Saxony-Anhalt (in German, Sachsen-Anhalt) is one of the sixteen Bundesländer (federal states) that make up the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of 20,447 km², and a population of 2.6 million. Its capital is Magdeburg.

The state's name is sometimes spelled Saxony Anhalt in English (ie, without the hyphen).

Geography

Lying to the northeast of central Germany, it is eighth largest in area and (since 1996) tenth in population among the country's sixteen Bundesländer. It borders on the states of Lower Saxony to the northwest, Brandenburg to the east, Saxony to the southeast and Thuringia to the southwest.

Most of the state is plain and agriculturally used, but in the southwest there is the eastern part of the Harz mountains. The main river of Saxony-Anhalt is the Elbe, running through the state from southeast to northwest. The second largest river, the Saale, is a tributary of the Elbe.

Administrative subdivision

Saxony-Anhalt is divided into 21 (rural) counties (Landkreise):

Altmarkkreis Salzwedel ;Anhalt-Zerbst ;Aschersleben-Staßfurt ;Bernburg ;Bitterfeld ;

Bördekreis ;Burgenlandkreis ; Halberstadt ;Jerichower Land ;Köthen ;Mansfelder Land ;Merseburg-Querfurt; Ohrekreis ;Quedlinburg ; Saalkreis ;Sangerhausen ;Schönebeck ;

Stendal ;Weißenfels ;Wernigerode ;Wittenberg .

and three independent cities (Stadtkreise),Dessau ;Halle (Saale) ;Magdeburg .

From 1990 to 2003 Saxony-Anhalt was divided into three districts (Regierungsbezirke) - Dessau, Halle and Magdeburg. On January 1, 2004 these three districts were abolished, and the 24 counties have since constituted the primary divisions of the state.

A reform to reduce the number of counties is currently planned. Becoming effective in July 2007 there are supposed to be only 11 counties and 3 independent cities.

History

The state was created in 1990, shortly before German reunification, covering much the same area as an earlier unit (1947-1952) comprising the former Anhalt, the former Prussian Province of Saxony and some small exclaves of the former Brunswick-Lüneburg. The state and its larger cities have lost population since 1989 with migration to the former West Germany.

Economy

Saxony Anhalt is famous for its good soil. The "Magdeburger Börde" contains the best soil in all of Germany and some of the best of Europe. The food industry has an important role in this state. Some of the best known products are "Baumkuchen" from Salzwedel (Altmark) or "Hallorenkugeln" from Halle. In the industrial sector the chemical industry is quite important. One of the biggest chemical producing areas can be found around the cities of Wolfen and Bitterfeld. Because of the chemical industry Saxony Anhalt is also the largest receiver of FDIs (Foreign Direct Investments) in all of eastern Germany.