The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (official name; German: Freie Hansestadt Bremen) is a port city in northern Germany and one of its 16 Federal States (Bundesländer).

Statistics :Capital: Bremen ;Area: 405 km² ;Inhabitants: 662,451 (2004) ;pop. density: 1,636 people/km² .

Geography

The state of Bremen consists of two separated enclaves: the cities of Bremen, which is the state capital, and Bremerhaven. Both are located on the River Weser; Bremerhaven is further downstream and serves as a North Sea harbour (the name means "Bremen's harbour"). Both cities are completely surrounded by the neighbouring State of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen). The two cities are the only administrative subdivisions the state has.

History

The City of Bremen, a member of the Hanseatic League, became an imperial free city of the Holy Roman Empire, and hence a state, in 1646. After the state was dissolved during the Napoleonic period, in 1815 it became an independent country and was subsequently a member of the German Confederation and the North German Confederation. Several areas including the area on which the City of Bremerhaven was to be founded were purchased from Hanover in 1827. In 1871, Bremen joined the German Empire.

While surrounding Hanover was put under British control after the end of World War II in 1945, Bremen was put under administration of the USA because the US occupation zone needed ocean access. As a result, Bremen retained its statehood even though, at this time, all other small states were merged into larger ones.

In 1905, Bremen had an area of 256 km², and a population of 263,000. In 1939, population was 450,000.

Politics

The Bürgerschaft (city assembly) elects two mayors of the city (Bürgermeister). One of these is then elected by the senate (which forms the executive branch) as president of the senate (Senatspräsident) and is thus head of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen.