Baden-Württemberg (Baade-Wirdebäärg) is one of the sixteen states of Germany. This state is located in the southwest part of the country it is to the east of Upper Rhine, to the west borders Alsace, France, down south is Switzerland, Bavaria to its east and northeast, up north is Hessen and northwest is Rhineland Palatinate. The state is the third largest in regards to population and area amongst the sixteen states. They have around 10.7 million in population and an area of 35,742 square kilometers.

The state capital of Baden-Württemberg is Stuttgart which with other major cities of the state stand astride on the banks of the Neckar River along with the cities of Tubingen, Heilbronn, Heidelberg, and Mannheim that

What was then: the History of Baden-Württemberg

In 1918 and 1919 there were plans for movements towards a merger of Baden and Württemberg, these plans however had ended futile and unsuccessful. After the World War II, from 1945 to 1947, three federal stares were established by the Allied Forces namely Württemberg-Hohenzollern, South Baden, both taken by France and the US occupied Württemberg-Baden.

These three states became founding members of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949. Although the in the German constitution specifically in Article 118, it has been already proposed for a procedure for these state to merge. In December 9, 1951 a plebiscite was held in four regions, three approved of the merger except South Baden who refused. This was then overruled since the total votes remained to be influential. These three states merged in Baden-Württemberg in April 25, 1952.

Although in 1956 the plebiscite was said and ruled to be unlawful by the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany because it was a disadvantage due to Baden’s population. In 1970, the plebiscite was therefore done again in the area of former Baden with the majority results of 81% for the new state of Baden-Württemberg.

Where it is: the Geography Baden-Württemberg

From the western border and portions of the southern border is where the river of Rhine is. The main mountain range the Black Forest (Schwarzwald) is in the east of the Rhine Valley. A European watershed is located in the high plateau of Swabian Alb which is between Neckar, Black Forest and Danube. The Baden-Württemberg shares the Alps foothills known as the Allgäu with Switzerland, and Bavaria. Lake Constance is shared with Switzerland. In Furtwangen in the town of Donaueschingen you will find the Danube River.

With the surface area of 35,751 square kilometers and a population of 10.7 million people this is why Baden-Württemberg is the third largest of the 16 German federal states. Divided up into 4 administrative districts of Freiburg, Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, and Tübingen, 12 regions, and 35 rural and 9 urban districts, a total of 1,101 municipalities, and 91 of them district capitals.

What it is: the Economy of Baden-Württemberg

The Baden-Württemberg is considered to be among the most prosperous states in Germany they are also considered as one of the wealthiest regions in Europe. Ever since, they have no problems with employment and have very low rating with unemployment. Large and widely known enterprises and companies are based in Baden-Württemberg with the likes of Daimler AG, Porsche, Robert Bosch GmbH for the automobile industry, Carl Zeiss AG for optics, and SAP AG which is the largest software enterprise in Europe. Although there are these very large enterprises in the state, the ones actually dominating the economy are the small and medium sized enterprises. They are not producing well with regards to workable natural resources such as lead, zinc, iron, silver, copper and salts but they are still industrialized in other areas. Midsized companies have been the backbone of the state. They have started the system of branching out into different industrial sectors that have a range of specializations from manufacturing industry specifically in automobile construction, for electronics industries which include the manufacturing of optical, clock making and even metallurgy, the textile industry which dominates much of the region and Research and Development which has mostly been connected with the state most specifically Stuttgart.

What is Now: the Present of Baden-Württemberg

The state and its people have compromised and taken into consideration such concepts and ideals that are usually conflicting but for them they have used these ideals and have turned it into something more enriching for them. From progress and tradition, cosmopolitan values and regional identity, a dynamic economy and social interaction, for some states there is fine line of these ideas. But for Baden-Württemberg this has been success through the means of human values and through that they have been successful as a state from then on and up to now and hopefully till the future. They have not hindered themselves with their poor natural resources but they have used other aspects in their life such as the capacity to do hard work, people with rich ideas for creativeness and ingenuity the state of Baden-Württemberg has excelled in areas such as trade and industry, art, culture, science, education and the society. Because of the skills in these areas they have become as successful as they are today not only in Europe but in the whole world.

With the success of the state, Baden-Württemberg is also one of the most popular holiday destination in German, rivaled with Bavaria with regards to natural landscapes which offers numerous outdoor activities, and of course culinary and cultural events. The main sights that a lot of tourists are most excited of are of course in the main capital Stuttgart. Stuttgart offers you history and modernism all at the same time with all its sights that are both urban and also rich with the past of what was. You will enjoy outdoor activities and numerous events throughout the whole year making Baden-Württemberg the definitely a place worth going to.