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• 
  

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  Aichach-Friedberg
  Aichach-Friedberg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the northwest and clockwise) the districts of Augsburg, Donau-Ries, Neuburg-Schrobenhausen, Pfaffenhofen, Dachau, Fürstenfeldbruck and Landsberg, as well as by the city of Augsburg.
  Aichach-Friedberg was settled by Bavarian tribes from the seventh century on. The region is sometimes called the cradle of Bavaria, since the castle of Wittelsbach was located close to the present city of Aichach. It was the ancestral castle of the Wittelsbach family, who were rulers of Bavaria for thousand years. The castle was razed to the ground in 1208, and today there is nothing else left than a memorial stone at the place.
  The town of Friedberg was founded in the 13th century in order to collect a toll from people using the bridge across the Lech River. Aichach became a town about hundred years later. In 1862 the two districts of Aichach and Friedberg were founded. They were merged in 1972 and became part of the administrative region of Swabia. Anyhow, historically Aichach-Friedberg does not belong to Swabia, but to Old Bavaria. The name of the new district was originally Augsburg-Ost ("Augsburg East"), but it was changed to Aichach-Friedberg in 1973.
  
  wn.com/Aichach-Friedberg
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  Altötting (district)
  Altötting is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise) Austria and the Bavarian districts of Traunstein, Mühldorf and Rottal-Inn.
  Altötting was one of the original parts of Bavaria. It was settled by Bavarian tribes shortly after the retreat of the Romans. During the rule of duke Tassilo III (748-788) the place of Ötting was mentioned for the first time (the towns of Altötting and Neuötting are derived from that place). Soon in the 9th century the region became a religious centre with famous churches and monasteries. In the 15th century it became a place of pilgrimage.
  The district of Altötting was established in 1837. The current Pope Benedict XVI was born here 1927 in the village of Marktl.
  The hearts of many of the rulers of Bavaria are buried in the chapel of Mercy in the middle of the town square.
  The district is located in the alpine upland on the Austrian border. The main axis of the region is the Inn River, which crosses the district from west to east. It is joined by two large tributaries, the Alz River coming from the south and the Salzach, which forms the eastern border of the district. In addition there are several smaller rivers and brooks. The district once was covered with deciduous forests, but is now mainly agriculturally used. However, there are some nature reserves along the lower Alz River and at the mouth of the Salzach River.
  
  wn.com/Altötting_(district)
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  Amberg-Sulzbach
  Amberg-Sulzbach is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It surrounds but does not include the city of Amberg. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Neustadt (Waldnaab), Schwandorf, Neumarkt, Nürnberger Land and Bayreuth.
  The history is linked with the history of the Upper Palatinate and the city of Amberg.
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the former district of Amberg and the district-free city of Sulzbach-Rosenberg (the latter one lost its status as a district-free city in this administrative reform).
  The district is located in the geographical centre of Bavaria, 40 km east of Nuremberg. The main axis of the region is the Vils River (an affluent of the Naab) crossing the district from north to south. West of the river the land rises to the Franconian Jura, while there are gentle hills on the eastern side in the angle between Naab and Vils. The district is mainly covered by forests, especially in its western half.
  Coordinates: 49°30′N 11°45′E / 49.5°N 11.75°E / 49.5; 11.75
  
  wn.com/Amberg-Sulzbach
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  Ansbach (district)
  Ansbach is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is surrounding, but not including the city of Ansbach; nonetheless the administrative seat of the district is Ansbach. It is the district with the biggest area in Bavaria. The district is bounded by (from the west and clockwise) the districts Ostalbkreis, Schwäbisch Hall and Main-Tauber (all in the state of Baden-Württemberg), and the districts of Neustadt (Aisch)-Bad Windsheim, Fürth, Roth, Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen and Donau-Ries.
  Some of the towns already existed during the lifetime of Charlemagne, who visited Feuchtwangen about 800. In the 13th century the towns of Rothenburg, Dinkelsbühl and Feuchtwangen were elevated to Free Imperial Cities; so they were directly subordinate to the Holy Roman Emperor. The city of Ansbach became subject to the Hohenzollern family, who established the state of Ansbach (later Brandenburg-Ansbach) in the region.
  The district of Ansbach was established in 1972, when the former districts of Ansbach, Dinkelsbühl, Feuchtwangen and Rothenburg were merged. The city of Rothenburg lost its status as an urban district and was incorporated into the district.
  
  wn.com/Ansbach_(district)
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  Augsburg (district)
  Augsburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise) the city of Augsburg and the districts of Aichach-Friedberg, Landsberg, Ostallgäu, Unterallgäu, Günzburg, Dillingen and Donau-Ries. The city of Augsburg is not part of the district, but nonetheless is its administrative seat.
  In Roman times the Via Claudia connected the city of Augsburg and Italy. In 233 the Alamanni broke through the Limes, and the Roman rule over Swabia was ended. During the time of the Holy Roman Empire Augsburg was a bishopric principality. The city and the adjoining regions became subordinate to Bavaria after the Napoleonic Wars.
  The district of Augsburg was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Augsburg and Schwabmünchen and parts of other adjoining districts.
  More than twice as old as Nuremberg or Munich, Augsburg was founded in 15 B.C. by the Roman commanders Drusus and Tiberius. Under the orders of their stepfather Emperor Augustus, they enslaved the Celts and Alp-dwellers and founded the military camp Augusta Vindelicum on the site of current-day Augsburg. The camp soon became the capital of the Roman province Raetia.
  
  wn.com/Augsburg_(district)
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  Bamberg (district)
  Bamberg Land is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It surrounds but does not include the town of Bamberg. The district is bounded by the districts of (from the north and clockwise) Lichtenfels, Bayreuth, Forchheim, Erlangen-Höchstadt, Neustadt (Aisch)-Bad Windsheim, Kitzingen, Schweinfurt and Haßberge.
  The history of the district is linked with the history of Bamberg.
  In 1862 the districts of Bamberg-West and Bamberg-East were established. They were merged in 1929. The present borders were established in 1972, when portions of the adjoining district of Erlangen-Höchstadt were annexed.
  The district surrounds the town of Bamberg. The western half of the district is occupied by the Steigerwald, a hilly forest region. In the east there is the hill chain of the Frankish Alb. Between these regions the Main River enters the district from the north, turns around just before the town of Bamberg and leaves to the northwest. The smaller Regnitz River comes from the south and meets the Main behind Bamberg.
  
  wn.com/Bamberg_(district)
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  Bavaria
  Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria (German: Freistaat Bayern, pronounced [ˈfʁaɪʃtaːt ˈbaɪ.ɐn] ( listen)), is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of 70,548 square kilometres (27,200 sq mi), it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany. Bavaria is Germany's second most populous state (after North Rhine-Westphalia), with 12.5 million inhabitants, more than any of the three sovereign states on its borders. Bavaria's capital is Munich.
  One of the oldest states of Europe, it was established as a duchy in the mid first millennium. In the 17th century, the Duke of Bavaria became a Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire. The Kingdom of Bavaria existed from 1806 to 1918, and Bavaria has since been a free state (republic). Modern Bavaria also includes parts of the historical regions of Franconia and Swabia.
  The Bavarians emerged in a region north of the Alps, originally inhabited by the Gauls, which had been part of the Roman provinces of Raetia and Noricum. The Bavarians spoke Old High German but, unlike other Germanic groups, probably did not migrate from elsewhere. Rather, they seem to have coalesced out of other groups left behind by Roman withdrawal late in the 5th century. These peoples may have included the Celtic Boii, some remaining Romans, Marcomanni, Allemanni, Quadi, Thuringians, Goths, Scirians, Rugians, Heruli. The name "Bavarian" ("Baiuvarii") means "Men of Baia" which may indicate Bohemia, the homeland of the Celtic Boii and later of the Marcomanni. They first appear in written sources c. 520. Saint Boniface completed the people's conversion to Christianity in the early-8th century. Bavaria was, for the most part, unaffected by the Protestant Reformation.
  
  wn.com/Bavaria
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  Bayreuth (district)
  Bayreuth is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It surrounds, but does not include the city of Bayreuth. The district is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Kulmbach, Hof, Wunsiedel, Tirschenreuth, Neustadt/Waldnaab, Amberg-Sulzbach, Nürnberger Land, Forchheim and Bamberg.
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Bayreuth and Pegnitz, adding the town Gefrees of the former district of Münchberg and the town of Speichersdorf of the former district of Kemnath.
  The sources of the White Main and the Red Main are both located in the district. The Red Main rises in the very south in the hills of the Frankish Alb, the White Main has its source in the Fichtelgebirge mountains in the east. Both rivers run to the northwest, but do not meet within the district's borders.
  The valley of the Red Main separates the two major geographical regions of the district from each other: the hilly countryside of the Frankish Alb and the much higher Fichtelgebirge.
  Coordinates: 49°55′N 11°30′E / 49.92°N 11.5°E / 49.92; 11.5
  
  wn.com/Bayreuth_(district)
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  Berchtesgadener Land
  Berchtesgadener Land is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the district of Traunstein and by the state of Austria.
  The alpine regions of the south were Bavarian territory from the early Middle Ages. The 11th and 12th centuries saw the founding of numerous mountain villages. One of these settlements was Berchtesgaden, which later assumed a more dominant role in the administrative district that now bears its name.
  The northern portion of the Salzach river valley was traditionally part of bishopric (principality) of Salzburg. This principality functioned as a buffer state between Bavaria and Austria until the early 19th century. In 1816 it was divided along the Salzach river and then split between Bavaria and Austria. The western half of the former principality of Salzburg is today part of the district of Berchtesgadener Land.
  This district was formed in 1972 through a merger of the district of Berchtesgaden, the district of Laufen and the city of Bad Reichenhall.
  Two important historical events have dramatically reshaped Berchtesgadener Land in recent years, namely Austria's signing of the Schengen treaty in 1990 and the introduction of the Euro in 2002 in both Germany and Austria. Municipalities on both sides of border have been brought much closer by these changes, and the area is reversing many of the effects caused by the split of 1816. There is close and mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as public transport, recreational sports and culture. There is even a cross-border radio station called "Radio Untersberg"(website), which would have been unimaginable some 20 years ago due to different government regulations.
  
