Rhineland-Palatinate
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(© DZT/Speyer, Tourist Information)
Rhineland Palatinate lies at the centre of Europe, right at the heart of that continent striving for ever-closer integration. A competitive, self-confident federal state with a strong economy.
That was not always the case. When the federal state was established in 1946 many were sceptical as to whether Rhineland-Palatinate would survive for long. By now however the “test-tube federal state” has grown together to form a united whole and has caught up economically, climbing the league table of federal states and moving from bottom place to rank among the top four. It has developed into a dynamic centre of German foreign trade. Manufacturing industry and transport infrastructure have been developed, along with schools universities, cutting-edge technology research and applications, all of which have contributed to this economic upturn.
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(© dpa)
The beautiful landscape with its extensive wine-growing areas and the area’s rich cultural history stretching back over 2,000 years act as magnets, drawing many people to live and work in Rhineland-Palatinate. The capital, Mainz and the cities of Worms, Speyer, Koblenz and Trier still influence this historically and culturally important region even today.
With kind permission of the Bundesrat (September 2010)
