List of herbaria
Europe
Table:
Herbaria in Europe

Name

No. Specimens[1]

Abbr.

Location

Website

Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle

9,500,000

P, PC

France; Paris

[52]

Komarov Botanical Institute (Ботанический институт имени В.Л. Комарова)

7,160,000

LE

Russia; St. Petersburg

[53]

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

7,000,000

K

UK; Kew, England

[54]

Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève

6,000,000

G

Switzerland; Geneva

[55]

Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Nationaal Herbarium Nederland)

5,700,000

AMD, L, U, WAG

Netherlands; Leiden

[56]

British Museum of Natural History

5,200,000

BM

UK; London, England

[57]

Naturhistorisches Museum Wien

5,000,000

W

Austria; Vienna

[58]

Swedish Museum of Natural History (Naturhistoriska riksmuseet)

4,400,000

S

Sweden; Stockholm

[59]

Université Montpellier

4,000,000

MPU

France; Montpellier

[60]

Université Claude Bernard

4,000,000

LY

France; Lyon

[61]

Herbarium Haussknecht Friedrich Schiller University Jena

3,500,000

JE

Germany, Jena

[62]

Joint Herbarium of the University of Zurich and the ETH Zurich

3,500,000

Z+ZT

Switzerland, Zurich

[63]

Botanic Garden Meise

3,500,000

BR

Belgium, Meise

[64]

Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem,
Zentraleinrichtung der Freien Universität Berlin

3,000,000

B

Germany, Berlin

[65]

Finnish Museum of Natural History (University of Helsinki)

3,000,000

H

Finland, Helsinki

[66]

Botanische Staatssammlung München

3,000,000

M

Germany, Munich

[67]

University of Copenhagen

2,510,000

C

Denmark, Copenhagen

[68]

Hungarian Natural History Museum - Department of Botany

2,000,000

BP

Budapest, Hungary

[69]

Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

2,000,000

E

UK; Edinburgh, Scotland

[70]

Herbarium Hamburgense

1,800,000

HBG

Germany, Hamburg

[71]

Looking at the tabular data plus the passages provided.

Give the answer to the question: The herbarium located in the most populous city of Hungary was founded in what year ? Provide just your answer in a JSON object {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Base your answer solely on the given information.