  wn.com/Berchtesgadener_Land
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  Berlin
  Berlin ( /bɜrˈlɪn/; German pronunciation: [bɛɐ̯ˈliːn] ( listen)) is the capital city of Germany and one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.5 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city and is the second most populous city proper and the eighth most populous urban area in the European Union. Located in northeastern Germany, it is the center of the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Region, which has 5.9 million residents from over 190 nations. Located in the European Plains, Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. Around one third of the city's area is composed of forests, parks, gardens, rivers and lakes.
  First documented in the 13th century, Berlin was the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918), the German Empire (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) and the Third Reich (1933–1945).Berlin in the 1920s was the third largest municipality in the world. After World War II, the city became divided into East Berlin—the capital of East Germany—and West Berlin, a West German exclave surrounded by the Berlin Wall (1961–1989). Following German reunification in 1990, the city regained its status as the capital of Germany, hosting 147 foreign embassies.
  
  wn.com/Berlin
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  Beşiktaş
  Beşiktaş (pronounced [beˈʃictaʃ]) is a municipality (belediye) of Istanbul, Turkey, located on the European shore of the Bosphorus. It is bordered on the north by Sarıyer and Şişli, on the west by Kağıthane and Şişli, on the south by Beyoğlu, and on the east by the Bosphorus. Directly across the Bosphorus is the municipality of Üsküdar.
  The Beşiktaş municipality includes a number of important sites along the European side of the Bosphorus, from Dolmabahçe Palace in the south to Bebek in the north. The municipality also includes many inland neighborhoods such as Levent and Etiler. Some of its other well-known neighborhoods are Yıldız, Kuruçeşme, Ortaköy, and Arnavutköy.
  The words beşik taş means "cradle stone" in Turkish.
  According to one story, there was a Byzantine church where Beşiktaş now is with the name Kounopetra, Greek for "stone cradle." The church was built to honor a relic, a stone reportedly taken from the stable in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. This stone was later removed to Hagia Sophia and disappeared during the Fourth Crusade, possibly to be sold in Europe's relics market.
  
  wn.com/Beşiktaş
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  California
  California (pronounced ⁱ/kælɨˈfɔrnjə/) is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third most extensive (after Alaska and Texas). It is home to the nation's second- and sixth-largest census statistical areas (Los Angeles Metropolitan Area and San Francisco Bay Area), and eight of the nation's fifty most populated cities (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach and Oakland). The capital city is Sacramento.
  California's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west, to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east – from the Redwood–Douglas-fir forests of the northwest, to the Mojave Desert areas in the southeast. The center of the state is dominated by Central Valley, a major agricultural area. California contains both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United States (Mount Whitney and Death Valley), and has the third-longest coastline of all states (after Alaska and Florida). Earthquakes are a common occurrence due to the state's location along the Pacific Ring of Fire: about 37,000 are recorded annually.
  
  wn.com/California
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  Cham (district)
  Cham is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise) the districts of Regen, Straubing-Bogen, Regensburg and Schwandorf and by the Czech Plzeň Region.
  The first historical date in the regional history is the year 748, when the bishop of Regensburg ordered the foundation of a monastery in the sparsely populated region. About hundred years later the royal castle of Cham was built and became a summer residence for the Holy Roman Emperors. The region was called Campriche or Mark Cham. In 1204 the Mark Cham became subject to Bavaria, in 1352 to the Palatinate and in the 17th century back to Bavaria. Nowadays, Cham still enjoys the laid back life style from the days of yore. Many projects have been initiated to give this area an impetus to grow, despite of this it is still one of the least populated regions in Germany.
  The district is located in the northern parts of the Bavarian Forest. It is situated within the borders of the Upper Bavarian Forest Nature Park. The highest mountain is the Großer Arber at 1439 m, located on the Germany–Czech Republic border. The Regen river enters the district in the southeast and leaves to the west; most of the settled places are situated along this river and its main tributary, the Chamb coming from the Czech border.
  
  wn.com/Cham_(district)
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  China
  China (ⁱ/ˈtʃaɪnə/; Chinese: 中国; pinyin: Zhōngguó; see also Names of China), officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is the world's most-populous country, with a population of over 1.3 billion. Covering approximately 9.6 million square kilometres, the East Asian state is the world's second-largest country by land area, and the third- or fourth-largest in total area, depending on the definition of total area.
  The People's Republic of China is a single-party state governed by the Communist Party of China. It exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four directly controlled municipalities (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing), and two mostly self-governing special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau). Its capital city is Beijing. The PRC also claims Taiwan—which is controlled by the Republic of China (ROC), a separate political entity—as its 23rd province, a claim controversial due to the complex political status of Taiwan and the unresolved Chinese Civil War. The PRC government denies the legitimacy of the ROC.
  
  wn.com/China
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  Coburg (district)
  Coburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise) the districts of Kronach, Lichtenfels, Bamberg and Haßberge, and by the state of Thuringia (districts Hildburghausen and Sonneberg). The district is surrounding, but not including the city of Coburg.
  The history of the district is largely influenced by the city of Coburg. From 1826 to 1918, the region was part of the small duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (see Thuringia). In a referendum from 1919, the Coburg portion of this state decided to join Bavaria (united in 1920). The present district is identical to that portion, but excludes the city of Coburg and the exclave of Königsberg, which is part of Haßberge district. The city of Neustadt was a district-free city until 1972 and was then incorporated into the district.
  The district is located in the hilly country between the Thuringian Slate Mountains and the Main valley.
  Coordinates: 50°16′N 10°55′E / 50.267°N 10.917°E / 50.267; 10.917
  
  wn.com/Coburg_(district)
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  Cumiana
  Cumiana is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 30 km southwest of Turin. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 7,327 and an area of 60.8 km².
  Cumiana borders the following municipalities: Giaveno, Trana, Piossasco, Pinasca, Volvera, Pinerolo, Frossasco, Cantalupa, Airasca, and Piscina.
  
  
  
  
  
  wn.com/Cumiana
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  Dachau (district)
  Dachau is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise) the districts of Fürstenfeldbruck, Aichach-Friedberg, Pfaffenhofen, Freising and Munich, and by the city of Munich.
  The district was established in 1952. There were slight changes to the territory in the administrative reform of 1972.
  The district extends from the northwestern suburbs of Munich to the so called Dachauer Land. It is a hilly countryside, which is now densely populated. The growing Munich metropolitan area is advancing more and more into the district's territory.
  Coordinates: 48°15′N 11°25′E / 48.25°N 11.42°E / 48.25; 11.42
  
  wn.com/Dachau_(district)
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  Dillingen (district)
  Dillingen is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Donau-Ries, Augsburg and Günzburg, and by the state of Baden-Württemberg (district of Heidenheim).
  In ancient times the Danube river was a border between the Roman empire and the Germanic tribes north of the river. The Roman camp of Phoebiana (now Faimingen) was a bridgehead crossing the danube. There was an Apollo temple being one of the largest buildings north of the Alps in that time.
  In medieval times the county of Dillingen was established. The counts of Dillingen ruled from the 10th to the 13th century, then (1258) the territory was turned over to the Prince Bishops of Augsburg, who gained several villages for their clerical state, hence subdividing the region into several patches, which were dissolved in the early 19th century. In 1804 Dillingen and its area became part of the state of Bavaria.
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the former district of Dillingen (which had existed since 1804) with the western half of the former district of Wertingen. The city of Dillingen lost its status as a district-free city and became the capital of the newly established district.
  
