Areas of activity

Bavaria: Facts and Figures

General

  • Land located in South-eastern Germany; shares borders with the Czech Republic, Austria and SwitzerlandLagebayerns
  • 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 : Flaggeby2
    • 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).