"Lower Saxony - my beloved country " a Land Niedersachsen Travel Page by Gerrem

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Lower Saxony - a part of Germany

Lower Saxony. This state stretches from the East Frisian Isles and the unique National Park of the Lower Saxony Tide Lands to the Harz Mountains, the most northern chain of the German low mountains. Picturesque marsh landscapes, the fairy tale Weserbergland, idyllic river landscapes as well as a multitude of towns remarkable for their cultural history offering diverse possibilities for VTer vacation plans.

Niedersachsen really is a Realm of Water. Take a trip of discovery and see for yourself! You can revel in the waters along the lively rivers and peaceful canals, on the generous lakes, along the broad North Sea coast or on the islands of East Frisia. By motorboat or on water skis, under your own steam in a rowing boat or a canoe, or borne by the wind in a sailing boat or windsurfer, Niedersachsen has the perfect conditions for all water sports enthusiasts. From spring through to autumn, yachtsmen, kite surfers and windsurfers can put some wind in their sails on the North Sea, Steinhuder Sea, Lake Dümmer or Zwischenahner Sea. Or you can take a relaxed canoe trip on the Elbe, Weser, Ems or any of the numerous smaller rivers. Wake boarders and water skiers can show off their skills on the Alfsee. You can also enjoy the enchanting river and coastal landscape on a relaxing boat trip. And don't forget to try the local fresh seafood delicacies, from freshly shelled prawns to the good honest smoked eel.

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Lighthouse in the north

With an area of 47,618 km² and nearly eight million inhabitants, Lower Saxony (German: Niedersachsen) lies in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the country's sixteen Bundesländer (federal states). In rural areas Low Saxon is still spoken, but the number of speakers is declining.
Lower Saxony borders on (from north and clockwise) the North Sea, the states of Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The state of Bremen forms two enclaves within Lower Saxony. The state's principal cities include Hanover, Braunschweig (Brunswick), Osnabrück, Oldenburg, and Göttingen.
The northwestern portion of Lower Saxony is a part of Frisia; it is called Ostfriesland (East Frisia) and lies on the coast of the North Sea. It includes seven islands, known as the East Frisian Islands. In the southwest of Lower Saxony is the Emsland, a sparsely populated area, once full of inaccessible swamps. The northern half of Lower Saxony is absolutely flat, but there are two mountain chains in the south: the Weserbergland ("Weser Hilly Region") and the Harz.

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The old land

The middle of the state houses the largest cities and the economic centres: Hanover, Hildesheim, Wolfsburg, Salzgitter and Braunschweig. The region in the northeast is called Lüneburger Heide (Lüneburg Heath), the largest heath of Germany and in medieval times wealthy due to the salt trade.

To the north the Elbe river separates Lower Saxony from Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg. The lands on the southern banks are called Altes Land (literally "Old Land"), and they are characterised by thousands of fruit-trees.