Key Competitive Attractions
Baden-Wurttemberg is the third largest German state by both area and population (10.7 million inhabitants), located in the south-western part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine. The region shares borders with France, Switzerland, Bavaria, Hessen, and Rhineland Palatinate, and its capital is Stuttgart.
Most major cities in Baden-Wurttemberg are on the Neckar River, which runs through the state, passing Tubingen, Stuttgart, Heilbronn, Heidelberg, and Mannheim. Baden-Wurttemberg’s freight ports are also situated on the Neckar, mainly in Heilbronn and Mannheim. Stuttgart is the region’s main international airport.
Baden-Wurttemberg is one of the most prosperous states in Germany, and one of the wealthiest regions in Europe with a traditionally low unemployment rate. According to a 2007 survey, Baden-Wurttemberg is the "economically most successful and most dynamic German state”. A number of well-known enterprises are headquartered in the state, including Daimler AG, Porsche, Robert Bosch GmbH (automobile industry), Carl Zeiss AG (optics), and SAP AG (the largest software enterprise in Europe). However, Baden-Wurttemberg's economy is dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises.