  wn.com/Dillingen_(district)
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  Dingolfing-Landau
  Dingolfing-Landau is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Straubing-Bogen, Deggendorf, Rottal-Inn and Landshut.
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Dingolfing and Landau (Isar). Its original name was Untere Isar ("Lower Isar"), but in 1973 it was renamed and got its present name.
  The region is characterised by very plain countryside and several rivers running from southwest to northeast (towards the Danube). Most important rivers of the district are the Isar and the Vils.
  The whole region depends on the automobile industry. At Dingolfing, you can find the largest BMW-Industrycomplex in the world.
  Coordinates: 48°40′N 12°35′E / 48.67°N 12.58°E / 48.67; 12.58
  
  wn.com/Dingolfing-Landau
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  Donau-Ries
  Donau-Ries (Danube-Ries) is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Ansbach, Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen, Eichstätt, Neuburg-Schrobenhausen, Aichach-Friedberg, Augsburg and Dillingen, and by the state of Baden-Württemberg (districts of Heidenheim and Ostalbkreis).
  From Palaeolithic times on the Nördlinger Ries was a very attractive site for human settlement. The valley of the Danube was abounding with game, and many caves in the slopes of the crater provided shelter for Neanderthals and their successors.
  The Ries was always densely populated. From 450 to 15 BC Celtic peoples built their settlements on the tops of the hills. Remains of Celtic circular forts and sanctuaries can be found all over the region. They were replaced about 90 AD by the Romans, who secured the region by building forts and the Limes (which was some km north of the present district).
  The Romans were driven away about 250 AD by the Alamanni, which in turn were defeated by the Franks in 496. In the early years of the Holy Roman Empire new castles were erected, among them Oettingen, which was the centre of the county of Oettingen. This county was first mentioned in 1141, ruled over the villages of the Ries and managed to gain further territories around. In the 15th century the county was divided into the two states of Oettingen-Oettingen and Oettingen-Wallerstein. Later the former decided to become Protestant, while the latter remained Catholic. This was the reason for a bloody enmity resulting in decades of war. Even prior to the Thirty Years' War there were battles, mass executions and witchhunts in both parts. In the Thirty Years' War the Ries was almost completely devastated and depopulated. Two major battles of that war took place in the region: the Battle of Nördlingen (1634) and the Battle of Nördlingen (1645).
  
  wn.com/Donau-Ries
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  Ebersberg (district)
  Ebersberg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Erding, Mühldorf, Rosenheim and Munich.
  The most important event in the district's history was the battle of Hohenlinden on December 3, 1800, which was a part of the Napoleonic Wars.
  The district includes rural areas east of the city of Munich. Despite the vicinity of Munich urbanisation is low. In the north there is a contiguous forest area of 80 km², serving as recreation area for the population of the Bavarian capital. The forest consists of three separate unincorporated areas, Anzinger Forst, Ebersberger Forst, and Eglhartinger Forst.
  The arms display both parts of the word "Ebersberg": a boar (German "Eber") standing on a mountain (German "Berg"). These two symbols are part of the arms of the city of Ebersberg as well. In addition the district's arms include a fir, symbolising the forests of the region.
  Unincorporated Areas
  Coordinates: 48°05′N 11°55′E / 48.08°N 11.92°E / 48.08; 11.92
  
  wn.com/Ebersberg_(district)
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  Eichstätt (district)
  Eichstätt is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise) the districts of Neuburg-Schrobenhausen, Donau-Ries, Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen, Roth, Neumarkt, Kelheim and Pfaffenhofen, and by the city of Ingolstadt.
  The district of Eichstätt in its present form was established in 1972 by merging the former district of Eichstätt with parts of the dissolved districts of Ingolstadt, Beilngries, Riedenburg and Hilpoltstein. The city of Eichstätt lost its status as a district-free city and became the capital of the new district. Today the Eichstätt district has powerful economic structures. The rate of workless people is only 1.2% (June 2011).
  The district is located in the southern part of the Frankish Alb. 80 % of the district are situated in the Altmühltal Nature Park. In the southeast the Danube forms a short part of the border.
  Coordinates: 48°55′N 11°20′E / 48.92°N 11.33°E / 48.92; 11.33
  
  wn.com/Eichstätt_(district)
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  Erding (district)
  Erding is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Landshut, Mühldorf, Ebersberg, Munich and Freising.
  The region is one of the oldest parts of Bavaria. Erding was located on the way between two important centres of power in the Wittelsbach state, Munich and Landshut. About 1230 a castle was built on the river Sempt in order to secure the road. This castle grew to become the city of Erding.
  The district of Erding was founded in 1946. Slight modifications took place in the administrative reform of 1971, when some villages from neighbouring districts were awarded to Erding.
  The district covers agriculturally used areas northeast of Munich. Several affluents of the Isar River cross the district from south to north, among them the Sempt. In the northwest there is the Erdinger Moos, which was once a large fen. A substantial part of this swampy area was drained in order to build the new airport of Munich, which was opened to the public in 1992.
  
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  Erlangen-Höchstadt
  Erlangen-Höchstadt is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise) the districts of Fürth, Neustadt (Aisch)-Bad Windsheim, Bamberg, Forchheim and Nürnberger Land, and by the cities of Nuremberg and Erlangen. The city of Erlangen is not part of the district, but nonetheless its administrative seat.
  The earliest extant documents are drawings from 1413 which show water wheels along the Regnitz. The first (1449–1450) and second (1552–1555) Margrave wars, Brandenburg versus Nuremberg, devastated the countryside.
  In 1715 a lock was placed in the Regnitz river at Hemhofen. The highpoint of waterwheel usage was in the early 19th century when more than 190 were in use between Fuerth and Forchheim.
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Erlangen and Höchstadt.
  The main river is the Regnitz, which runs through the city of Erlangen. Lands west of the river are covered with several hundred tiny lakes on both sides of the Aisch. The Aisch is an affluent of the Regnitz, running from southwest to east. East of the river the country is rising to the hills of the northern Frankish Alb.
  
  wn.com/Erlangen-Höchstadt
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  Eskilstuna
  Eskilstuna (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈɛskilsˈtʉːna]) is a city and the seat of Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 97 692 inhabitants in 2012. Eskilstuna has a large Sweden Finn population. The town is located on the River Eskilstunaån, which connects Lake Hjälmaren and Lake Mälaren.
  Eskilstuna's history dates back to medieval times when English monk Saint Eskil made "Tuna" his base and diocese of the South coast of Lake Mälaren. Saint Eskil was stoned to death by the pagan vikings of neighbouring town Strängnäs, 30 km east of Eskilstuna, trying to convert them to Christianity. Saint Eskil was buried in his monastery church in Tuna. Later the pagan city of Strängnäs was Christianised and was given the privilege of becoming diocese of South Lake Mälaren. Later "Eskil" was added in to the word "Tuna". However, the town of Eskilstuna did not receive municipal privileges due to its proximity to the medieval city of Torshälla. The monastery of Saint Eskil was completely destroyed by Swedish king Gustav Vasa during the Protestant Reformation and was replaced with the royal castle of Eskilstuna House. The city's first city privileges were granted in 1659, and its boundaries included Tunafors and the newly founded town of Karl Gustavs Stad ("City of Karl Gustav"), located on the west side of the river. Karl Gustavs Stad was built around the iron forges of master smith Reinhold Rademacher, encouraged by King Karl X Gustav. The first products of the forges were small arms and artillery.
  
  wn.com/Eskilstuna
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  Forchheim (district)
  Forchheim is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Bamberg, Bayreuth, Nürnberger Land and Erlangen-Höchstadt.
  Until 1803 the region was divided between the clerical state of Bamberg and the margravate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach centred in Bayreuth. Then it fell to Bavaria. The district in its present borders was established in 1972 by merging the former district of Forchheim with parts of the dissolved districts of Ebermannstadt and Pegnitz. The city of Forchheim lost its status as a district-free city and became the capital.
  The main river is the Regnitz, which runs from south to north through the western parts of the district. East of the river the land rises to the hills of the Frankish Alb.
  Coordinates: 49°45′N 11°05′E / 49.75°N 11.083°E / 49.75; 11.083
  
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  France
  France (English ⁱ/ˈfræns/ FRANSS or /ˈfrɑːns/ FRAHNSS; French: [fʁɑ̃s] ( listen)), officially the French Republic (French: République française [ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛz]), is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. It is often referred to as l’Hexagone ("The Hexagon") because of the geometric shape of its territory. It is the largest western European country and it possesses the second-largest exclusive economic zone in the world, covering 11,035,000 km² (4,260,000 sq mi), just behind that of the United States (11,351,000 km² / 4,383,000 sq mi).
  Over the past 500 years, France has been a major power with strong cultural, economic, military and political influence in Europe and around the world. During the 17th and 18th centuries, France colonised great parts of North America and Southeast Asia; during the 19th and early 20th centuries, France built the second largest colonial empire of the time, including large portions of North, West and Central Africa, Southeast Asia, and many Caribbean and Pacific Islands.
  