The French National Museum of Natural History , known in French as the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle ( MNHN ; French : [ myzeœ̃ nasjɔnal distwar natyʁɛl ] ) , is the natural history museum of France and a grand établissement of Sorbonne Universities . The main museum is located in Paris , on the left bank of the Seine . It was established in 1635 by King Louis XIII as the royal garden of medicinal plants , and in 1793 , after the Revolution , it was reorganized in its present form and under its present title . As of 2017 , the museum has 14 sites throughout France , including the original location at the Jardin des Plantes , which remains one of the seven departments of MNHN .
Paris ( French pronunciation : ​ [ paʁi ] ( listen ) ) is the capital and most populous city of France , with a population of 2,148,271 residents ( official estimate , 1 January 2020 ) in an area of 105 square kilometres ( 41 square miles ) . Since the 17th century , Paris has been one of Europe 's major centres of finance , diplomacy , commerce , fashion , science and the arts . The City of Paris is the centre and seat of government of the Île-de-France , or Paris Region , which has an estimated official 2020 population of 12,278,210 , or about 18 percent of the population of France . The Paris Region had a GDP of €709 billion ( $ 808 billion ) in 2017 . According to the Economist Intelligence Unit Worldwide Cost of Living Survey in 2018 , Paris was the second most expensive city in the world , after Singapore , and ahead of Zürich , Hong Kong , Oslo and Geneva . Another source ranked Paris as most expensive , on a par with Singapore and Hong Kong , in 2018 . The city is a major railway , highway and air-transport hub served by two international airports : Paris-Charles de Gaulle ( the second busiest airport in Europe ) and Paris-Orly . Opened in 1900 , the city 's subway system , the Paris Métro , serves 5.23 million passengers daily ; it is the second busiest metro system in Europe after the Moscow Metro . Gare du Nord is the 24th busiest railway station in the world , but the first located outside Japan , with 262 million passengers in 2015 . Paris is especially known for its museums and architectural landmarks : the Louvre was among most visited art museums in the world in 2019 , with 9.6 million visitors . The Musée d'Orsay , Musée Marmottan Monet , and Musée de l'Orangerie are noted for their collections of French Impressionist art , the Pompidou Centre Musée National d'Art Moderne has the largest collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe , and the Musée Rodin and Musée Picasso exhibit the works of the two noted Parisians . The historical district along the Seine in the city centre is classified as a UNESCO Heritage Site , and popular landmarks in the city centre included the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris , now closed for renovation after the 15 April 2019 fire .
The Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences ( Russian : Ботанический институт им . В.Л.Комарова РАН ) is a leading botanical institution in Russia , It is located on Aptekarsky Island in St. Petersburg , and is named after the Russian botanist Vladimir Leontyevich Komarov ( 1869-1945 ) . The institute was established in 1931 as merger of the Botanical Garden and the Botanical Museum of the Academy of Sciences . The institute hosts Saint Petersburg Botanical Garden as well as herbarium collections that house over seven million specimens of plants and fungi . The latter is the largest collection in Russia , and among the three largest in the world . [ citation needed ]
Saint Petersburg ( Russian : Санкт-Петербу́рг , tr . Sankt-Peterburg , IPA : [ ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk ] ( listen ) ) , formerly and still commonly known as Leningrad ( Russian : Ленинград ) is a city situated on the Neva River , at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea . It is Russia 's second-largest city after Moscow . With over 5,351,935 million inhabitants as of 2018 , it is the fourth-most populous city in Europe . An important Russian port on the Baltic Sea , it has a status of a federal subject ( a federal city ) . The city was founded by Tsar Peter the Great on 27 May [ O.S . 16 May ] 1703 , on the site of a captured Swedish fortress . It served as a capital of Russian Tsardom and the subsequent Russian Empire from 1713 to 1918 ( being replaced by Moscow for a short period of time between 1728 and 1730 ) . After the October Revolution , the Bolsheviks moved their government to Moscow . In modern times , Saint Petersburg is considered the Northern Capital and serves as a home to some federal government bodies such as the Constitutional Court of Russia and the Heraldic Council of the President of the Russian Federation . It is also a seat for the National Library of Russia and a planned location for the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation . The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site , so it 's also referred to as Russia 's Culture Capital .
Royal Botanic Gardens , Kew ( brand name Kew ) is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment , Food and Rural Affairs . An internationally important botanical research and education institution , it employs 1,100 staff . Its board of trustees is chaired by Dame Amelia Fawcett . The organisation manages botanic gardens at Kew in Richmond upon Thames in southwest London , and at Wakehurst , a National Trust property in Sussex which is home to the internationally important Millennium Seed Bank , whose scientists work with partner organisations in more than 95 countries . Kew , jointly with the Forestry Commission , founded Bedgebury National Pinetum in Kent in 1923 , specialising in growing conifers . In 1994 the Castle Howard Arboretum Trust , which runs the Yorkshire Arboretum , was formed as a partnership between Kew and the Castle Howard Estate . In 2018 the organisation had 1,858,513 public visitors at Kew , and 354,957 at Wakehurst . Its 326-acre ( 132 ha ) site at Kew has 40 historically important buildings ; it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 3 July 2003 . The collections at Kew and Wakehurst include over 27,000 taxa of living plants , 8.3 million plant and fungal herbarium specimens , and over 40,000 species in the seed bank .
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as the United Kingdom ( UK or U.K. ) or Britain , [ note 11 ] is a sovereign country located off the north­western coast of the European mainland . Existing under its current name since 1921 , the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain , the north­eastern part of the island of Ireland , and many smaller islands . Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland . Otherwise , the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the North Sea to the east , the English Channel to the south and the Celtic Sea to the southwest , giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world . The Irish Sea separates Great Britain and Ireland . The total area of the United Kingdom is 94,000 square miles ( 240,000 km2 ) . The United Kingdom is a unitary parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy . [ note 12 ] The current monarch is Queen Elizabeth II , who has reigned since 1952 , making her the world 's longest-serving current head of state . The United Kingdom 's capital and largest city is London , a global city and financial centre with an urban area population of 10.3 million . Other major cities include Birmingham , Manchester , Glasgow , Leeds and Liverpool . The United Kingdom consists of four constituent countries : England , Scotland , Wales , and Northern Ireland . Their capitals are London , Edinburgh , Cardiff , and Belfast , respectively .
