German Länder Quiz

All 16 German states.

Germany's sixteen federal states — including three that are single cities, and the division that still shows on the map.

Sixteen Länder

Germany is a federal republic of sixteen states, called Länder. They have substantial powers of their own, particularly over education and policing, which is why the federal structure matters more in daily life than in many other countries.

The three city-states

Three Länder are single cities with the same constitutional status as the large territorial states:

Berlin — the national capital and a state in its own right.
Hamburg — a major port and Germany's second-largest city.
Bremen — the smallest, and technically two separate cities, Bremen and Bremerhaven.

This catches people out, because a question asking for a state is satisfied by what looks like a city name.

The largest

Bavaria is the largest Land by area, with its capital at Munich, and it has a distinct cultural identity and strong regional politics.

North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous, containing the Ruhr industrial region and cities including Cologne, Düsseldorf and Dortmund.

Baden-Württemberg, with its capital at Stuttgart, is the third of the large southern and western states.

The eastern Länder

Five states — Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia — were reconstituted after reunification in 1990, having been part of East Germany. Berlin straddles the former division.

Economic and demographic differences between the former East and West are still visible in the data more than three decades later, which is why the distinction remains meaningful rather than purely historical.

The capital

Berlin is the capital of Germany. It was divided during the Cold War and the government did not return there from Bonn until after reunification, with the move completed in 1999 — recent enough that some older sources still name Bonn.

Why German states are worth knowing

Germany has the largest population in the European Union and its federal structure means the Länder appear constantly in European news and politics. Knowing that Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg are the big three covers most of what you will encounter.

Where to go next

European Capitals and European Flags cover Germany alongside its neighbours, and the map quiz for Europe places it in context.

Frequently asked questions

How many states does Germany have?

Sixteen, called Länder. Three of them — Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen — are city-states holding the same constitutional status as the large territorial states.

Which is the largest German state?

Bavaria by area, with its capital at Munich. North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous, containing the Ruhr region and cities including Cologne, Düsseldorf and Dortmund.

Which German states were part of East Germany?

Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, all reconstituted after reunification in 1990. Berlin straddled the division and was itself split during the Cold War.

When did Berlin become Germany's capital again?

Berlin was designated the capital at reunification in 1990, but the government's move from Bonn was completed only in 1999 — recent enough that some older sources still list Bonn.

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