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  Freising (district)
  Freising is a district in Bavaria, Germany. Following a recent ranking of the German magazine FOCUS MONEY comparing all German districts it is number one concerning economic growth abilities. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Kelheim, Landshut, Erding, Munich, Dachau and Pfaffenhofen. The district is located north of the Munich metropolitan area. The Isar and Amper rivers run in parallel from southwest to northeast. North of the rivers there is the Hallertau, a hilly region mainly used for hop growing.
  In the Holy Roman Empire, Freising was a clerical state ruled by the bishops. In 1803, when the clerical states of Germany were dissolved, the region was annexed by Bavaria.
  This is a controversial charge in the Coat of Arms, which could represent one of many different persons:
  It is important to note the crown on the moor's head, which probably indicated that the territory of the Bishop of Freising was autonomous.
  Coordinates: 48°30′N 11°50′E / 48.5°N 11.83°E / 48.5; 11.83
  
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  Freyung-Grafenau
  Freyung-Grafenau is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise) the districts of Passau, Deggendorf, Regen, the Czech Republic and by Austria.
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Grafenau and Wolfstein. In medieval times Wolfstein (east of the Ilz River) was the property of the bishop of Passau. Grafenau (west of the Ilz River) successively belonged to different countries, before it was annexed by Bavaria in 1438. Wolfstein became a part of Bavaria two years after the dissolution of the clerical states in Germany (1803).
  Freyung-Grafenau is the easternmost district of Bavaria. It is located in the southern parts of the Bavarian Forest and is partially occupied by the Bavarian Forest National Park. The source of the Ilz River is situated in the district.
  Coordinates: 48°50′N 13°30′E / 48.83°N 13.5°E / 48.83; 13.5
  
  wn.com/Freyung-Grafenau
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  Fürth (district)
  Fürth is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise) the cities of Fürth and Nuremberg, and by the districts of Roth, Ansbach, Neustadt (Aisch)-Bad Windsheim and Erlangen-Höchstadt.
  In the 13th and most of the 14th century the region was a regional centre of the Hohenzollern state. The Cadolzburg (a castle west of Nuremberg) was the seat of the local rulers.
  The present district was established in 1972.
  In 2003 the administrative seat was moved from Fürth to Zirndorf. Nonetheless, Fürth remains the official capital of the district.
  The district is occupied by the western Nuremberg metropolitan area.
  Coordinates: 49°25′N 10°50′E / 49.417°N 10.833°E / 49.417; 10.833
  
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  Germany
  Germany (ⁱ/ˈdʒɜrməni/), officially the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, pronounced [ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant] ( listen)), is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km² and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. With 81.8 million inhabitants, it is the most populous member state and the largest economy in the European Union. It is one of the major political powers of the European continent and a technological leader in many fields.
  A region named Germania, inhabited by several Germanic peoples, was documented before AD 100. During the Migration Period, the Germanic tribes expanded southward, and established successor kingdoms throughout much of Europe. Beginning in the 10th century, German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire. During the 16th century, northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation while southern and western parts remained dominated by Roman Catholic denominations, with the two factions clashing in the Thirty Years' War, marking the beginning of the Catholic–Protestant divide that has characterized German society ever since. Occupied during the Napoleonic Wars, the rise of Pan-Germanism inside the German Confederation resulted in the unification of most of the German states into the German Empire in 1871 which was Prussian dominated. After the German Revolution of 1918–1919 and the subsequent military surrender in World War I, the Empire was replaced by the Weimar Republic in 1918, and partitioned in the Treaty of Versailles. Amidst the Great Depression, the Third Reich was proclaimed in 1933. The latter period was marked by Fascism and World War II. After 1945, Germany was divided by allied occupation, and evolved into two states, East Germany and West Germany. In 1990 Germany was reunified.
  
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  Günzburg (district)
  Günzburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Dillingen, Augsburg, Unterallgäu and Neu-Ulm, and by the state of Baden-Württemberg (districts Alb-Donau and Heidenheim).
  For the capital, see Günzburg.
  In the early Middle Ages the tiny county of Burgau ruled the region. In 1213 the county was acquired by the lords of Berg; it was then known as Berg-Burgau, but the last ruler of this collateral line died in 1301, and Burgau (now raised to the level of a margraviate) became an exclave of Austria. In the early 17th century the administrative seat was moved from the town of Burgau to Günzburg, but the margraviate retained its name. When the Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist in 1806, the margraviate was dissolved and the region was annexed by Bavaria.
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Günzburg and Krumbach. Günzburg lost its status as an urban district and became the administrative seat of the new district.
  
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  Hamburg
  Hamburg ( /ˈhæmbɜrɡ/; German pronunciation: [ˈhambʊɐ̯k], local pronunciation [ˈhambʊɪç]; Low German/Low Saxon: Hamborg [ˈhaˑmbɔːx]), officially Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, is the second-largest city in Germany, the thirteenth largest German state, and the sixth-largest city in the European Union. The city is home to over 1.8 million people, while the Hamburg Metropolitan Region (including parts of the neighbouring Federal States of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein) has more than 4.3 million inhabitants. Situated on the river Elbe, the port of Hamburg is the second largest port in Europe (after the Port of Rotterdam) and 11th-largest worldwide.
  Hamburg's official name, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (German: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg), reflects Hamburg's history as a member of the medieval Hanseatic League, as a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire, and that Hamburg is a city-state and one of the sixteen States of Germany.
  Hamburg is a major transport hub in Northern Germany and is one of the most affluent cities in Europe.  It has become a media and industrial centre, with plants and facilities belonging to Airbus, Blohm + Voss and Aurubis. The radio and television broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk and publishers such as Gruner + Jahr and Spiegel-Verlag are pillars of the important media industry in Hamburg. In total, there are more than 120,000 enterprises.
  
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  Haßberge (district)
  Haßberge is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the northeast and clockwise) the districts of Coburg, Bamberg, Schweinfurt and Rhön-Grabfeld, and by the state of Thuringia (district of Hildburghausen).
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the districts of Haßfurt, Ebern and Hofheim.
  The district is named after the Haßberge hill chain, which is located south of the Thuringian border. It is an eastern extension of the Rhön mountains and densely forested. South of the hills the Main river crosses the district from east to west. South of the river there is the Steigerwald forest, whose northern parts belong to the district. Both the Haßberge hills and the Steigerwald are nature parks.
  Coordinates: 50°05′N 10°40′E / 50.08°N 10.67°E / 50.08; 10.67
  
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  Hof (district)
  Hof is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise) the districts of Wunsiedel, Bayreuth, Kulmbach and Kronach, the states of Thuringia (district of Saale-Orla) and Saxony (district of Vogtlandkreis), and the Czech Republic. The city of Hof is an enclave within the district, as well a being the district's administrative seat.
  Following a short regency by Kingdom of Prussia (1791–1810) the region fell to Bavaria in 1810. The district was established in 1852. In the Bavarian communal reforms of 1972 it was merged with parts of the dissolved districts Naila, Münchberg, Kronach and Rehau.
  The Saxon Saale river originates in the south of the district, on the slopes of the Fichtelgebirge. From here it runs northwards, its valley separating the Fichtelgebirge in the east and the lower Frankenwald hills in the west.
  Coordinates: 50°15′N 11°50′E / 50.25°N 11.83°E / 50.25; 11.83
  
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  Italy
  Italy ⁱ/ˈɪtəli/ (Italian: Italia [iˈtaːlja]), officially the Italian Republic or the Republic of Italy (Italian: Repubblica italiana), is a unitary parliamentary republic in south-central Europe. To the north, it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia along the Alps. To the south, it consists of the entirety of the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Sardinia–the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea–and many other smaller islands. The independent states of San Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within Italy, while Campione d'Italia is an Italian exclave in Switzerland. The territory of Italy covers some 301,338 km² (116,347 sq mi) and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. With 60.6 million inhabitants, it is the fifth most populous country in Europe, and the 23rd most populous in the world.
  Rome, the capital of Italy, was for centuries a political and religious centre of Western civilisation as the capital of the Roman Empire and site of the Holy See. After the decline of the Roman Empire, Italy endured numerous invasions by foreign peoples, from Germanic tribes such as the Lombards and Ostrogoths, to the Byzantines and later, the Normans, among others. Centuries later, Italy became the birthplace of Maritime republics and the Renaissance, an immensely fruitful intellectual movement that would prove to be integral in shaping the subsequent course of European thought.
  
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  Kelheim (district)
  Kelheim is a district in Bavaria, Germany, bound (from the north and clockwise) by the regions Regensburg, Landshut, Freising, Pfaffenhofen, Eichstätt and Neumarkt.
  The district is located half way between Ingolstadt and Regensburg on both banks of the Danube. In the northwestern part it includes a part of the Altmühl Valley Nature Park and the confluence of Altmühl and Danube.
  Coordinates: 48°50′N 11°50′E / 48.83°N 11.83°E / 48.83; 11.83
  
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  Kitzingen (district)
  Kitzingen is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Schweinfurt, Bamberg, Neustadt (Aisch)-Bad Windsheim and Würzburg.
  The district in its present form was established in the administrative reform of 1973. The former district of Gerolzhofen was dissolved, and half of its territory was merged with the Kitzingen district (which had been much smaller before). The city of Kitzingen lost its status as a district-free city and was incorporated into the district.
  The Main River runs through the district from south to north.
  Coordinates: 49°45′N 10°10′E / 49.75°N 10.17°E / 49.75; 10.17
  
  wn.com/Kitzingen_(district)
• Kosbach
  Kosbach is a village on the outskirts of Erlangen, Germany. The village is known locally for its own Kirchweih festival, the Kosbacher Karpfen Kirchweih, which is a celebration at which carp is consumed en masse. The village is surrounded by carp ponds. The ponds are lined with nets, a month or so before the festival the nets are raised so the fish are off the bottom and the muddiness is rinsed away. In 1985 there were a disproportionate number of teenagers in the town, by far outnumbering the adults.
  Coordinates: 49°36′N 10°56′E / 49.6°N 10.933°E / 49.6; 10.933
  
  wn.com/Kosbach
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  Kronach (district)
  Kronach is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise) the districts of Hof, Kulmbach, Lichtenfels and Coburg, and the state of Thuringia (districts of Sonneberg, Saalfeld-Rudolstadt and Saale-Orla).
  Kronach was ruled by the bishopric of Bamberg from 1102 until 1803, when the clerical states of Germany were dissolved. Afterwards it fell to Bavaria, where the districts of Kronach and Teuschnitz were established on the territory of the present district. In 1931 these districts were merged in order to form the district of Kronach.
  A large portion of the district is part of the Franconian Forest nature park. The Franconian Forest (German Frankenwald) is a hill chain rising to 795 metres (2,608 ft) To the southwest the country is sloping away. Several narrow rivers run southwards through the district in order to join the Main River beyond the district's borders, among them the Kronach River.
  Coordinates: 50°20′N 11°20′E / 50.33°N 11.33°E / 50.33; 11.33
  
