Northern Germany
Northern Germany (German: Norddeutschland) is the region in the north of Germany. Its exact area is not precisely or consistently defined but varies depending on whether one is taking a linguistic, geographic or historic standpoint.
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Language [edit]
Northern Germany generally refers to the Sprachraum area north of the Uerdingen and Benrath line isoglosses, where Low German dialects are spoken. These comprise the Low Saxon dialects in the west (including the Westphalian language area up to the Rhineland) as well as the East Low German region along the Baltic coast with Western Pomerania, the Altmark and northern Brandenburg.
Although from the 19th century onwards the use of Standard German was strongly promoted especially by the Prussian administration, Low German languages are still present in rural areas, with an estimated number of five to eight million active speakers. However, since World War II and the immigration of expellees from the former eastern territories of Germany, its prevalence has steadily reduced. Besides which, Frisian is spoken in East and North Frisia, as well as Danish (South Jutlandic) in parts of Schleswig. From a linguistic and cultural perspective, Northern Germany is linked to Scandinavia and Great Britain.
Geography [edit]
The key terrain feature of North Germany is the North German Plain including the marshes along the coastline of the North and Baltic Sea, as well as the geest and heaths inland. Also prominent are the low hills of the Baltic Uplands, the ground moraines, end moraines, sandur, glacial valleys, bogs, and Luch.
These features were formed during the Weichselian glaciation and contrast topographically with the adjacent Central Uplands of Germany to the south, such as the Harz and Teutoburg Forest, which are occasionally counted as part of Northern Germany. Likewise the Altmark in Saxony-Anhalt, the Prignitz and Uckermark areas of northern Brandenburg, as well as whole Westphalia are usually considered to be part of the North German region.
History [edit]
In the Early Middle Ages, Northern Germany was the settlement area of the Saxon tribes, which were subjugated by the Frankish ruler Charlemagne in the Saxon Wars from 772 onwards, whereafter the Imperial Duchy of Saxony was established in 804. In the 10th century the Saxon lands, enlarged by the Saxon Eastern March, became the cradle of the Kingdom of Germany and the Holy Roman Empire, when the dukes of the Ottonian dynasty were elected King of the Romans and crowned Holy Roman Emperors.
From 1500 onwards, the former Saxon territories (except for Westphalia) were incorporated into the Lower Saxon Circle of the Holy Roman Empire. The Hanseatic League is also part of the common history and culture of the cities in northern Germany.
Northern Germany corresponds to the territory of the North German Confederation in the 19th century. The boundary between the spheres of political influence of Prussia (Northern Germany) and Austria (Southern Germany) within the German Confederation (1815–1866) was known as the "Main line" (Mainlinie, after the River Main), Frankfurt am Main being the seat of the federal assembly. The "Main line" did not follow the course of the River Main upstream of Frankfurt, rather corresponding to the northern border of the Kingdom of Bavaria.
Northern German States [edit]
The term Northern German States is often used to refer to the following coastal Federal States of Germany:
In some cases it also includes the non-coastal states of
Northern Germany as a region or as a historical landscape includes additional federal states (see geography above).
Major cities [edit]
Where a city has different names in English and German, the English name is given first.
| Federal capital | |
| State capital |
| Rank | City | Pop. 1950 |
Pop. 1960 |
Pop. 1970 |
Pop. 1980 |
Pop. 1990 |
Pop. 2000 |
Pop. 2010 |
Area [km²] |
Density per km² |
Growth [%] (2000– 2010) |
surpassed 100,000 |
State (Bundesland) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 3,336,026 | 3,274,016 | 3,208,719 | 3,048,759 | 3,433,695 | 3,382,169 | 3,460,725 | 887,70 | 3,899 | 2.32 | 1747 | ||
| 2. | 1,605,606 | 1,836,958 | 1,793,640 | 1,645,095 | 1,652,363 | 1,715,392 | 1,786,448 | 755,16 | 2,366 | 4.14 | 1787 | ||
| 3. | 444,549 | 563,270 | 592,533 | 555,118 | 551,219 | 539,403 | 547,340 | 325,42 | 1,682 | 1.47 | 1875 | ||
| 4. | 444,296 | 574,672 | 521,003 | 534,623 | 513,010 | 515,001 | 522,686 | 204,14 | 2,560 | 1.49 | 1875 | ||
| 5. | 153,613 | 174,527 | 168,609 | 312,708 | 319,037 | 321,758 | 323,270 | 257,92 | 1,253 | 0.47 | 1930 | ||
| 6. | 223,760 | 242,489 | 223,275 | 261,141 | 245,816 | 245,816 | 248,867 | 192,15 | 1,295 | 1.24 | 1890 | ||
| 7. | 254,449 | 271,610 | 271,070 | 250,062 | 245,567 | 232,612 | 239,526 | 118,65 | 2,019 | 2.97 | 1898 | ||
| 8. | 260,305 | 261,594 | 272,237 | 289,032 | 278,807 | 231,450 | 231,549 | 200,99 | 1,152 | 0.04 | 1882 | ||
| 9. | 238,276 | 232,140 | 239,955 | 220,588 | 214,758 | 213,399 | 210,232 | 214,21 | 981 | −1.48 | 1912 | ||
| 10. | 133,109 | 158,630 | 198,636 | 232,506 | 248,088 | 200,506 | 202,735 | 181,26 | 1,118 | 1.11 | 1935 | ||
| Rank | City | Pop. 1950 |
Pop. 1960 |
Pop. 1970 |
Pop. 1980 |
Pop. 1990 |
Pop. 2000 |
Pop. 2010 |
Area [km²] |
Density per km² |
Growth [%] (2000– 2010) |
surpassed 100,000 |
State (Land) |
