Emsland
Encyclopedia : E : EM : EMS : Emsland
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| State: | Lower Saxony | |||||||||||
| Capital: | Meppen
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| Area:||2,881 km²
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| Inhabitants:||309,613 (2005)
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| pop. density:||108 inh./km²
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| Car identification:||EL
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| Homepage:||http://www.emsland.de
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HistoryFor a long time the Emsland was extremely sparsely populated, due to the fens on both sides of the river. Small villages were established in medieval times along the river and on the Hümmling. In the 13th century the bishops of Münster gained control over the region; the Emsland remained property of the bishop until 1803, when the clerical states were dissolved. It came under Prussian rule, but after the Napoleonic Wars the Congress of Vienna decided to hand the territory over to the Kingdom of Hanover. It was now called the Duchy of Arenberg-Meppen. When Hanover was annexed by Prussia (1866), the dukes were deposed soon after.The now Prussian Province of Hanover was subdivided into districts in 1885; four districts were established on the territory of what is now the Emsland. The districts were merged in 1977 to form the present district. 
In 1950 a governmental plan for the development of Emsland was adopted. Its aim was to turn the region into an industrial location. This was accomplished by draining the fens and establishing projects like the test track of the maglev "Transrapid" and several large shipyards such as the Meyer-Werft in Papenburg. Although the Emsland lost much of its original character, some areas retain their natural character, for example the Hümmling.
1977 District reforms in Lower Saxony unite the former districts of Lingen, Meppen and Aschendorf-Hümmling in the district of Emsland, with Meppen as administrative seat.
GeographyThe district is located on the Dutch border. It is named after the Ems river, which crosses the region from south to north. It is an absolutely plain countryside, which was once full of fens. The only elevations are in the Hümmling, which is a hilly forest area east of the Ems.Although the Emsland region is nowadays primarily a county among many others in Lower Saxony, its locals have what could be called a distinct sense of regional pride which will unlikely be found elsewhere in this state. Coat of arms
Towns and municipalities
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