# Oder-Spree

Oder-Spree is a Kreis (district) in the eastern part of Brandenburg, Germany. Neighboring are (from north clockwise) the district Märkisch-Oderland, the district-free city Frankfurt (Oder), Poland, the districts Spree-Neiße and Dahme-Spreewald, and the Bundesland Berlin.

## Geography

The district is named after the two major rivers in the district - the Spree river forms a large bend within the district; the Oder river constitutes the eastern border.

## History

The district was created in 1993 by merging the districts Eisenhüttenstadt, Beeskow and Fürstenwalde, and the district-free city Eisenhüttenstadt.

## Demography

* Development of Population since 1875 within the Current Boundaries (Blue Line: Population; Dotted Line: Comparison to Population Development of Brandenburg state)
* Recent Population Development and Projections (Population Development before Census 2011 (blue line); Recent Population Development according to the Census in Germany in 2011 (blue bordered line); Official projections for 2005-2030 (yellow line); for 2014-2030 (red line); for 2017-2030 (scarlet line)
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1875 | 87,934 | — |
| 1890 | 94,469 | +0.48% |
| 1910 | 115,555 | +1.01% |
| 1925 | 128,292 | +0.70% |
| 1933 | 141,635 | +1.24% |
| 1939 | 151,802 | +1.16% |
| 1946 | 158,490 | +0.62% |
| 1950 | 166,492 | +1.24% |
| 1964 | 183,110 | +0.68% |
| 1971 | 191,619 | +0.65% |
| 1981 | 195,164 | +0.18% |
| 1985 | 194,810 | −0.05% |
| 1989 | 197,478 | +0.34% |
| 1990 | 193,753 | −1.89% |
| 1991 | 190,103 | −1.88% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1992 | 186,878 | −1.70% |
| 1993 | 187,827 | +0.51% |
| 1994 | 188,986 | +0.62% |
| 1995 | 190,839 | +0.98% |
| 1996 | 193,006 | +1.14% |
| 1997 | 195,032 | +1.05% |
| 1998 | 196,655 | +0.83% |
| 1999 | 196,784 | +0.07% |
| 2000 | 196,453 | −0.17% |
| 2001 | 195,670 | −0.40% |
| 2002 | 194,169 | −0.77% |
| 2003 | 193,062 | −0.57% |
| 2004 | 192,001 | −0.55% |
| 2005 | 190,728 | −0.66% |
| 2006 | 189,185 | −0.81% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 2007 | 188,035 | −0.61% |
| 2008 | 186,542 | −0.79% |
| 2009 | 185,062 | −0.79% |
| 2010 | 183,859 | −0.65% |
| 2011 | 177,764 | −3.32% |
| 2012 | 177,047 | −0.40% |
| 2013 | 176,850 | −0.11% |
| 2014 | 177,823 | +0.55% |
| 2015 | 182,397 | +2.57% |
| 2016 | 178,849 | −1.95% |
| 2017 | 178,347 | −0.28% |
| 2018 | 178,658 | +0.17% |
| 2019 | 178,803 | +0.08% |

## Coat of arms

The coat of arms shows symbols for the three former districts which make up the district. In the top left quarter is the coat of arms of the Bishops of Lebus, who had their seat in Fürstenwalde. The second quarter shows the checkered bar of the Cistercian Order as the symbol of the Abbey of Neuzelle, who until 1817 owned most of the territory which later became the district Eisenhüttenstadt. The two quarters in the bottom symbolize the former district Beeskow. The three knives in the left are the symbol of the Lords of Strehla, the deer antler the symbol of the Lords of Biberstein, who in 1317 succeeded the Lords of Strehla as the Lords of Beeskow and Storkow.

## Towns and municipalities

The capital of the district is Beeskow, but Fürstenwalde is the biggest town, with a population of 31,000 people.
| Amt-free towns | Ämter | |
| Beeskow Eisenhüttenstadt Erkner Friedland Fürstenwalde Storkow Amt-free municipalities Grünheide Rietz-Neuendorf Schöneiche Tauche Woltersdorf | 1. Brieskow-Finkenheerd Brieskow-Finkenheerd$^1$ Groß Lindow Vogelsang Wiesenau Ziltendorf 2. Neuzelle Lawitz Neißemünde Neuzelle$^1$ 3. Odervorland Berkenbrück Briesen$^1$ Jacobsdorf Steinhöfel | 4. Scharmützelsee Bad Saarow$^1$ Diensdorf-Radlow Langewahl Reichenwalde Wendisch Rietz 5. Schlaubetal Grunow-Dammendorf Mixdorf Müllrose$^{1,2}$ Ragow-Merz Schlaubetal Siehdichum 6. Spreenhagen Gosen-Neu Zittau Rauen Spreenhagen$^1$ |
| $^1$seat of the Amt; $^2$town |||