BADEN-WRTTEMBERG

Land (state), southwestern Germany. It has an area of 13,804 square miles (35,751 square km) and is bordered by France on the west, Switzerland on the south, and by the Lnder (states) of Bayern (Bavaria) on the east and Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate) and Hessen (Hesse) on the northwest and north. By the late 20th century Baden-Wrttemberg ranked third in both area and population among the German states, having grown more than any other in the period following World War II. Formed under post-World War II occupational rule, and confirmed by a December 1951 referendum, the Land consists of three former Lnder: Wrttemberg-Baden (in the American zone) and Sdwrttemberg-Hohenzollern and Sdbaden (both in the French zone). The merger of these Lnder took effect in 1952. The state's capital is at Stuttgart.