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Ranking German States by Area in 2025: A Comprehensive Guide
Germany is a federal state made up of 16 federal states (Bundesländer), whose sizes vary considerably – from large territorial states to city-states that cover only a few hundred square kilometres. In this article, we present the German states ranked by area for the year 2025 and indicate the approximate share of each state in Germany’s total area (estimated at around 357,000 square kilometres).
Note: All figures given are approximate values based on the latest official data and statistics. They may be subject to minor updates or corrections over time.
1. Bavaria (Bayern)
Area: approx. 70,550 km²
Share of Germany’s area: about 19.8 %
General information:
Bavaria is the largest German state by area and is especially famous for the Alps in its southern part.
It includes major cities such as Munich and Nuremberg and offers a wide variety of landscapes ranging from mountains to plains.
2. Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen)
Area: around 47,600 km²
Share of Germany’s area: roughly 13.3 %
General information:
Lower Saxony is the second-largest state and is located in the northwest of Germany.
It is characterised by extensive agricultural land, a long North Sea coastline and important industrial cities such as Hanover and Wolfsburg.
3. Baden-Württemberg (Baden-Württemberg)
Area: approximately 35,750 km²
Share of Germany’s area: about 10.0 %
General information:
Baden-Württemberg is situated in southwest Germany and is known for its scenic beauty and geographical diversity.
It contains large forested regions such as the Black Forest as well as major industrial cities like Stuttgart and Mannheim.
4. Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz)
(in the Arabic text mentioned as “Bavaria of the Rhine”, but in reality a completely separate state)
Note: The official name is “Rheinland-Pfalz” (Rhineland-Palatinate). The expression “Bavaria of the Rhine” sometimes used in media is misleading: this state is entirely separate from Bavaria.
Area: approx. 19,850 km²
Share of Germany’s area: about 5.6 %
General information:
Rhineland-Palatinate lies in western Germany and stretches along the Rhine and Moselle rivers.
Its capital is Mainz. The state is known for its vineyards, wine regions and low mountain ranges.
5. North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen)
Area: about 34,100 km²
Share of Germany’s area: roughly 9.5 %
General information:
North Rhine-Westphalia is Germany’s most populous state and includes the Ruhr area as a traditional industrial hub, as well as large cities like Düsseldorf and Cologne.
Its terrain includes river plains and low mountain ranges, providing a favourable environment for industry, trade and agriculture.
6. Brandenburg (Brandenburg)
Area: around 29,650 km²
Share of Germany’s area: approximately 8.3 %
General information:
Brandenburg surrounds the capital Berlin on all sides.
The state is dominated by agricultural land, forests and numerous lakes and waterways.
7. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)
Area: approx. 23,200 km²
Share of Germany’s area: about 6.5 %
General information:
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania lies in the northeast of Germany and boasts attractive Baltic Sea coasts and large lakes.
It has the lowest population density of all German states, giving it a very rural and natural character.
8. Hesse (Hessen)
Area: around 21,100 km²
Share of Germany’s area: roughly 5.9 %
General information:
Hesse is located in central Germany and is home to Frankfurt am Main, one of Europe’s leading financial and business centres.
The landscape is shaped by low mountain ranges and river valleys.
9. Saxony (Sachsen)
Area: approximately 18,450 km²
Share of Germany’s area: about 5.2 %
General information:
Saxony lies in eastern Germany near the borders with Poland and the Czech Republic.
Its main cities are Dresden and Leipzig. The south and southeast of the state are characterised by mountainous and hilly terrain.
10. Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt)
Area: about 20,450 km²
Share of Germany’s area: roughly 5.7 %
General information:
Saxony-Anhalt is located in east-central Germany; its capital is Magdeburg.
The state is known for extensive agricultural plains, chemical industry sites and historic towns.
Note: Based on the stated areas (Saxony-Anhalt approx. 20,450 km², Saxony approx. 18,450 km²), some rankings swap the order of the two states. For 2025, data suggests that Saxony-Anhalt is slightly larger in area, and the discussion about their exact positions is reflected in such notes.
11. Schleswig-Holstein (Schleswig-Holstein)
Area: about 15,800 km²
Share of Germany’s area: roughly 4.4 %
General information:
Schleswig-Holstein is Germany’s northernmost state and lies between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
It has a strong coastal and maritime character and includes well-known cities such as Kiel and Lübeck.
12. Thuringia (Thüringen)
Area: approx. 16,200 km²
Share of Germany’s area: about 4.5 %
General information:
Thuringia is located in east-central Germany and is often referred to as “Germany’s green heart” because of its vast forests.
Its capital is Erfurt, and it includes mountainous regions such as the Thuringian Forest.
Note: There can be slight discrepancies in ordering between Thuringia (around 16,200 km²) and Schleswig-Holstein (about 15,800 km²). Some sources place Thuringia just ahead of Schleswig-Holstein by a narrow margin in terms of area.
13. Saarland (Saarland)
Area: around 2,570 km²
Share of Germany’s area: less than 1 %
General information:
Saarland borders France and Luxembourg, which has a strong cultural and economic impact on the region.
Historically associated with coal and steel industries, it is currently shifting more towards modern technologies.
14. Brandenburg (Brandenburg) – Clarification of the ordering
Brandenburg has already been listed at position 6 in this ranking.
This section simply serves as a reminder not to count the same state twice and underlines the need for accuracy when compiling such lists.
In the original outline, the three city-states – Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen – were initially overlooked as separate federal states. Therefore, the following sections complete the list with these three states.
14. Berlin (Berlin)
Area: approx. 891 km²
Share of Germany’s area: about 0.25 %
General information:
Berlin is the capital of Germany and one of the country’s largest cities.
The urban environment is interspersed with many green spaces, parks and surrounding lakes.
15. Hamburg (Hamburg)
Area: around 755 km²
Share of Germany’s area: roughly 0.21 %
General information:
Hamburg is both a city and a federal state and hosts one of Europe’s largest seaports.
The city is defined by the River Elbe and a dense network of canals and waterways.
16. Bremen (Bremen)
Area: approx. 420 km²
Share of Germany’s area: about 0.12 %
General information:
Bremen is the smallest German state in terms of area and consists of the cities of Bremen and Bremerhaven.
The port of Bremerhaven is an important hub for trade and logistics in northern Germany.
Conclusion
Bavaria tops the list as the largest state by area, covering almost one-fifth of Germany’s total territory, followed by Lower Saxony and Baden-Württemberg – all located in the southern and western parts of the country.
At the other end of the ranking, the city-states of Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen occupy the lowest positions in terms of area, even though they are politically, economically and culturally highly significant.
This diversity in size and geographical characteristics shapes lifestyles and economic structures in each state and contributes to the complexity of Germany as a federal state.
Germany’s varied geographical map – from Alpine regions to agricultural plains and dense metropolitan areas – is one of the secrets of its strength: each region can focus on its specific natural and industrial resources, and together they form one of the world’s strongest economies with a rich cultural and social fabric.
* The editorial team of this website endeavours to provide accurate and up-to-date information based on extensive research and evaluations of various official sources. Nonetheless, some figures may be based on estimates, preliminary statistics or older datasets, so errors or deviations cannot be ruled out entirely. The contents of this article should therefore be regarded as an initial, non-binding guide. For legally binding and current information, readers should always refer to the competent authorities and official statistical offices.