Kew ( /kjuː/ ) is a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames , 1.5 miles ( 2.4 km ) north-east of Richmond and 7.1 miles ( 11.4 km ) west by south-west of Charing Cross ; its population at the 2011 census was 11,436 . Kew is the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens ( Kew Gardens ) , now a World Heritage Site , which includes Kew Palace . Kew is also the home of important historical documents such as Domesday Book , which is held at The National Archives . Julius Caesar may have forded the Thames at Kew in 54 BC during the Gallic Wars . Successive Tudor , Stuart and Georgian monarchs maintained links with Kew . During the French Revolution , many refugees established themselves there and it was the home of several artists in the 18th and 19th centuries . Since 1965 Kew has incorporated the former area of North Sheen which includes St Philip and All Saints , the first barn church consecrated in England . It is now in a combined Church of England parish with St Luke 's Church , Kew . Today , Kew is an expensive residential area because of its suburban hallmarks . Among these are sports-and-leisure open spaces , schools , transport links , architecture , restaurants , no high-rise buildings , modest road sizes , trees and gardens . Most of Kew developed in the late 19th century , following the arrival of the District line of the London Underground . Further development took place in the 1920s and 1930s when new houses were built on the market gardens of North Sheen and in the first decade of the 21st century when considerably more river-fronting flats and houses were constructed by the Thames on land formerly owned by Thames Water .
The Conservatory and Botanical Garden of the city of Geneva ( Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève ) is a museum and an institution of the City of Geneva .
Geneva ( /dʒɪˈniːvə/ jin-EE-və ; French : Genève [ ʒənɛv ] ( listen ) ; Arpitan : Genèva [ dzəˈnɛva ] ( listen ) ; German : Genf [ ɡɛnf ] ( listen ) ; Italian : Ginevra [ dʒiˈneːvra ] ; Romansh : Genevra ) is the second-most populous city in Switzerland ( after Zürich ) and the most populous city of Romandy , the French-speaking part of Switzerland . Situated where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva , it is the capital of the Republic and Canton of Geneva . The municipality ( ville de Genève ) has a population ( as of December 2018 [ update ] ) of 201,818 , and the canton ( essentially the city and its inner-ring suburbs ) has 499,480 residents . In 2014 , the compact agglomération du Grand Genève had 946,000 inhabitants in 212 communities in both Switzerland and France . Within Swiss territory , the commuter area named Métropole lémanique contains a population of 1.26 million . This area is essentially spread east from Geneva towards the Riviera area ( Vevey , Montreux ) and north-east towards Yverdon-les-Bains , in the neighbouring canton of Vaud . Geneva is a global city , a financial centre , and a worldwide centre for diplomacy due to the presence of numerous international organizations , including the headquarters of many agencies of the United Nations and the Red Cross . Geneva hosts the highest number of international organizations in the world . It is also where the Geneva Conventions were signed , which chiefly concern the treatment of wartime non-combatants and prisoners of war . In 2017 , Geneva was ranked as the world 's fifteenth most important financial centre for competitiveness by the Global Financial Centres Index , fifth in Europe behind London , Zürich , Frankfurt and Luxembourg . In 2019 Geneva was ranked among the ten most liveable cities in the world by Mercer together with Zürich and Basel . The city has been referred to as the world 's most compact metropolis and the Peace Capital .
Naturalis Biodiversity Center ( Dutch : Nederlands Centrum voor Biodiversiteit Naturalis ) is a national museum of natural history and a research center on biodiversity in Leiden , Netherlands . The museum , exceptt the research facilities , was closed from September 2018 to mid 2019 due to renovations . Temporary exhibitions were held in the Pesthuis ( historical Plague hospital ) entrance building during the renovations . Although its current name and organization are relatively recent , the history of Naturalis can be traced back to the early 1800s . Its collection includes approximately 37 million specimens , making it one of the largest natural history collections in the world .
The Netherlands ( Dutch : Nederland , [ ˈneːdərlɑnt ] ( listen ) ) , informally Holland , is a country in Northwestern Europe with some overseas territories in the Caribbean . In Europe , it consists of 12 provinces that border Germany to the east , Belgium to the south , and the North Sea to the northwest , with maritime borders in the North Sea with those countries and the United Kingdom . Together with the Caribbean Netherlands - Bonaire , Sint Eustatius and Saba - it forms a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands . The official language is Dutch and a secondary official language in the province of Friesland is West Frisian . In the north and east of the country , Low Saxon is also spoken , and in the southeast , Limburgish . In the Caribbean Netherlands English and Papiamento are recognised languages . The five largest cities in the Netherlands are Amsterdam , Rotterdam , The Hague , Utrecht and Eindhoven . Amsterdam is the country 's most populous city and nominal capital , while The Hague holds the seat of the States General , Cabinet and Supreme Court . The Port of Rotterdam is the busiest seaport in Europe , and the busiest in any country outside Asia . Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the busiest airport in the Netherlands , and the third busiest in Europe . The country is a founding member of the EU , Eurozone , G10 , NATO , OECD and WTO , as well as a part of the Schengen Area and the trilateral Benelux Union . It hosts several intergovernmental organisations and international courts , many of which are centered in The Hague , which is consequently dubbed 'the world 's legal capital ' .
Leiden ( /ˈlaɪdən/ , Dutch : [ ˈlɛi̯də ( n ) ] ( listen ) ; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden ) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , Netherlands . The municipality of Leiden had a population of 123,856 in August 2017 , but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration with its suburbs Oegstgeest , Leiderdorp , Voorschoten and Zoeterwoude with 206,647 inhabitants . The Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics ( CBS ) further includes Katwijk in the agglomeration which makes the total population of the Leiden urban agglomeration 270,879 , and in the larger Leiden urban area also Teylingen , Noordwijk , and Noordwijkerhout are included with in total 348,868 inhabitants . Leiden is located on the Oude Rijn , at a distance of some 20 kilometres ( 12 miles ) from The Hague to its south and some 40 km ( 25 mi ) from Amsterdam to its north . The recreational area of the Kaag Lakes ( Kagerplassen ) lies just to the northeast of Leiden . A university city since 1575 , Leiden has been one of Europe 's most prominent scientific centres for more than four centuries . Leiden is a typical university city , university buildings are scattered throughout the city and the many students from all over the world give the city a bustling , vivid and international atmosphere . Many important scientific discoveries have been made here , giving rise to Leiden 's motto : City of Discoveries . The city houses Leiden University , the oldest university of the Netherlands , and Leiden University Medical Center . Leiden University is one of Europe 's top universities , with thirteen Nobel Prize winners . It is a member of the League of European Research Universities and positioned highly in all international academic rankings . It is twinned with Oxford , the location of the United Kingdom 's oldest university .
