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Brandenburg surrounds Berlin to form the "capital region" of Germany, providing close proximity and easy access to the capital's cultural offerings, leading industry clusters, and decision makers at the federal level.
With major north-south and east-west trade routes meeting here, too, Brandenburg is also the crossroads of the new Europe and a gateway to Eastern Europe’s expanding markets. To take advantage of this ideal location, the region has developed an ultra-modern logistics infrastructure.
But things aren't just moving through Brandenburg. The region is quickly becoming a major aerospace cluster, with over 70 industry companies, including Deutsche Lufthansa, MTU Aero Engines, and Rolls-Royce Germany represented here. Renewable energies, boosted especially by photovoltaics producers such as Conergy and First Solar, has also become an important industry in Brandenburg. Moreover, the town of Babelsberg has once again become a filmmaking center and plays host to an increasing number of foreign filmmakers taking advantage of its state-of-the-art facilities and staffing opportunities. Such excellent conditions and enticing business development programs have helped attract over 280 foreign companies, including eBay.
The region's numerous universities, polytechnic universities, and R&D centers produce a highly trained and specialized workforce. Countless lakes, gardens, and castles – including Potsdam’s Sanssouci, a UNESCO World Heritage site – also offer excellent leisure-time opportunities for both visitors and residents.
| Facts & Figures | |
|---|---|
| Capital | Potsdam |
| Area | 29,500 km² |
| Population | 2,542,000 (2007) |
| GDP per capita | € 20,678 (2007) |
| University graduates per year | 5,543 (2006) |