Stuttgart Overview

Stuttgart, Germany, the capital of Baden-Württemberg state (pop. 11 million, 36,000 square kilometers) and the Administrative Region of Stuttgart (pop. 4 million, 11,000 km²), is located in the center of the very densely populated southwestern Stuttgart Region (population 2.7 million, 3,700 km²) of Germany, close to both the Black Forest and the Swabian Jura. The city center (situated in a lush valley, ringed with vineyards and forests, close to the River Neckar) itself has an approximate population of 590,000 and covers an area of 207 km². Stuttgart with its metropolitan area (the political entity "Stuttgart Region" enlarged by the nearby cities of Ludwigsburg, Böblingen, Esslingen, Göppingen and their respective counties) is one of the most prominent and well-known German towns, especially due to its cultural, administrative and huge economic importance.

Stuttgart is the sixth largest city in Germany and Stuttgart Region is the nation's fourth largest conurbation (behind Ruhr Area, Rhein/Main Area and Berlin). Neighbouring large cities are Frankfurt (210 km north of Stuttgart) and Munich (220 km southeast of Stuttgart).

The City of Stuttgart is subdivided into 23 city districts, among the most well-known are:

Bad Cannstatt (Western Europe's largest mineral spas / Zoo Wilhelma / beer festivals "Cannstatter Wasen" and "Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest")
Moehringen (Musical Theaters)
Stammheim (High-security court & jail, see RAF terrorists)
Untertuerkheim (DaimlerChrysler HQ and Original Mercedes-Benz plant)
Vaihingen (Stuttgart's university and college district)
Zuffenhausen (Home of the Porsche Sports Cars Company)
Feuerbach (Home of original Bosch plant)
Stuttgart is also the seat of a protestant bishop (Protestant State Church of Württemberg) and one of the two co-seats of the bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese Rottenburg-Stuttgart