Baden-Württemberg

Baden-Württemberg is a prosperous state in southwestern Germany, a powerhouse of engineering and innovation home to global companies like Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Bosch. Its capital is Stuttgart. Blending the scenic Black Forest with high-tech industry, it is one of the wealthiest regions in Europe.

Baden-Württemberg spans the dense Black Forest, the Swabian Jura, the upper Rhine valley and the shores of Lake Constance on the Swiss border. The Danube River rises here. The landscape is hilly and forested, with a temperate climate.

The state combines Swabian thrift and inventiveness with a love of good food, wine and festivals. It is known for cuckoo clocks, spa towns, world-class universities such as Heidelberg, and a strong tradition of craftsmanship and engineering.

Formed in 1952 from the historic regions of Baden and Württemberg, the state built on a long heritage of principalities and free cities to become a leader in automotive and precision industry. Heidelberg is home to Germany's oldest university.