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  Kulmbach (district)
  Kulmbach is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Kronach, Hof, Bayreuth and Lichtenfels.
  The historical centre of the region was the castle of Plassenburg in the city of Kulmbach. In 1135 this castle was first mentioned. The rulers of the castle and the surrounding lands were the counts of Andechs (1135–1248, from 1135 to 1180 Dießen-Andechs, from 1180 to 1248 Andechs-Meranien) and the Thuringian counts of Orlamünde (1260–1340). After the death of the last count of Orlamünde the region fell to the Hohenzollern state.
  In 1398 the Hohenzollern state was divided, and in the Franconian area the two states of Ansbach and Kulmbach were founded. When the Hohenzollern family was awarded the margravate of Brandenburg, these states were called Brandenburg-Ansbach and Brandenburg-Kulmbach, but not united with Brandenburg proper. In 1603 the castle of Plassenburg was abandoned, and the capital was moved to the city of Bayreuth. The importance of the city of Kulmbach declined hereafter, although the margraves (and sometimes the population of Kulmbach) often used to take shelter on the castle during the years of the Thirty Years' War.
  
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  Landsberg (district)
  Landsberg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Aichach-Friedberg, Fürstenfeldbruck, Starnberg, Weilheim-Schongau, Ostallgäu and Augsburg.
  In 1180 the lands east of the Lech river fell to the Wittelsbach dynasty of Bavaria; the lands on the western bank were acquired about 1315.
  The district of Landsberg was established in 1938 as the successor of another entity (Bezirksamt) of the same name. In the administrative reform of 1972 the district received its present shape.
  In the final stages of World War II, the German Armaments Ministry and the SS established the Kaufering concentration camp including 11 subcamps in the general area of Landsberg and Kaufering. It was set up as a subcamp of Dachau. At the end of April in 1945, the SS evacuated or destroyed what they could before the Allies arrived.
  The district is situated on both sides of the Lech river. The Ammersee, one of the largest lakes of Germany (47 km), is located in the east of the district.
  
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  Landshut (district)
  Landshut is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Kelheim, Straubing-Bogen, Dingolfing-Landau, Rottal-Inn, Mühldorf, Erding and Freising. The city of Landshut is enclosed by, but does not belong to the district. It is nonetheless its administrative seat.
  The city of Landshut was founded in 1204 by the ruling Wittelsbach family of Bavaria. Since then the region has always been a part of Bavaria.
  The present district was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Landshut, Rottenburg and Vilsbiburg and adding some municipalities of surrounding districts.
  The district comprises plain countryside on both banks of the Isar river.
  Many residents work at the Dingolfing BMW (formerly Glas) car plant which expanded massively during the 1970s. Others commute daily to Munich, which is about 46 miles (74 km) to the southwest.
  The first research nuclear power plant at Niederaichbach was torn down and returned to greenfield status in 1995. Two other nuclear reactors, known as Isar I und Isar II, in the Essenbach district remain operational: nuclear power generation remains a significant local employer.
  
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  Lindau (district)
  Lindau is a Landkreis or rural district in Bavaria, Germany; its capital is the city of Lindau. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise) the district of Oberallgäu, Austria (federal state of Vorarlberg), Lake Constance and the state of Baden-Württemberg (districts of Bodensee and Ravensburg).
  The city of Lindau became a Free Imperial City in the 13th century; it was directly subordinate to the emperor. The rural areas around Lindau were the property of monasteries or tiny counties, that rose and fell in the region. When French troops under Napoleon entered the area, all these entities were dissolved. In 1806 the region fell to Bavaria.
  The district of Lindau was established in 1938. After the Second World War it became part of the French zone of occupation, while the rest of Bavaria was under American occupation. In 1955 the district was reincorporated into Bavaria. The city of Lindau, which had been an urban district, became a part of the rural district in 1972.
  In the southwest the district borders Lake Constance, more precisely its eastern part known as Obersee. To the north the countryside rises to the hills of the western Allgäu mountains.
  
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  Main-Spessart
  Main-Spessart is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Bad Kissingen, Schweinfurt and Würzburg, the state of Baden-Württemberg (district of Main-Tauber), the districts of Miltenberg and Aschaffenburg, and the state of Hesse (district of Main-Kinzig).
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Gemünden, Karlstadt, Lohr and Marktheidenfeld.
  The Main River forms a large horse-shoe bend in the district, entering in the southeast and leaving to the southwest. In the north it is joined by the Franconian Saale River. In the west of the district the Spessart mountains are rising.
  Coordinates: 49°55′N 9°45′E / 49.92°N 9.75°E / 49.92; 9.75
  
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  Miesbach (district)
  Miesbach is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise) the districts of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen, Munich and Rosenheim, and by the Austrian state of Tyrol.
  In medieval times most of the district was occupied by clerical states. The Miesbach district is the union of the areas that were formerly occupied by the Hohenwaldeck county, the territories owned by the powerful Tegernsee Abbey, the territories owned by the Weyarn Abbey and Valley County. Hohenwaldeck was annexed by Bavaria in 1734, Valley in 1777. The clerical states were dissolved in 1803 and fell to Bavaria as well.
  Miesbach was established in 1803 the foundation ceremony took place in the court district of Hohenwaldeck. In 1818 Tegernsee was established. The same year the Bad Aibling district was established too and Miesbach had to deliver 12 municipalities. In 1939 Tegernsee was merged into Miesbach. During the territorial reform in Bavaria in 1972 Otterffing was merged into Miesbach too and the district Wolfratshausen as well.
  
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  Munich (district)
  Munich (German: Landkreis München) is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It borders (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Dachau, Freising, Erding, Ebersberg, Rosenheim, Miesbach, Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen, Starnberg, Fürstenfeldbruck, and surrounds district-free city Munich itself, which is the district seat.
  The history of the region is connected to the city of Munich.
  The district was established in 1852 and underwent several changes due to the ongoing incorporation of municipalities into the city of Munich. In 1972 the constant shrinking of the district was compensated by adding nine municipalities from the former district of Wolfratshausen.
  The district is located in the east and the south of the city Munich, mostly covering the moraine plain around Munich. In the south of the district the foothills of the Alps start, which also contain the highest elevation of the district, two hills 703 m above sea level in the municipality Schäftlarn. The lowest elevation with 471 m is near Unterschleißheim in the north of the district. The main river is the Isar, which also flows through the city of Munich.
  
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  Mühldorf (district)
  Mühldorf is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Landshut, Rottal-Inn, Altötting, Traunstein, Rosenheim, Ebersberg and Erding.
  Most parts of the district have belonged to Bavaria from the 13th century on. The archbishopric of Salzburg possessed some estates in the region as well from the year 798. In 1803, when the clerical states of Holy Empire were dissolved, Bavaria annexed these estates.
  The district is located in generally plain countryside on either bank of the Inn River.
  
  Freed, John B. Noble Bondsmen: Ministerial Marriages in the Archdiocese of Salzburg, 1100-1343. (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1995).
  Coordinates: 48°15′N 12°25′E / 48.25°N 12.42°E / 48.25; 12.42
  
  wn.com/Mühldorf_(district)
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  Neu-Ulm (district)
  Neu-Ulm is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise) the districts of Günzburg and Unterallgäu and the state of Baden-Württemberg (districts Biberach and Alb-Donau, city of Ulm).
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Neu-Ulm and Illertissen with the previously district-free city of Neu-Ulm.
  The district includes the eastern metropolitan area of the city of Ulm. The Danube and its tributary, the Iller, form the western border of the district.
  Coordinates: 48°20′N 10°10′E / 48.333°N 10.167°E / 48.333; 10.167
  
  
  
  wn.com/Neu-Ulm_(district)
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  Neumarkt (district)
  Neumarkt is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Nürnberger Land, Amberg-Sulzbach, Schwandorf, Regensburg, Kelheim, Eichstätt and Roth.
  In early medieval times the region was ruled by the counts of Wolfstein, while the city of Neumarkt was directly subordinate to the emperor and hence independent from the Wolfstein family. In the 14th century the counts of Wolfstein, as well as the city of Neumarkt, became subordinate to the Palatinate, and in 1628 to Bavaria.
  The district in its present shape was established in 1972, when the city of Neumarkt lost its status as an urban district and was incorporated into the district.
  The district is located in the mountains of the Frankish Alb. The southern parts are occupied by the Altmühl Valley Nature Park.
  Coordinates: 49°15′N 11°30′E / 49.25°N 11.5°E / 49.25; 11.5
  
  wn.com/Neumarkt_(district)
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  Nicaragua
  Nicaragua (ⁱ/ˌnɪkəˈrɑːɡwə/ nik-ə-RAH-gwə), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (Spanish: República de Nicaragua [reˈpuβlika ðe nikaˈɾaɣwa] ( listen)), is the largest country in the Central American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. The country's physical geography divides it into three major zones: Pacific lowlands; wet, cooler central highlands; and the Caribbean lowlands. On the Pacific side of the country are the two largest fresh water lakes in Central America—Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua. Surrounding these lakes and extending to their northwest along the rift valley of the Gulf of Fonseca are fertile lowland plains, with soil highly enriched by ash from nearby volcanoes of the central highlands. Nicaragua's abundance of biologically significant and unique ecosystems contribute to Mesoamerica's designation as a biodiversity hotspot.
  
