Saarland

Saarland (, also , ;  ; Rhine Franconian: Saarlond) is a Bundesland (state) of Germany. It has an area of  and 1,014,000 people living in it (2011). Saarland lies in the south-west of Germany, near the French border near Metz. The capital is Saarbrücken.

 History 
In 1920, the Treaty of Versailles made Saarland from parts of the Prussian Rhine Province () and the Rhine Palatinate (). The area was put under the control of the League of Nations for 15 years. After a plebiscite (vote) in 1935, Germany got the land back. After World War II the Saarland came under French administration.  The Saar Protectorate was allowed its own government for most things in 1947 but not independence. Germany got the Saarland back in 1957 and it became a Bundesland.

 Geography 
In the south is France, in the north-west Luxembourg and in the north and east is Rhineland-Palatinate.

Saarland is divided in 6 districts:
 Merzig-Wadern (the largest district)
 Neunkirchen
 Saarbrücken
 Saarlouis
 Saarpfalz (Saar-Palatinate)
 Sankt Wendel

 City and towns 
 Saarbrücken (city)
 Neunkirchen
 Saarlouis
 Homburg
 Merzig

Related pages
 Saargebiet
 Saar (protectorate)

References