The Natural History Museum in London is a natural history museum that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history . It is one of three major museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington , the others being the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum . The Natural History Museum 's main frontage , however , is on Cromwell Road . The museum is home to life and earth science specimens comprising some 80 million items within five main collections : botany , entomology , mineralogy , paleontology and zoology . The museum is a centre of research specialising in taxonomy , identification and conservation . Given the age of the institution , many of the collections have great historical as well as scientific value , such as specimens collected by Charles Darwin . The museum is particularly famous for its exhibition of dinosaur skeletons and ornate architecture - sometimes dubbed a cathedral of nature - both exemplified by the large Diplodocus cast that dominated the vaulted central hall before it was replaced in 2017 with the skeleton of a blue whale hanging from the ceiling . The Natural History Museum Library contains extensive books , journals , manuscripts , and artwork collections linked to the work and research of the scientific departments ; access to the library is by appointment only . The museum is recognised as the pre-eminent centre of natural history and research of related fields in the world . Although commonly referred to as the Natural History Museum , it was officially known as British Museum ( Natural History ) until 1992 , despite legal separation from the British Museum itself in 1963 . Originating from collections within the British Museum , the landmark Alfred Waterhouse building was built and opened by 1881 and later incorporated the Geological Museum . The Darwin Centre is a more recent addition , partly designed as a modern facility for storing the valuable collections .
London is the capital and largest city of England and of the United Kingdom . Standing on the River Thames in the south-east of England , at the head of its 50-mile ( 80 km ) estuary leading to the North Sea , London has been a major settlement for two millennia . Londinium was founded by the Romans . The City of London , London 's ancient core − an area of just 1.12 square miles ( 2.9 km2 ) and colloquially known as the Square Mile − retains boundaries that closely follow its medieval limits . [ note 1 ] The City of Westminster is also an Inner London borough holding city status . Greater London is governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly . [ note 2 ] London is considered to be one of the world 's most important global cities and has been termed the world 's most powerful , most desirable , most influential , most visited , most expensive , innovative , sustainable , most investment friendly , and most popular for work city . London exerts a considerable impact upon the arts , commerce , education , entertainment , fashion , finance , healthcare , media , professional services , research and development , tourism and transportation . London ranks 26th out of 300 major cities for economic performance . It is one of the largest financial centres and has either the fifth or the sixth largest metropolitan area GDP . [ note 3 ] It is the most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the busiest city airport system as measured by passenger traffic . It is the leading investment destination , hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city .
The Natural History Museum Vienna ( German : Naturhistorisches Museum Wien ) is a large natural history museum located in Vienna , Austria . and one of the most important natural history museums worldwide . The NHM Vienna is one of the largest museums and non-university research institutions in Austria and an important center of excellence for all matters relating to natural sciences . The museum 's 39 exhibition rooms cover 8,460 square meters and present more than 100,000 objects . It is home to 30 million objects available to more than 60 scientists and numerous guest researchers who carry out basic research in a wide range of topics related to human sciences , earth sciences , and life sciences .
Vienna ( /viˈɛnə/ ( listen ) ; German : Wien [ viːn ] ( listen ) ) is the national capital , largest city , and one of nine states of Austria . Vienna is Austria 's most populous city , with about 1.9 million inhabitants ( 2.6 million within the metropolitan area , nearly one third of the country 's population ) , and its cultural , economic , and political centre . It is the 6th-largest city by population within city limits in the European Union . Until the beginning of the 20th century , it was the largest German-speaking city in the world , and before the splitting of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I , the city had 2 million inhabitants . Today , it is the second-largest German-speaking city after Berlin . Vienna is host to many major international organizations , including the United Nations , OPEC , and the OSCE . The city is located in the eastern part of Austria and is close to the borders of Czechia , Slovakia , and Hungary . These regions work together in a European Centrope border region . Along with nearby Bratislava , Vienna forms a metropolitan region with 3 million inhabitants . In 2001 , the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site . In July 2017 it was moved to the list of World Heritage in Danger . Additionally to being known as the City of Music due to its musical legacy , Vienna is also said to be the City of Dreams , because of it being home to the world 's first psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud .
The Swedish Royal Museum of Natural History ( Swedish : Naturhistoriska riksmuseet , literally , the National Museum of Natural History ) , in Stockholm , is one of two major museums of natural history in Sweden , the other one being located in Gothenburg . The museum was founded in 1819 by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences , but goes back to the collections acquired mostly through donations by the academy since its foundation in 1739 . These collections had first been made available to the public in 1786 . The museum was separated from the Academy in 1965 . One of the keepers of the collections of the academy during its earlier history was Anders Sparrman , a student of Carl Linnaeus and participant in the voyages of Captain James Cook . Another important name in the history of the museum is the zoologist , paleontologist and archaeologist Sven Nilsson , who brought the previously disorganised zoological collections of the museum into order during his time as keeper ( 1828-1831 ) before returning to Lund as professor . The present buildings for the museum in Frescati , Stockholm , was designed by the architect Axel Anderberg and completed in 1916 , topped with a dome . As of 2014 [ update ] it is the largest museum building in Sweden . The main campus of Stockholm University was later built next to the museum .
Stockholm ( Swedish pronunciation : [ ˈstɔ̂kː ( h ) ɔlm ] ( listen ) ) is the capital and most populous urban area of Sweden . 972,647 people live in the municipality , approximately 1.6 million in the urban area , and 2.4 million in the metropolitan area . The city stretches across fourteen islands where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea . Outside the city to the east , and along the coast , is the island chain of the Stockholm archipelago . The area has been settled since the Stone Age , in the 6th millennium BC , and was founded as a city in 1252 by Swedish statesman Birger Jarl . It is also the county seat of Stockholm County . Stockholm is the cultural , media , political , and economic centre of Sweden . The Stockholm region alone accounts for over a third of the country 's GDP , and is among the top 10 regions in Europe by GDP per capita . It is an important global city , and the main centre for corporate headquarters in the Nordic region . The city is home to some of Europe 's top ranking universities , such as the Stockholm School of Economics , Karolinska Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology . It hosts the annual Nobel Prize ceremonies and banquet at the Stockholm Concert Hall and Stockholm City Hall . One of the city 's most prized museums , the Vasa Museum , is the most visited non-art museum in Scandinavia .
The University of Montpellier ( French : Université de Montpellier ) is a French public research university in Montpellier in south-east of France . Established in 1289 , the University of Montpellier is one of the oldest universities in the world . The university was split into three universities during 45 years ( the University of Montpellier 1 , the University of Montpellier 2 and the Paul Valéry University Montpellier 3 ) between 1970 and 2015 when it was subsequently reunified by the merger of the former two , with the latter , now named Paul Valéry University Montpellier , remaining a separate entity .