  wn.com/Nicaragua
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  Nürnberger Land
  Nürnberger Land is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Forchheim, Bayreuth, Amberg-Sulzbach, Neumarkt, Roth and Erlangen-Höchstadt, and by the city of Nuremberg.
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Nuremberg, Hersbruck and Lauf.
  The district includes the eastern metropolitan area of Nuremberg in the west and the hills of the Frankish Alb in the east. The Pegnitz River runs through the district, coming from the northeast and leaving to the west towards Nuremberg.
  Coordinates: 49°30′N 11°22′E / 49.5°N 11.367°E / 49.5; 11.367
  
  wn.com/Nürnberger_Land
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  Oberallgäu
  Oberallgäu is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Unterallgäu and Ostallgäu, the Austrian states Tyrol and Vorarlberg, the district of Lindau, and the state of Baden-Württemberg (district Ravensburg). The city of Kempten is enclosed by, but not belonging to the district.
  Human settlement dates back to the Bronze Age, when Celtic peoples inhabited the region. The Romans established a military camp which grew to become the city of Cambodunum, the present Kempten. It is consequently sometimes claimed that Kempten is the oldest town in Germany.
  In medieval times Kempten was a free imperial city, and the surrounding lands became subordinate to the lords of Staufen and the counts of Rothenfels. Both ceased to exist in the beginning of the 19th century, when Napoleon handed these territories over to Bavaria.
  The district of Oberallgäu was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Sonthofen and Kempten.
  Oberallgäu is the southernmost district of Germany. "Oberallgäu" literally means "Upper Allgäu". The term Allgäu is applied to the part of the Alps located in Swabia and their northern foothills.
  
  wn.com/Oberallgäu
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  Oktoberfest
  Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled after the Munich event.
  The Munich Oktoberfest originally took place during the sixteen days up to and including the first Sunday in October. In 1994, the schedule was modified in response to German reunification so that if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or 2nd, then the festival would go on until October 3 (German Unity Day). Thus, the festival is now 17 days when the first Sunday is October 2 and 18 days when it is October 1. In 2010, the festival lasted until the first Monday in October, to mark the 200th anniversary of the event. The festival is held in an area named the Theresienwiese (field, or meadow, of Therese), often called Wiesn for short, located near Munich's center. Large quantities of Oktoberfest Beer are consumed, with almost 7 million liters served during the 16 day festival in 2007. Visitors may also enjoy a wide variety of traditional food such as Hendl (chicken), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Schweinshaxe (grilled ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Würstl (sausages) along with Brezn (Pretzel), Knödel (potato or bread dumplings), Käsespätzle (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes), Sauerkraut or Rotkohl/Blaukraut (red cabbage) along with such Bavarian delicacies as Obatzda (a spiced cheese-butter spread) and Weisswurst (a white sausage).
  
  wn.com/Oktoberfest
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  Ostallgäu
  Ostallgäu is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise) the districts of Oberallgäu, Unterallgäu, Augsburg, Landsberg, Weilheim-Schongau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and by the Austrian state of Tyrol. The city of Kaufbeuren is enclosed by but does not belong to the district.
  Before 1803 the region was split into several tiny states, most of them clerical states. When these states were dissolved in 1803, the Ostallgäu region became part of Bavaria. The kings of Bavaria soon evolved a special relationship with the region and built their famous castles of Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein there.
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Kaufbeuren, Marktoberdorf and Füssen.
  "Ostallgäu" literally means "Eastern Allgäu". The term Allgäu is applied to the part of the Alps located in Swabia and their northern foothills.
  The district extends from the crest of the Alps to hilly countryside in the north. It is located on either side of the Wertach, an affluent of the Lech River. In the south there is a great number of alpine lakes, the largest of them being the Forggensee (16 km²).
  
  wn.com/Ostallgäu
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  Passau (district)
  Passau is a district (Kreis) in the southeast of Bavaria. It encloses the city of Passau geographically from two sides. Neighboring districts are (from the east clockwise) Rottal-Inn, Deggendorf, Freyung-Grafenau. To the south it borders Austria.
  Archaeological findings prove that the area was settled more than 7000 years ago. In 1971 the district was created by merging the previous districts Wegscheid, Vilshofen, Griesbach (Rottal) and parts of the districts Pfarrkirchen and Eggenfelden. The city's original name was Batava (also known as Batavia) in Roman times. Passau survived three major fires, the biggest one being the all-destructive fire from 1662. After much of the city had burned down, bishops rebuilt it in Baroque style. To this day, massive cathedrals such as the St. Stephan's Dom (Dom means "cathedral" in German) stun visitors from all over the world. St. Stephan houses the world's largest church organ.
  The district consists of two geographically different parts, separated by the river Danube. In the north is the southern part of the Bayrischer Wald (Bavarian Forest) mountains with hills up to 1000 meter. In the south of the Danube river the landscape is only hilly with plains between the valleys of the Inn and Ilz river.
  
  wn.com/Passau_(district)
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  Regen (district)
  Regen is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise) the districts of Freyung-Grafenau, Deggendorf, Straubing-Bogen and Cham, and by the Czech Republic (Plzeň Region).
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Regen and Viechtach.
  The district is entirely located in the Bavarian Forest. It is named after the Regen river and its two headstreams, the Black Regen and the White Regen.
  Coordinates: 49°00′N 13°10′E / 49.0°N 13.17°E / 49.0; 13.17
  
  wn.com/Regen_(district)
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  Rhön-Grabfeld
  Rhön-Grabfeld is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the southeast and clockwise) the districts of Hassberge, Schweinfurt and Bad Kissingen, and the states of Hesse (district Fulda) and Thuringia (districts Schmalkalden-Meiningen and Hildburghausen).
  In medieval times the region was a part of the Bishopric of Würzburg. When the clerical states of Germany were dissolved in 1803, it fell to Bavaria. The district of Rhön-Grabfeld was established in 1972, when the former districts of Bad Neustadt, Königshofen and Mellrichstadt were merged.
  The district consists of two distinct areas: The eastern parts of the Rhön mountains and the Bavarian portion of Grabfeld.
  Grabfeld is a fertile region south of the Rhön mountains. Literally it means "digfield". According to local legend a queen once lost her beloved ring in the Grabfeld. She ordered her servants to dig up the whole area. When the ring was found, she was relieved and ordered a royal estate to be built where it was found. Later this estate became the city of Königshofen.
  
  wn.com/Rhön-Grabfeld
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  Richmond, Virginia
  Richmond ( /ˈrɪtʃmənd/) is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the Greater Richmond area. The population within the city limits was 204,214 in 2010, with an estimated population of 1,258,251 for the Richmond Metropolitan Area — making it the third largest in Virginia.
  Geographically, Richmond is located at the fall line of the James River, 108 miles (174 km) south of Washington DC, 71 miles (114 km) east of Charlottesville, and 54 miles (87 km) west of Williamsburg. Surrounded by Henrico and Chesterfield counties, the city is located at the intersections of Interstate 95 and Interstate 64, and encircled by Interstate 295 and Virginia State Route 288.
  The site of Richmond, at the fall line of the James River, had been an important village of the Powhatan Confederacy, and was briefly settled by English colonists from Jamestown in 1609, and in 1610–1611. The present city of Richmond was founded in 1737. It became the capital of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia in 1780. During the Revolutionary War period, several notable events occurred in the city, including Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty or give me death" speech in 1775 at St. John's Church, and the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom written by Thomas Jefferson. During the American Civil War, Richmond served as the capital of the Confederate States of America. The city entered the 20th century with one of the world's first successful electric streetcar systems, as well as a national hub of African-American commerce and culture, the Jackson Ward neighborhood.
  
  wn.com/Richmond,_Virginia
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  Rosenheim (district)
  Rosenheim is a Kreis (district) in the south of Bavaria, Germany. Neighboring districts are, clockwise from the west, Miesbach, Munich, Ebersberg, Mühldorf, and Traunstein, with the Austrian province Tirol across the southern border. The district entirely surrounds the city of Rosenheim, which is independently administered but hosts the district's administration; both the city and the district share the "RO" designation for their license plates.
  The district was created in 1972 when the former districts Rosenheim, Bad Aibling, and parts of Wasserburg am Inn were merged.
  The Rosenheim district is located in the foothills of the Alps, the Chiemgau. The landscape is dominated by moraines created by the Inn Glacier in the last glacial period, including many lakes. To the east of the district is the largest of these lakes, the Chiemsee. The main rivers in the district are the Inn and the Mangfall, which meet in the city of Rosenheim.
  Mountain ranges in the south of the district include the Chiemgauer Alpen and the Mangfallgebirge, which also contains the Wendelstein, at 1,838 metres (6,030 ft) the highest elevation in the district.
  
  wn.com/Rosenheim_(district)
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  Roth (district)
  Roth is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the northeast and clockwise) the districts of Nürnberger Land, Neumarkt, Eichstätt, Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen, Ansbach and Fürth, and the cities of Schwabach and Nuremberg.
  In medieval times the region was ruled by many lords. Brandenburg-Ansbach and Nuremberg owned possessions in this territory, and other parts were property of clerical states. When these clerical states were dissolved in 1803, the district fell to Bavaria.
  The district was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Roth, Schwabach and Hilpoltstein.
  Coordinates: 49°15′N 11°05′E / 49.25°N 11.08°E / 49.25; 11.08
  
  wn.com/Roth_(district)
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  Rottal-Inn
  Rottal-Inn is a Kreis (district) in the southeastern part of Bavaria, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from the south clockwise) Altötting, Mühldorf, Landshut, Dingolfing-Landau and Passau. To the southeast is the Austrian state Upper Austria (Braunau).
  The main rivers in the district are the Inn and its tributary, the Rott.
  The district was created in 1972 by merging the two previous districts Pfarrkirchen and Eggenfelden and parts of the districts Griesbach and Vilsbiburg.
  
