Bavaria: Facts and Figures

General

• Land located in South-eastern Germany; shares borders with the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland
• Largest German Land: 70,000 km²
• Second-most populated Land: 12.8 million residents (2015), e.g. approx. 177 res. / km²
• Capital: Munich
• Main cities: Munich, Nürnberg, Augsburg, Regensburg, Wurtzburg, Ingolstadt, Fürth, Erlangen and Landshut

Politics

• Official language: German, several very widespread dialects
• Term of the Minister-President: 5 years, elected by the Bavarian Landtag (parliament)
• Landtag: 180 members elected by universal suffrage, 5-year term
• Visual identity : 
  • the official flag is white and blue (also widespread variant with lozenges)
  • the coat of arms has been officially acknowledged since 1950 (Coat of Arms Act), it symbolizes Bavaria's districts (Regierungsbezirke)
• Bavarian representation offices abroad: 22, of which the State of Bavaria Montreal Office is one of the most important; in addition, 1 office in Brussels (European Union) and 1 in Berlin (federal government)

Economics

• GDP: 567.9 billion euros (2016), which marked a growth rate of +2.1% in 2016
• GDP per capita: 42,950 euros (2015), e.g. more than 15% above national average
• strongest growth rate in Germany: +33.5% between 1995 and 2010
• 54% of production are exported (2013)
• 3.1% of GDP invested in research (2013)
• more than 1/4 German patent requests originate in Bavaria
• Munich (capital): economic leader of the Land, third-most populated city in Germany (1.3 million residents, 5.5 million in the greater Munich area)
  o    one of the wealthiest cities in the E.U.: GDP per capita of 66,868 Euros (2013)
  o    main choice for insurance headquarters in Germany, and for mortgage banks in Europe
  o    Franz-Josef-Strauss airport in Munich ranked among the most efficient in Europe

Read an overview of Bavarian economics as per an article by The Guardian (March 2011).

Listen to a French-language radio report about the Bavarian model, broadcast on April 20, 2012, in the French-speaking economics programme 'Classe économique' on Radio-Canada. (the report starts at 10'31" and lasts approx. 7 minutes - in French only).