Montpellier ( UK : /mɒntˈpɛlieɪ/ , US : /ˌmoʊnpɛlˈjeɪ/ , French : [ mɔ̃pəlje , -pɛl- ] ( listen ) ; Occitan : Montpelhièr [ mumpeˈʎɛ ] ) is a city near the south coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea . It is the capital of the Hérault department . It is located in the Occitanie region . In 2016 , 607,896 people lived in the urban area and 281,613 in the city itself . Nearly one third of the population are students from three universities and from three higher education institutions that are outside the university framework in the city .
Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 ( French : Université Claude-Bernard Lyon 1 , UCBL ) , is one of the three public universities of Lyon , France . It is named after the French physiologist Claude Bernard and specialises in science and technology , medicine , and sports science . It was established in 1971 by the merger of the faculté des sciences de Lyon with the faculté de médecine . The main administrative , teaching and research facilities are located in Villeurbanne , with other campuses located in Gerland , Rockefeller , and Laennec in the 8th arrondissement of Lyon . Attached to the University are the Hospices Civils de Lyon , including the Centre Hospitalier Lyon-Sud , which is the largest teaching hospital in the Rhône-Alpes region and the second-largest in France . [ citation needed ] Of the 2630 faculty , 700 are medical practitioners at local teaching hospitals . The university has been independent since January 2009 and has an annual budget of over €420 million .
Lyon or Lyons ( UK : /ˈliːɒ̃/ , US : /liˈoʊn/ , [ c ] French : [ ljɔ̃ ] ( listen ) ; Arpitan : Liyon , pronounced [ ʎjɔ̃ ] ; Italian : Lione , pronounced [ liˈone ] ) is the third-largest city and second-largest urban area of France . It is located in the country 's east-central part at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône , about 470 km ( 292 mi ) south of Paris , 320 km ( 199 mi ) north of Marseille and 56 km ( 35 mi ) northeast of Saint-Étienne . Inhabitants of the city are called Lyonnais . Lyon had a population of 513,275 in 2015 . It is the capital of the Metropolis of Lyon and the region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes . The Lyon metropolitan area had a population of 2,265,375 in 2014 . The city is known for its cuisine and gastronomy , and historical and architectural landmarks ; part of it is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site . Lyon was historically an important area for the production and weaving of silk . Lyon played a significant role in the history of cinema : it is where Auguste and Louis Lumière invented the cinematograph . It is also known for its light festival , the Fête des Lumières , which begins every 8 December and lasts for four days , earning Lyon the title of Capital of Lights . Economically , Lyon is a major centre for banking , as well as for the chemical , pharmaceutical , and biotech industries . The city contains a significant software industry with a particular focus on video games , and in recent years has fostered a growing local start-up sector .
Jena ( /ˈjeɪnə/ ; German pronunciation : [ ˈjeːna ] ( listen ) ) is a German university city and the second largest city in Thuringia . Together with the nearby cities of Erfurt and Weimar , it forms the central metropolitan area of Thuringia with approximately 500,000 inhabitants , while the city itself has a population of about 110,000 . Jena is a centre of education and research ; the Friedrich Schiller University was founded in 1558 and had 18,000 students in 2017 and the Ernst-Abbe-Fachhochschule Jena counts another 5,000 students . Furthermore , there are many institutes of the leading German research societies . Jena was first mentioned in 1182 and stayed a small town until the 19th century , when industry developed . For most of the 20th century , Jena was a world centre of the optical industry around companies like Carl Zeiss , Schott and Jenoptik ( since 1990 ) . As one of only a few medium-sized cities in Germany , it has some high-rise buildings in the city centre , like the Jen Tower . These also have their origin in the former Carl Zeiss factory . Between 1790 and 1850 , Jena was a focal point of the German Vormärz as well as of the student liberal and unification movement and German Romanticism . Notable persons of this period in Jena were Friedrich Schiller , Alexander von Humboldt , Johann Gottlieb Fichte , Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel , Novalis and August Wilhelm Schlegel . The city 's economy is based on the high-technology industry and research . The optical and precision industry is the leading branch to date , while software engineering , other digital businesses and biotechnology are of growing importance .
Zürich ( German : Zürich ; French : Zurich ; Italian : Zurigo ; Romansh : Turitg ) is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich . It is located in north-central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich . The municipality has approximately 430,000 inhabitants , the urban area ( agglomeration ) 1.315 million and the Zürich metropolitan area 1.83 million . Zürich is a hub for railways , roads , and air traffic . Both Zurich Airport and railway station are the largest and busiest in the country . Permanently settled for over 2,000 years , Zürich was founded by the Romans , who , in 15 BC , called it Turicum . However , early settlements have been found dating back more than 6,400 years ( although this only indicates human presence in the area and not the presence of a town that early ) . During the Middle Ages , Zürich gained the independent and privileged status of imperial immediacy and , in 1519 , became a primary centre of the Protestant Reformation in Europe under the leadership of Huldrych Zwingli . The official language of Zürich is German , [ a ] but the main spoken language is the local variant of the Alemannic Swiss German dialect , Zürich German . Many museums and art galleries can be found in the city , including the Swiss National Museum , the Kunsthaus and newer Theater 11 in Oerlikon . Schauspielhaus Zürich is one of the most important theatres in the German-speaking world . Zürich is among the world 's largest financial centres despite having a relatively small population .
The Meise Botanic Garden ( Dutch : Plantentuin Meise , French : Jardin botanique de Meise ; until 2014 called the National Botanic Garden of Belgium ( Dutch : Nationale Plantentuin van België , French : Jardin Botanique National de Belgique ) ) is located in the grounds of Bouchout Castle in the town of Meise , just north of Brussels in the province of Flemish Brabant . It is one of the largest botanical gardens in the world with an extensive collection of living plants in addition to a herbarium of over 3 million specimens . The current garden was established in 1958 after it moved from the centre of Brussels ; the former site is now the Botanical Garden of Brussels . Researchers at the garden conduct research particularly on Belgian and African plants . The Botanic Garden contains about 18,000 plant species - about 6% of all known plant species of the world . Half are in greenhouses , the other half , including cultivated and indigenous plants , are outdoors . The gardens are grouped around the castle and lake of the Bouchout domain . The mission statement of the Meise Botanic Garden specifies the increasing and spreading the knowledge of plants and contributions to the conservation of biodiversity . The Botanic Garden was property of the Belgian federal government , but after several years of negotiations it was eventually transferred to the Flemish Community ( Flanders ) effective 1 January 2014 . The French Community still has its own employees and representation in the board of directors . The plants , library , etc . remain property of the federal State but given as commodate to the Flemish Community .
