Nature in the north

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is one of the five eastern German states. Some 1.7 million people live there. It shares its western border with the states of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony, and Brandenburg lies to its south.

The biggest cities are Rostock, Schwerin, New Brandenburg and Wismar. Rostock is the center of maritime activity on the Mecklenburg Baltic Sea coast.

Six Hanseatic cities

The coast, and its islands (which include Poel, Hiddensee and Ruegen) and peninsulas (Fischland-Darss-Zingst and Usedom, for example) lend a distinct character to the state.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has six "Hanseatic" or "free" cities: Rostock, Wismar, Greifswald, Stralsund, Demmin and Anklam. In the middle ages, Hanseatic cities were those that were not held by a noble as a liege or property, but had joined with the Hanseatic League group of guilds.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is also called the "Land of 2,000 Lakes." The Lake District is a well-loved vacation destination. Lake Mueritz, Germany's second-largest inland lake, is also in this region. It follows that tourism plays an important role in the state's economy.

Agriculture, ports, shipping and shipbuilding have been key aspects of the regional economy for centuries.

Plethora of country estates

The word Mecklenburg comes from the word "mikil," which means "big," and "borg" which means "castle" - in other words, Big Castle. The eponymous "Michilinburg" (later Mecklenburg) was south of Wismar. In the 11th century, it was the home of a princess. In past centuries, many princesses and lords lived there. Their country estates are still well kept, even today. Many castles, palaces and manors have been turned into hotels, or serve as museums.

In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the local dialect is called "Platt Deutsch," or lowland-German - specifically "Mecklenburger Platt." Most of the people who still actively speak the Platt dialect are elderly.