Saarland

The Saarland is one of the sixteen states (or Bundesländer) of the Federal Republic of Germany.

With its capital at Saarbrücken, it has an area of 2,570 km² and its population (as of 30 April 2012) is approximately 1,012,000. In terms of both area and population size – apart from the city-states of Berlin, Bremen and Hamburg – it is Germany's smallest state. Saarland is a forested, southwestern German state bordered by France and Luxembourg. Named after the Saar River, a tributary of the Moselle, Saarland is considered part of the greater Moselle wine region. Its capital of Saarbrücken is known for the Saarland Museum and the baroque-style Ludwig’s church. In the nearby town of Völklingen, a restored 19th-century ironworks now offers modern art exhibitions and concerts. Its tourist and leisure offer, its privileged geographical location between France, Luxembourg and the rest of Germany, its attractive landscape as well as the low cost of living and housing are among its main assets. The agglomerations of Saarland offer an ideal setting for working, studying and doing research. The Saarland countryside is ideal for relaxing by taking a break.