Meise ( Dutch pronunciation : [ ˈmɛi̯sə ] ) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant . The municipality comprises the towns of Meise proper and Wolvertem ( a deelgemeente ) , and , several smaller villages like Sint-Brixius-Rode , Oppem , Meusegem , Impde/Imde , Rossem , Westrode and quarters as Bouchout , Nerom and Slozen . As of January 1 , 2006 , Meise had a total population of 18,464 . The total area is 34.82 km² which gives a population density of 530 inhabitants per km² . Meise is also a last name of a few families originating from Germany .
The Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum ( German : Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem ) is a botanical garden in the German capital city of Berlin , with an area of 43 hectares and around 22,000 different plant species . It was constructed between 1897 and 1910 , under the guidance of architect Adolf Engler , in order to present exotic plants returned from German colonies . The garden is located in the Lichterfelde locality of the borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf . When it was founded , a part of it was located in Dahlem , a fact that is still reflected in its name . This part of Dahlem became part of Lichterfelde in 1938 . Today , the garden is part of the Free University of Berlin . The Botanical Museum ( Botanisches Museum ) , with a large herbarium ( Herbarium Berolinense ) and a large scientific library , is attached to the garden . The complex consists of several buildings and glass-houses , such as the Cactus Pavilion and the Pavilion Victoria ( which features a collection of orchids , carnivorous plants and giant white water lily Victoria-Seerosen ) . The total area of all glass-houses is 6,000 m² . The garden 's open-air areas , sorted by geographical origin , have a total area of 13 hectares . The garden 's arboretum is 14 hectares . The best-known part of the garden is the Great Pavilion ( Großes Tropenhaus ) .
Berlin ( /bɜːrˈlɪn/ ; German : [ bɛʁˈliːn ] ( listen ) ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population . Its 3,748,148 ( 2018 ) inhabitants make it the most populous city proper of the European Union . The city is one of Germany 's 16 federal states . It is surrounded by the state of Brandenburg , and contiguous with Potsdam , Brandenburg 's capital . The two cities are at the center of the Berlin-Brandenburg capital region , which is , with about six million inhabitants and an area of more than 30,000 km² , Germany 's third-largest metropolitan region after the Rhine-Ruhr and Rhine-Main regions . Berlin straddles the banks of the River Spree , which flows into the River Havel ( a tributary of the River Elbe ) in the western borough of Spandau . Among the city 's main topographical features are the many lakes in the western and southeastern boroughs formed by the Spree , Havel , and Dahme rivers ( the largest of which is Lake Müggelsee ) . Due to its location in the European Plain , Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate . About one-third of the city 's area is composed of forests , parks , gardens , rivers , canals and lakes . The city lies in the Central German dialect area , the Berlin dialect being a variant of the Lusatian-New Marchian dialects . First documented in the 13th century and situated at the crossing of two important historic trade routes , Berlin became the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg ( 1417-1701 ) , the Kingdom of Prussia ( 1701-1918 ) , the German Empire ( 1871-1918 ) , the Weimar Republic ( 1919-1933 ) , and the Third Reich ( 1933-1945 ) . Berlin in the 1920s was the third largest municipality in the world .
The Finnish Museum of Natural History ( Finnish : Luonnontieteellinen keskusmuseo , Swedish : Naturhistoriska centralmuseet ) , established in 1988 , is a research institution under the University of Helsinki in Finland , based in Helsinki , Finland . It is a natural history museum responsible for the national botanical , zoological , geological and paleontological collections , which consist of samples from around the world . The collections serve scientific , public informational and educational purposes . In regard to locations and buildings , the museum is divided into three : The Natural History Museum , the Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden , and the Kumpula Botanic Garden . From 1869 to 2014 it also included an independent geological department , but that has now been moved to the Kumpula Botanic Garden .
The University of Helsinki ( Finnish : Helsingin yliopisto , Swedish : Helsingfors universitet , Latin : Universitas Helsingiensis , abbreviated UH ) is a university located in Helsinki , Finland since 1829 , but founded in the city of Turku ( in Swedish Åbo ) in 1640 as the Royal Academy of Åbo , at that time part of the Swedish Empire . It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available . Around 36,500 students are currently enrolled in the degree programs of the university spread across 11 faculties and 11 research institutes . As of 1 August 2005 , the university complies with the harmonized structure of the Europe-wide Bologna Process and offers Bachelor , Master , Licenciate , and Doctoral degrees . Admission to degree programmes is usually determined by entrance examinations , in the case of bachelor 's degrees , and by prior degree results , in the case of master and postgraduate degrees . Entrance is particularly selective ( circa 15% of the yearly applicants are admitted ) . It has been ranked a top 100 university in the world according to the 2016 ARWU , QS and THE rankings . The university is bilingual , with teaching by law provided both in Finnish and Swedish . Since Swedish , albeit an official language of Finland , is a minority language , Finnish is by far the dominating language at the university . Teaching in English is extensive throughout the university at Master , Licentiate , and Doctoral levels , making it a de facto third language of instruction . Remaining true to its traditionally strong Humboldtian ethos , the University of Helsinki places heavy emphasis on high-quality teaching and research of a top international standard . It is a member of various prominent international university networks , such as Europaeum , UNICA , the Utrecht Network , and is a founding member of the League of European Research Universities .
Finland ( Finnish : Suomi [ ˈsuo̯mi ] ( listen ) ; Swedish : Finland [ ˈfɪ̌nland ] ( listen ) , Finland Swedish : [ ˈfinlɑnd ] ) , officially the Republic of Finland ( Finnish : Suomen tasavalta , Swedish : Republiken Finland ( listen to all ) ) , [ note 1 ] is a Nordic country in Northern Europe bordering the Baltic Sea , Gulf of Bothnia , and Gulf of Finland , between Sweden to the west , Russia to the east , Estonia to the south , and north-eastern Norway to the north . The capital and largest city is Helsinki . Other major cities are Espoo , Tampere , Vantaa , Oulu , Turku , Jyväskylä , Lahti and Kuopio . Finland 's population is 5.52 million as of July 2019 , the majority of whom live in the central and south of the country and speak Finnish , a Finnic language from the Uralic language family , unrelated to the Scandinavian languages . Finland is the eighth-largest country in Europe and the most sparsely populated country in the European Union . It is a parliamentary republic of 310 municipalities , and includes an autonomous region , the Åland Islands . Over 1.4 million people live in the Greater Helsinki metropolitan area , which produces one third of the country 's GDP . Swedish is the second official language of Finland , which is mainly spoken in certain coastal areas and on Åland . A large majority of Finns are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church . Finland was inhabited when the last ice age ended , approximately 9000 BC . Comb Ceramic culture introduced pottery 5200 BC and Corded Ware culture coincided with the start of agriculture between 3000 and 2500 BC . The Bronze Age and Iron Age were characterised by extensive contacts with other cultures in the Fennoscandian and Baltic regions .