  
  Coordinates: 48°25′N 12°55′E / 48.42°N 12.92°E / 48.42; 12.92
  
  wn.com/Rottal-Inn
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  Russia
  Russia ⁱ/ˈrʌʃə/ or /ˈrʊʃə/ (Russian: Россия, tr. Rossiya; IPA: [rɐˈsʲijə] ( listen)), also officially known as the Russian Federation (Russian: Российская Федерация, tr. Rossiyskaya Federatsiya; IPA: [rɐˈsʲijskəjə fʲɪdʲɪˈratsɨjə] ( listen)), is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects. From northwest to southeast, Russia shares borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (both via Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and North Korea. It also has maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk, and the US state of Alaska by the Bering Strait. At 17,075,400 square kilometres (6,592,800 sq mi), Russia is the largest country in the world, covering more than one eighth of the Earth's inhabited land area. Russia is also the eighth most populous nation with 143 million people. It extends across the whole of northern Asia and 40% of Europe, spanning nine time zones and incorporating a wide range of environments and landforms. Russia has the world's largest reserves of mineral and energy resources and is the largest producer of oil and natural gas globally. Russia has the world's largest forest reserves and its lakes contain approximately one-quarter of the world's fresh water.
  
  wn.com/Russia
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  Shenzhen
  Shenzhen (Mandarin pronunciation: [ʂə́ntʂə̂n]) is a major city in the south of Southern China's Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong. The area became China's first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones (SEZs). It currently also holds sub-provincial administrative status, with powers slightly less than a province.
  Shenzhen's modern cityscape is the result of the vibrant economy made possible by rapid foreign investment since the institution of the policy of "reform and opening" establishment of the SEZ in the late 1979, before which it was only a small village. Both Chinese and foreign nationals have invested enormous amount of money in the Shenzhen SEZ. More than US$30 billion in foreign investment has gone into both foreign-owned and joint ventures, at first mainly in manufacturing but more recently in the service industries as well. Shenzhen is now reputedly considered as one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.
  Being southern mainland China's major financial centre, Shenzhen is home to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange as well as the headquarters of numerous high-tech companies. Shenzhen is also the third-busiest container port in China, after Shanghai and Hong Kong.
  
  wn.com/Shenzhen
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  Sweden
  Sweden (ⁱ/ˈswiːdən/ SWEE-dən; Swedish: Sverige [ˈsværjɛ] ( listen)), officially the Kingdom of Sweden (Swedish:  Konungariket Sverige (help·info)), is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland, and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Øresund.
  At 450,295 square kilometres (173,860 sq mi), Sweden is the third largest country in the European Union by area, with a total population of about 9.4 million. Sweden has a low population density of 21 inhabitants per square kilometre (54 /sq mi) with the population mostly concentrated to the southern half of the country. About 85% of the population live in urban areas. Sweden's capital city is Stockholm, which is also the largest city.
  Sweden emerged as an independent and unified country during the Middle Ages. In the 17th century, the country expanded its territories to form the Swedish Empire. The empire grew to be one of the great powers of Europe in the 17th and early 18th century. Most of the conquered territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula were lost during the 18th and 19th centuries. The eastern half of Sweden, present-day Finland, was lost to Russia in 1809. The last war in which Sweden was directly involved was in 1814, when Sweden by military means forced Norway into a personal union. Since then, Sweden has been at peace, practicing "non-participation in military alliances during peacetime and neutrality during wartime". However, Sweden has been a member of the European Union since 1 January 1995 and is a member of the OECD.
  
  wn.com/Sweden
• Tennenlohe
  Tennenlohe is a district of the city of Erlangen in Middle Franconia, Germany, located about 6 km south of the city centre at the motorway A 3. Tennenlohe was amalgamated into the city on July 1, 1972. It has 4,439 inhabitants (March 1, 2007).
  The settlement probably originated at the end of the 12th century and is first documented in 1265. It remained a village with scattered buildings around ten larger farms until the 19th century. New residential and commercial areas grew after 1945, especially since the completion of the A 3 from Nuremberg to Frankfurt in 1964. Today Tennenlohe is the site of the innovation and founder centre Nuremberg-Erlangen-Fürth, the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits and numerous IT-companies.
  Tennenlohe features a medieval church with baroque interior from 1766-68, as well as some historic sandstone buildings.
  North of Tennenlohe up to the fringes of central Erlangen and the district Bruck lies a protected forest called Brucker Lache. This is also the location of the Walderlebniszentrum Tennenlohe, a museum about the flora and fauna of the surrounding forests as well as their history and human cultivation. Next to it exists an adventure trail with many activities related to the woods. East of Tennenlohe lies another protected forest called Tennenloher Forst.
  
  wn.com/Tennenlohe
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  Thuringia
  The Free State of Thuringia (German: Freistaat Thüringen, pronounced [ˈfʁaɪʃtaːt ˈtyːʁɪŋən], English /θjʊərˈrɪndʒiə/) is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country. It has an area of 16,171 square kilometres (6,244 sq mi) and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states. Most of Thuringia is within the watershed of the Saale, a left tributary of the Elbe. Its capital is Erfurt.
  Thuringia has been known by the nickname of "the green heart of Germany" (das grüne Herz Deutschlands) from the late 19th century, due to the dense forest that covers the terrain.
  Thuringia is well known in Germany for nature and winter sports. It is home to the Rennsteig, Germany's most famous hiking trail, and the winter resort of Oberhof. Germany has won more Winter Olympics gold medals than any other country in the last 20 years, and half of Germany's gold medals have been won by Thuringian athletes.
  From the northwest going clockwise, Thuringia borders on the German states of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, Bavaria and Hesse. The ridges of the western Harz Mountains divide the region from Lower Saxony on the north-west, while the eastern Harz similarly separates Thuringia from the state of Saxony-Anhalt to the north-east. To the south and southwest, the Thuringian Forest effectively separates the ancient region of Franconia, now the northern part of Bavaria, from the rolling plains of most of Thuringia. The central Harz range extends southwards along the western side into the northwest corner of the Thuringian Forest region, making Thuringia a lowland basin of rolling plains nearly surrounded by ancient somewhat-difficult mountains. To the west across the mountains and south is the drainage basin of the Rhine River.
  
  wn.com/Thuringia
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  Turkey
  Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye), known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( Türkiye Cumhuriyeti (help·info)), is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia (mostly in the Anatolian peninsula) and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries: Bulgaria to the northwest; Greece to the west; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Azerbaijan (the exclave of Nakhchivan) and Iran to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the southeast. The Mediterranean Sea and Cyprus are to the south; the Aegean Sea is to the west; and the Black Sea is to the north. The Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles (which together form the Turkish Straits) demarcate the boundary between East Thrace and Anatolia; they also separate Europe and Asia.
  Turkey is one of the six independent Turkic states. The vast majority of the population are Muslims. The country's official language is Turkish, whereas Kurdish and Zazaki languages are spoken by Kurds and Zazas, who constitute 18% of the population.
  
  wn.com/Turkey
• 
  United Kingdom
  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain) is a sovereign state located off the north-western coast of continental Europe. The country includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea.
  The United Kingdom is a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system, with its seat of government in the capital city of London. It is a country in its own right and consists of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. There are three devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff, the capitals of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Associated with the UK, but not constitutionally part of it, are three Crown Dependencies. The United Kingdom has fourteen overseas territories. These are remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in 1922, encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land surface and was the largest empire in history. British influence can still be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former territories.
  
  wn.com/United_Kingdom
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  United States
  The United States of America (commonly abbreviated to the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
  At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km²) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy, with an estimated 2011 GDP of $15.1 trillion (22% of nominal global GDP and over 19% of global GDP at purchasing-power parity). Per capita income is the world's sixth-highest.
  
  wn.com/United_States
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  Unterallgäu
  Unterallgäu is a Kreis (district) in the southwestern part of Bavaria, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from the north clockwise) Neu-Ulm, Günzburg, Augsburg, Ostallgäu, Oberallgäu, and the districts Ravensburg und Biberach in Baden-Württemberg. The district-free city Memmingen in the west of the district is nearly surrounded by the district. The capital of the district is Mindelheim.
  The district is located in the Allgäu, the northern foothills of the Alps. The river Iller forms part of the western boundary of the district.
  The district was created July 1, 1972 by merging the previous districts Mindelheim and Memmingen. Mindelheim is the administrative seat of the new district.
  The district started a partnership with the Polish Gostyn County in 2001.
  The rose in the left of the coat of arms is the symbol of the abbey of Ottobeuren, which ruled the southern part of the district. The fleur-de-lis in the right stands for the Fugger family, who owned several estates in the district. To the bottom are the Bavarian lozenges, to symbolize that the area became part of Bavaria in 1814.
  
