Braunschweig - Geography and history
The Regierungsbezirk, or district, of Braunschweig is the smallest in Niedersachsen, occupying an area of 8 099 km2. It is about 180 km long from south-west to north-east, and only about 80 km wide from east to west. The district includes four of Niedersachsen's seven biggest cities: Braunschweig, Göttingen, Wolfsburg and Salzgitter.
The Regierungsbezirk of Braunschweig is located in the south-east of Niedersachsen. Its northern half is part of the North German Plain, and extends to part of the Lüneburger Heide and the Aller flatlands. It is bordered in the south by the Braunschweig Hills and the industrial region of eastern Niedersachsen, which includes some highly fertile, intensively farmed land. The region's two main centres are the industrialised cities of Braunschweig and Wolfsburg, which are economically closely intertwined. Salzgitter is another significant industrial city. The southern part of the district includes the Western Harz Mountains, which rise to nearly 1 000 metres, and the southern Weser-Leine-Bergland. This area possesses some beautiful countryside and a number of famous historic cities, hence the importance of tourism to the area. Notable cities include the university town of Göttingen, which is another regional centre, and the old Imperial City of Goslar. To the north, the Regierungsbezirk is reached by the major European east-west routes (the A2 motorway/E30). The Mittellandkanal and the Elbe-Seitenkanal provide links to the seaports. The main transport route to and from the southern part of the district is the north-south A7 motorway (E45).
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