Northern Germany

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Northern Germany is the geographic area in the north of Germany. The native German concept of northern Germany is called Norddeutschland.

[edit] Northern German States

Norddeutschland is the geographic area of five German states:

• Bremen
• Hamburg
• Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
• Niedersachsen
• Schleswig-Holstein

[edit] History

The Hanseatic League is part of the common history and culture of the cities in northern Germany with Hamburg Metropolitan Region as the modern center. Low German is the historic language of this region (see: Benrath line).

[edit] Geography

The definition of Norddeutschland originally describes the entire German Lowlands region, which stretches from the Netherlands to the Baltic provinces (such as East Prussia) (see: Northern German Plain).

The key feature of Norddeutschland are the Geestland and marshes along the coastline of the North Sea and Baltic Sea. Also prominent are the hill lands of the Baltic land ridges, the ground moraines, end moraines, sandur, glacial valleys, swamps, and Luch; these features were formed during the Weichsel glaciation. These contrast scenically with the central German mountain ranges (such as Harz) and Teutoburg Forest, which are customarily counted to be part of northern Germany.

The Altmark in Saxony-Anhalt, the northern Brandenburg area with the Prignitz and the Uckermark, and Westphalia are occasionally considered to be part of the Norddeutschland region.