  wn.com/Unterallgäu
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  USA
  The United States of America (commonly abbreviated to the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
  At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km²) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy, with an estimated 2011 GDP of $15.1 trillion (22% of nominal global GDP and over 19% of global GDP at purchasing-power parity). Per capita income is the world's sixth-highest.
  
  wn.com/USA
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  Venzone
  Venzone (Friulian: Vençon, Slovene: Pušja vas) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Udine in the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 90 km northwest of Trieste and about 30 km north of Udine.
  Venzone was mentioned for the first time in 923 AD as Clausas de Albiciones, and 1001 in a document by Otto III.
  The local lord had it surrounded by a massive double line of walls starting in 1258. Venzone was acquired by the Patriarchate of Aquileia in 1336. In 1351 it became part of Austria and, together with all of Friuli, was ruled by the Republic of Venice after 1420. After a period under Austrian domination, it was annexed to the newly formed Kingdom of Italy in 1866.
  Venzone was almost entirely destroyed by the earthquake that struck Friuli in 1976, and was rebuilt in the following year. The reconstruction was finished in 1990, with the cathedral church (Italian: Duomo).
  
  
  
  
  
  wn.com/Venzone
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  Virginia
  Virginia (ⁱ/vərˈdʒɪnjə/), officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state located in the South Atlantic region of the United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay, which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna. The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond; Virginia Beach is the most populous city and Fairfax County the most populous political subdivision. The Commonwealth's population is over eight million.
  The area's history begins with several indigenous groups, including the Powhatan. In 1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent New World English colony. Slave labor and the land acquired from displaced Native American tribes each played a significant role in the colony's early politics and plantation economy. Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution and joined the Confederacy in the American Civil War, during which Richmond was made the Confederate capital and Virginia's northwestern counties separated to form the state of West Virginia. Although the Commonwealth was under conservative single-party rule for nearly a century following Reconstruction, both major national parties are competitive in modern Virginia.
  
  wn.com/Virginia
• 
  Vladimir, Russia
  Vladimir (Russian: Влади́мир; IPA: [vlɐˈdʲimʲɪr]) is a city and the administrative center of Vladimir Oblast, Russia, located on the Klyazma River, 200 kilometers (120 mi) to the east of Moscow along the M7 motorway. Population: 345,598 (2010 Census preliminary results); 315,954 (2002 Census); 349,702 (1989 Census).
  Vladimir was one of the medieval capitals of Russia, and two of its cathedrals are a World Heritage Site. It is served by the Semyazino Airport, and during the Cold War Vladimir was host to Dobrynskoye air base.
  The area occupied by the city of Vladimir has been inhabited by humans (at least intermittently) for approximately 25,000 years (see Sungir). Traditionally, the founding date of Vladimir has been acknowledged as 1108, as the first mention of Vladimir in the Primary Chronicle appears under that year. This view attributes the founding of the city, and its name, to Vladimir Monomakh, who inherited the region as part of the Rostov-Suzdal Principality in 1093. In 1958, the 850th anniversary of the city foundation was celebrated, with many monuments from the celebrations adorning the city squares.
  
  wn.com/Vladimir,_Russia
• 
  Weilheim-Schongau
  Weilheim-Schongau is a Kreis (district) in the south of Bavaria, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from the north clockwise) Landsberg, Starnberg, Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Ostallgäu.
  The district is located in the northern foothills of the Alps. The main rivers of the district are the Lech and the Ammer. The Ammersee and the Starnberger See are at the northern boundary of the district.
  The district was formed in 1972 by merging the former districts Weilheim and Schongau, and one municipality from the former district Marktoberdorf.
  Coordinates: 47°50′N 11°00′E / 47.83°N 11.0°E / 47.83; 11.0
  
  wn.com/Weilheim-Schongau
• 
  Wunsiedel (district)
  Wunsiedel (German: Landkreis Wunsiedel i. Fichtelgebirge) is a Kreis (district) in the northeastern part of Bavaria, Germany. Neighbouring districts are (from the south clockwise) Tirschenreuth, Bayreuth, Hof, and to the west the Czech Karlovy Vary Region.
  The district is located in the mountains of the Fichtelgebirge, with the highest elevation the 1051 m high Schneeberg. The river Ohře (German: Eger) originates in the district.
  In the Bavarian communal reforms of 1972 the district was merged with the previously district-free cities Marktredwitz and Selb, as well as parts of the dissolved district of Rehau.
  Coordinates: 50°05′N 12°05′E / 50.08°N 12.08°E / 50.08; 12.08
  
  wn.com/Wunsiedel_(district)
• 
  Würzburg (district)
  Würzburg is a Kreis (district) in the northwestern part of Bavaria, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from the north, clockwise) Main-Spessart, Schweinfurt, Kitzingen, Neustadt (Aisch)-Bad Windsheim, and the district Main-Tauber in Baden-Württemberg. The city Würzburg is not part of the district, although it is completely enclosed by it.
  In 1852, districts were created in the region, including the precursor two districts of Würzburg and Ochsenfurt. In 1972 the previous district Würzburg was merged with the former district Ochsenfurt, and several municipalities from the districts Marktheidenfeld, Karlstadt, Kitzingen and Gerolzhofen were added to form the district with today's borders.
  The district has sister city-like partnerships with these regions:
  The district coat of arms might be described thus: Per fess in chief gules dancetty of three argent, in base per pale argent two lions passant guardant sable armed and langued of the first and azure a fleur-de-lis Or.
  Coordinates: 49°40′N 10°00′E / 49.66°N 10.0°E / 49.66; 10.0
  
  wn.com/Würzburg_(district)

• Carl von Linde
  Professor Doctor Carl Paul Gottfried Linde, ennobled in 1897 as Ritter von Linde (11 June 1842 - 16 November 1934) was a German engineer who developed refrigeration and gas separation technologies. Linde was an member of scientific and engineering associations, including being on the board of trustees of the Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt and the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities.
  Born in Germany, as the son of a minister, Linde was expected to follow in his father's footsteps, but took another direction entirely. In 1861, he started a course in engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich, Switzerland, where his teachers included Rudolf Clausius, Gustav Zeuner and Franz Reuleaux.
  In 1864, he was expelled before graduating for participating in a student protest, but Reuleaux found him a position as an apprentice at the Kottern cotton-spinning plant in Kempten. Linde stayed only a short time before moving first to Borsig in Berlin and then to the new Krauss locomotive factory in Munich, where he worked as head of the technical department. Von Linde married Helene Grimm in September 1866; their marriage lasted 53 years and they had six children.
  
  wn.com/Carl_von_Linde
• 
  China
  China (ⁱ/ˈtʃaɪnə/; Chinese: 中国; pinyin: Zhōngguó; see also Names of China), officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is the world's most-populous country, with a population of over 1.3 billion. Covering approximately 9.6 million square kilometres, the East Asian state is the world's second-largest country by land area, and the third- or fourth-largest in total area, depending on the definition of total area.
  The People's Republic of China is a single-party state governed by the Communist Party of China. It exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four directly controlled municipalities (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing), and two mostly self-governing special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau). Its capital city is Beijing. The PRC also claims Taiwan—which is controlled by the Republic of China (ROC), a separate political entity—as its 23rd province, a claim controversial due to the complex political status of Taiwan and the unresolved Chinese Civil War. The PRC government denies the legitimacy of the ROC.
  
  wn.com/China
• 
  Felix Klein
  Christian Felix Klein (25 April 1849 – 22 June 1925) was a German mathematician, known for his work in group theory, complex analysis, non-Euclidean geometry, and on the connections between geometry and group theory. His 1872 Erlangen Program, classifying geometries by their underlying symmetry groups, was a hugely influential synthesis of much of the mathematics of the day.
  Klein was born in Düsseldorf, to Prussian parents; his father was a Prussian government official's secretary stationed in the Rhine Province. He attended the Gymnasium in Düsseldorf, then studied mathematics and physics at the University of Bonn, 1865–1866, intending to become a physicist. At that time, Julius Plücker held Bonn's chair of mathematics and experimental physics, but by the time Klein became his assistant, in 1866, Plücker's interest was geometry. Klein received his doctorate, supervised by Plücker, from the University of Bonn in 1868.
  Plücker died in 1868, leaving his book on the foundations of line geometry incomplete. Klein was the obvious person to complete the second part of Plücker's Neue Geometrie des Raumes, and thus became acquainted with Alfred Clebsch, who had moved to Göttingen in 1868. Klein visited Clebsch the following year, along with visits to Berlin and Paris. In July 1870, at the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, he was in Paris and had to leave the country. For a short time, he served as a medical orderly in the Prussian army before being appointed lecturer at Göttingen in early 1871.
  
  wn.com/Felix_Klein
• 
  Siegfried Balleis
  Siegfried Balleis (born August 4, 1953) is a German politician, representative of the Christian Social Union of Bavaria.
  In 1996 he was elected Oberbürgermeister for the town of Erlangen.
  
  
  
  wn.com/Siegfried_Balleis

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