Saarland

Saarland is Germany's smallest federal state (excluding the city-states) and has a unique history, having changed its "nationality" eight times in 200 years before finally joining the Federal Republic of Germany in 1957 in what was called the "small reunification." Located in the southwest corner of Germany, Saarland shares borders with France and Luxembourg, giving the region a distinctive cultural blend. The state capital is Saarbrücken, which serves as the political and economic center. Historically, Saarland was known for its coal mining and steel production, though today it has diversified into automotive manufacturing, information technology, and tourism. The region is known for its natural beauty, with dense forests covering about one-third of the land. Saarland is proud of its reputation in computer science research, with several renowned institutions located in the state. It also has the highest car ownership rate in Germany, with 0.64 cars per inhabitant.