Helsinki ( /ˈhɛlsɪŋki/ HEL-sink-ee or /hɛlˈsɪŋki/ ( listen ) hel-SINK-ee , Finnish : [ ˈhelsiŋki ] ( listen ) ; Swedish : Helsingfors [ hɛlsɪŋˈfɔʂː ] ( listen ) , Finland Swedish : [ helsiŋˈforsː ] ( listen ) ) is the capital and most populous city of Finland . Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland , it is the seat of the region of Uusimaa in southern Finland , and has a population of 650,058 . The city 's urban area has a population of 1,268,296 , making it by far the most populous urban area in Finland as well as the country 's most important center for politics , education , finance , culture , and research . Helsinki is located 80 kilometres ( 50 mi ) north of Tallinn , Estonia , 400 km ( 250 mi ) east of Stockholm , Sweden , and 300 km ( 190 mi ) west of Saint Petersburg , Russia . It has close historical ties with these three cities . Together with the cities of Espoo , Vantaa , and Kauniainen , and surrounding commuter towns , Helsinki forms the Greater Helsinki metropolitan area , which has a population of nearly 1.5 million . Often considered to be Finland 's only metropolis , it is the world 's northernmost metro area with over one million people as well as the northernmost capital of an EU member state . After Stockholm and Oslo , Helsinki is the third largest municipality in the Nordic countries . Swedish and Finnish are both official languages . The city is served by the international Helsinki Airport , located in the neighboring city of Vantaa , with frequent service to many destinations in Europe and Asia . Helsinki was the World Design Capital for 2012 , the venue for the 1952 Summer Olympics , and the host of the 52nd Eurovision Song Contest in 2007 . Helsinki has one of the highest urban standards of living in the world .
The Botanische Staatssammlung München is a notable herbarium and scientific center maintained by the Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns , and located within the Botanischer Garten München-Nymphenburg at Menzinger Straße 67 , München , Bavaria , Germany . Its library is open to the public ; scientific collections are open to researchers by appointment . The institution was established in 1813 by King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria to maintain the royal herbarium , which grew to include major collections from the University of München and botanist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber , a student of Carl von Linné . In 1817 , Maximilian sent botanist Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius on a three-year expedition to Brazil , and upon his return appointed him the herbarium 's curator . Martius ' collection of South American vascular plants is among the world 's foremost at 25,000-30,000 specimens representing 7,300 species . Today the herbarium contains about 3 million dried specimens of plants and fungi , which is estimated to reflect about 25% of the world 's known plant species . It has major strengths in the flora of Bavaria and the Alps , and vascular plants of Brazil , Chile , Central Asia , and regions of Africa , as well as in lichens and fungi . As of 2009 , collection sizes were approximately as follows : vascular plants ( 1,800,000 specimens ) ; bryophytes ( 350,000 specimens ) ; fungi ( 350,000 specimens ) ; lichens ( 300,000 specimens ) ; and algae ( 150,000 specimens ) . The herbarium grows at an average rate of 16,000 specimens per year . The center 's research focuses on exploration and study of European , South-East Asian and South American flowering plants as well as of fungi , lichens , and algae . It also offers expert advice and identification services for certain types of plants and fungi .
Munich ( /ˈmjuːnɪk/ MEW-nik ; German : München [ ˈmʏnçn̩ ] ( listen ) ; Austro-Bavarian : Minga [ ˈmɪŋ ( ː ) ɐ ] ; Latin : Monachium ) is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria , the second most populous German federal state . With a population of around 1.5 million , it is the third-largest city in Germany , after Berlin and Hamburg , and thus the largest which does not constitute its own state , as well as the 11th-largest city in the European Union . The city 's metropolitan region is home to 6 million people . Straddling the banks of the River Isar ( a tributary of the Danube ) north of the Bavarian Alps , it is the seat of the Bavarian administrative region of Upper Bavaria , while being the most densely populated municipality in Germany ( 4,500 people per km² ) . Munich is the second-largest city in the Bavarian dialect area , after the Austrian capital of Vienna , Munich was one of the host cities of the official tournament of the 2006 FIFA World Cup . The city is a global centre of art , science , technology , finance , publishing , culture , innovation , education , business , and tourism and enjoys a very high standard and quality of living , reaching first in Germany and third worldwide according to the 2018 Mercer survey , and being rated the world 's most liveable city by the Monocle 's Quality of Life Survey 2018 . According to the Globalization and World Rankings Research Institute Munich is considered an alpha-world city , as of 2015 [ update ] . Munich is a major international center of engineering , science , innovation , and research , exemplified by the presence of two research universities , a multitude of scientific institutions in the city and its surroundings , and world class technology and science museums like the Deutsches Museum and BMW Museum . Munich houses many multinational companies and its economy is based on high tech , automobiles , the service sector and creative industries , as well as IT , biotechnology , engineering and electronics among many others . The name of the city is derived from the Old/Middle High German term Munichen , meaning by the monks . It derives from the monks of the Benedictine order , who ran a monastery at the place that was later to become the Old Town of Munich ; hence the monk depicted on the city 's coat of arms . Munich was first mentioned in 1158 .
The University of Copenhagen ( UCPH ) ( Danish : Københavns Universitet ) is the oldest university and research institution in Denmark . Founded in 1479 as a studium generale , it is the second oldest institution for higher education in Scandinavia after Uppsala University ( 1477 ) . The university today is state-funded , and has 23,473 undergraduate students , 17,398 postgraduate students , 2,968 doctoral students and over 9,000 employees . The university has four campuses located in and around Copenhagen , with the headquarters located in central Copenhagen . Most courses are taught in Danish ; however , many courses are also offered in English and a few in German . The university has several thousands of foreign students , about half of whom come from Nordic countries . The university is a member of the International Alliance of Research Universities ( IARU ) , along with University of Cambridge , Yale University , The Australian National University , and UC Berkeley , amongst others , and of the League of European Research Universities ( LERU ) . The 2019 Academic Ranking of World Universities ranks the University of Copenhagen as the best university in Scandinavia and 26th in the world , the 2020 U.S. News & World Report ranks it as 7th in Europe and 32nd in the World , the Times Higher Education World University Rankings as 101st in the world , and the 2016-2017 QS World University Rankings as 68th in the world . As of October 2019 , the university has had 39 Nobel laureates affiliated as alumni , faculty members and researchers , and has produced one Turing Award recipient .
