Brandenburg

I

Introduction

Brandenburg, state and historic region in north-eastern Germany, bounded on the north by Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, on the east by Poland, on the south by Saxony, and on the west by Saxony-Anhalt. The state of Berlin forms an enclave at the centre of Brandenburg. The historic region of Brandenburg constituted the nucleus of the Kingdom of Prussia (1701-1871) and of the German Second Empire (1871-1918), with the city of Berlin as the capital.

II

Physical Geography

Brandenburg occupies an area of 29,476 sq km (11,381 sq mi), with tracts of pines and firs interspersed with sandy plains. Traversed by the rivers Elbe and Oder, much of the land is very fertile. The River Spree is connected to the Oder by canal and flows southward from Berlin to the border with Saxony. The Lower Oder Valley National Park extends into Poland and covers a total area of 165 sq km (64 sq mi), of which 105 sq km (41 sq mi) is in Brandenburg. The park, which was founded in 1995, is a unique wetland with an enormous range of flora and fauna, especially waterfowl. The park’s meadows, marshland and deciduous forests support a variety of rare and migratory species, including beavers, otters, storks, cranes, and eagles.

III

Population

Brandenburg has a population of 2,575,000 (2004 estimate). The city of Potsdam (population, 2005 estimate, 145,700) is the state capital. Other important cities and towns include Bernau (2005 estimate, 35,000), Brandenburg (2005 estimate, 74,900), Cottbus 2005 estimate, 106,400), Frankfurt an der Oder (2005 estimate, 65,200), Fürstenwalde (2005 estimate, 33,400), Schwedt (2005 estimate, 37,900), and Wittenberge (2005 estimate, 20,100). The state has a relatively low average population density of 87 people per sq km (225 per sq mi).

IV

Education and Culture

Educational institutions in the state include Brandenburg Technical University (founded 1991), in Cottbus; the University of Potsdam (1991), the College of Film and Television (1954), and the Institute for International Relations and Legal Studies (1948), all in Potsdam; and the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder), founded in 1991, in Frankfurt an der Oder. The University of Frankfurt (1506) was located in the city for more than 300 years before it was transferred to Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland) in 1811.

Several important landmarks and sites of architectural and cultural interest are located in the Brandenburg. A palace complex in the city of Potsdam, including Sans Souci, a Rococo style summer palace built for Frederick II between 1745 and 1747, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990 (the site was extended in 1992 and 1999). St Jacob’s Chapel in Perleberg and the Katharinenkirche in Brandenburg both date from the 14th century, and in Brandenburg there is a Romanesque cathedral (1170) and a medieval castle.