Germany is a federal republic consisting of sixteen federal states, known as Länder. Each state has its own constitution and is largely autonomous in regard to its internal organization. The country operates under a parliamentary system, with a bicameral legislature composed of the Bundestag (Federal Diet) and the Bundesrat (Federal Council). The Bundestag is elected by the German people and is the primary legislative body, while the Bundesrat represents the federal states at the national level. Germany’s head of government is the Chancellor, who is elected by the Bundestag, while the President, serving as the head of state, has a more ceremonial role. This structure ensures a balance of power between the federal and state governments, promoting both unity and regional autonomy.
| Province Name | State Code | Capital City | Area (km²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | BW | Stuttgart | 35,751 |
| Bavaria (Bayern) | BY | Munich (München) | 70,550 |
| Berlin | BE | Berlin | 891 |
| Brandenburg | BB | Potsdam | 29,654 |
| Bremen | HB | Bremen | 419 |
| Hamburg | HH | Hamburg | 755 |
| Hesse (Hessen) | HE | Wiesbaden | 21,115 |
| Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) | NI | Hanover (Hannover) | 47,614 |
| Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | MV | Schwerin | 23,211 |
| North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen) | NW | Düsseldorf | 34,085 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) | RP | Mainz | 19,853 |
| Saarland | SL | Saarbrücken | 2,569 |
| Saxony (Sachsen) | SN | Dresden | 18,450 |
| Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt) | ST | Magdeburg | 20,451 |
| Schleswig-Holstein | SH | Kiel | 15,799 |
| Thuringia (Thüringen) | TH | Erfurt | 16,172 |