Copenhagen [ a ] ( Danish : København [ kʰøpm̩ˈhau̯ˀn ] ( listen ) ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark . As of 1 January 2020 , the city had a population of 794,128 , 632,340 in Copenhagen Municipality , 104,305 in Frederiksberg Municipality , 42,989 in Tårnby Municipality , and 14,494 in Dragør Municipality . It forms the core of the wider urban area of Copenhagen ( population 1,320,629 ) and the Copenhagen metropolitan area ( population 2,557,737 ) . Copenhagen is situated on the eastern coast of the island of Zealand ; another small portion of the city is located on Amager , and it is separated from Malmø , Sweden , by the strait of Øresund . The Øresund Bridge connects the two cities by rail and road . Originally a Viking fishing village established in the 10th century in the vicinity of what is now Gammel Strand , Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in the early 15th century . Beginning in the 17th century it consolidated its position as a regional centre of power with its institutions , defences and armed forces . During the renaissance the city served as the de facto capital being the seat of government of the Kalmar Union , governing the entire present day Nordic region in a personal union with Sweden and Norway ruled by the Danish monarch serving as the head of state . The city flourished as the cultural and economic center of Scandinavia under the union for well over 120 years , starting in the 15th century up until the beginning of the 16th century when the union was dissolved with Sweden leaving the union through a rebellion . After a plague outbreak and fire in the 18th century , the city underwent a period of redevelopment . This included construction of the prestigious district of Frederiksstaden and founding of such cultural institutions as the Royal Theatre and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts . After further disasters in the early 19th century when Horatio Nelson attacked the Dano-Norwegian fleet and bombarded the city , rebuilding during the Danish Golden Age brought a Neoclassical look to Copenhagen 's architecture .
The Hungarian Natural History Museum ( Hungarian : Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum ) in Budapest , dating back to 1802 , houses the largest natural history collections of Hungary and the region .
Budapest ( /ˈbuːdəpɛst/ , Hungarian pronunciation : [ ˈbudɒpɛʃt ] ) is the capital and the most populous city of Hungary , and the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits . The city has an estimated population of 1,752,286 over a land area of about 525 square kilometres ( 203 square miles ) . Budapest is both a city and county , and forms the centre of the Budapest metropolitan area , which has an area of 7,626 square kilometres ( 2,944 square miles ) and a population of 3,303,786 , comprising 33% of the population of Hungary . The history of Budapest began when an early Celtic settlement transformed into the Roman town of Aquincum , the capital of Lower Pannonia . The Hungarians arrived in the territory in the late 9th century , but the area was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241-42 . Re-established Buda became one of the centres of Renaissance humanist culture by the 15th century . The Battle of Mohács , in 1526 , was followed by nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule . After the reconquest of Buda in 1686 , the region entered a new age of prosperity , with Pest-Buda becoming a global city after the unification of Buda , Óbuda , and Pest on 17 November 1873 , with the name 'Budapest ' given to the new capital . Budapest also became the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire , a great power that dissolved in 1918 , following World War I . The city was the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 , the Battle of Budapest in 1945 , and the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 . Budapest is an Alpha − global city with strengths in commerce , finance , media , art , fashion , research , technology , education , and entertainment . It is Hungary 's financial centre and was ranked as the second fastest-developing urban economy in Europe .
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh ( RBGE ) is a scientific centre for the study of plants , their diversity and conservation , as well as a popular tourist attraction . Founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants , today it occupies four sites across Scotland - Edinburgh , Dawyck , Logan and Benmore - each with its own specialist collection . The RBGE 's living collection consists of more than 13,302 plant species , ( 34,422 accessions ) whilst the herbarium contains in excess of 3 million preserved specimens . The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government . The Edinburgh site is the main garden and the headquarters of the public body , which is led by Regius Keeper , Simon Milne .
Edinburgh ( /ˈɛdɪnbərə/ ( listen ) ; Scots : Edinburgh ; Scottish Gaelic : Dùn Èideann [ ˈt̪uːn ˈeːtʲən̪ˠ ] ) is the capital of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas . Historically part of the county of Midlothian ( interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921 ) , it is located in Lothian on the Firth of Forth 's southern shore . Recognised as the capital of Scotland since at least the 15th century , Edinburgh is the seat of the Scottish Government , the Scottish Parliament and the supreme courts of Scotland . The city 's Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland . The city has long been a centre of education , particularly in the fields of medicine , Scots law , literature , philosophy , the sciences and engineering . It is the second largest financial centre in the United Kingdom ( after London ) and the city 's historical and cultural attractions have made it the United Kingdom 's second most popular tourist destination attracting 1.75 million visits from overseas in 2016 . Edinburgh is Scotland 's second most populous city and the seventh most populous in the United Kingdom . The official population estimates are 488,050 ( 2016 ) for the Locality of Edinburgh ( Edinburgh pre 1975 regionalisation plus Currie and Balerno ) , 518,500 ( 2018 ) for the City of Edinburgh , and 1,339,380 ( 2014 ) for the city region . Edinburgh lies at the heart of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland city region comprising East Lothian , Edinburgh , Fife , Midlothian , Scottish Borders and West Lothian . The city is the annual venue of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland . It is home to national institutions such as the National Museum of Scotland , the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery . The University of Edinburgh , founded in 1582 and now one of four in the city , is placed 20th in the QS World University Rankings for 2020 .
Hamburg ( English : /ˈhæmbɜːrɡ/ , German : [ ˈhambʊʁk ] ( listen ) , locally also [ ˈhambʊɪ̯ç ] ( listen ) [ ˈhambɔːχ ] ; Low Saxon : Hamborg ) , officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg ( German : Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg ; Low Saxon : Friee un Hansestadt Hamborg ) , is the second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and 7th largest city in the European Union with a population of over 1.84 million . One of Germany 's 16 federal states , it is surrounded by Schleswig-Holstein to the north and Lower Saxony to the south . The city 's metropolitan region is home to more than five million people . Hamburg lies on the River Elbe and two of its tributaries , the River Alster and the River Bille . The official name reflects Hamburg 's history as a member of the medieval Hanseatic League and a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire . Before the 1871 Unification of Germany , it was a fully sovereign city state , and before 1919 formed a civic republic headed constitutionally by a class of hereditary grand burghers or Hanseaten . Beset by disasters such as the Great Fire of Hamburg , North Sea flood of 1962 and military conflicts including World War II bombing raids , the city has managed to recover and emerge wealthier after each catastrophe . Hamburg is Europe 's third-largest port . Major regional broadcaster NDR , the printing and publishing firm Gruner + Jahr and the newspapers Der Spiegel and Die Zeit are based in the city . Hamburg is the seat of Germany 's oldest stock exchange and the world 's oldest merchant bank , Berenberg Bank . Media , commercial , logistical , and industrial firms with significant locations in the city include multinationals Airbus , Blohm + Voss , Aurubis , Beiersdorf , and Unilever . The city hosts specialists in world economics and international law , including consular and diplomatic missions as the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea , the EU-LAC Foundation , and the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning , multipartite international political conferences and summits such as Europe and China and the G20 .