5 °C in the Altes Land to 8.5 °C in the district of Cloppenburg.

Administration

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

In the past, these areas were grouped into larger regions, but this is no longer used for administration. Some big cities in Lower Saxony are Hanover, the capital, and Braunschweig, Hildesheim, Lüneburg, Cuxhaven, Göttingen, Oldenburg, Celle, Wolfsburg, Wilhelmshaven, Osnabrück, Salzgitter, Goslar, Emden, and Peine.

History

The name "Saxony" comes from the Germanic Saxons tribe. Long ago, there was one big area called the Duchy of Saxony. In the late 1300s, this area split into parts. "Lower Saxony" is the name for the part ruled by the House of Welf. It was used to tell it apart from the Electorate of Saxony and the Duchy of Westphalia.

Long ago, some Saxons moved south across the Elbe River. They settled in places that are now part of northwest Germany and the Netherlands. By the 7th century, Saxons lived in areas that are now Lower Saxony, parts of Westphalia, and places in Saxony-Anhalt. The Frisians kept their own land in the northwest of Lower Saxony. The main language there was West Low German.

After World War II, the state of Lower Saxony was created in 1946 from several smaller areas. The first leaders had to help people who had to leave their homes and rebuild cities that were damaged in the war. Later, new leaders came, and new laws were made, including a new constitution in 1993.

Demographics

Lower Saxony has people from many countries. By the end of 2023, about 1 million people living there were not German citizens. The area around Braunschweig has many people from other countries.

Most people in Lower Saxony follow Christian beliefs. In 2011, over half were Protestant, and about one-fifth were Catholic. Other religions and people with no religion make up the rest. Today, around 41% are Protestant and 16% are Catholic, but many people do not practice their faith.

Economy

The economy of Lower Saxony is very strong. The state is known for farming, with many cattle, pigs, and hens. Important crops include wheat, potatoes, rye, oats, and sugar beet.

Mining has been important for a long time, especially for silver, iron, and salt. Today, Lower Saxony is a key place for car manufacturing, with Volkswagen having five big factories there. Other important industries include aviation, shipbuilding, biotechnology, steel, and medicine. The service sector is also growing, with tourism, trade, and financial services playing big roles.

Transport

Lower Saxony's biggest airport is Hannover Airport. It has flights to other parts of Germany and to places in Europe.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Lower Saxony

Politics in Lower Saxony are led by two big groups: the centre-right Christian Democratic Union and the centre-left Social Democratic Party. These groups often work together because no single party usually has enough votes to make decisions alone.

The leader of the state government is called the Minister-President. This person is chosen by the Landtag of Lower Saxony, the state’s parliament. Over the years, different leaders have served, each from different groups of parties working together.

Coat of arms

Main article: Coat of arms of Lower Saxony

The coat of arms shows a white horse on a red background. This horse is called the Saxon Steed. It is an old symbol of the Saxon people and represents the history and culture of Lower Saxony. The colors white and red have special meaning from the past.