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Munich City Guide
City Profile
The geographical location is just one of the features which makes the Bavarian capital one of the
world's most popular cities. At the crossroads between east and west, north and south, Munich is
easy to reach by air, rail or road. The city has achieved its outstanding position in the international
business world because of its well-developed road network and proximity to the major economic
regions of Central-, Eastern- and Southeast Europe.
Munich is not only centrally located, but also offers an outstanding range of leisure activities. Visitors
and residents enjoy the beauty of the surrounding countryside (the Bavarian Alps are only 100
kilometres away), the culture and history, leisure and sports facilities, shops and restaurants. The
city is one of Europe's most important centres for art and culture with many theatres, museums,
libraries, cabarets, music theatres and palaces. The Bavarian State Opera is one of the cultural
highlights in Munich.
Munich has approximately 1.400.000 residents of which about 300,000 people are foreigners.
Although it is an international centre, it has also retained a small town atmosphere. It is the Federal
Republic's third-largest city after Berlin and Hamburg.
Living in Bavaria
Bavaria lies at the heart of Europe. Brussels, Milan, Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Paris, Rome or
Zurich are all only a short journey from Bavaria. The State has become one of the most important
air, railway and road junctions in Europe. Bavaria is the largest state in the Federal Republic of
Germany, with ca. 12,6 million people living and working within its 70.554 sq. km. The neighbouring
German States are Baden-Wuerttemberg and Hesse to the West and Northwest, Thuringia and
Saxony to the North. The Czech Republic is to the East and Austria to the South. Bavaria is noted
for the great variety of its scenery, combining four main types of landscape: the Bavarian Alps,
foothills of the Alps, the East Bavarian Low Mountains and the Swabian-Franconian scarpland. The
Bavarian Alps include the High Alps of the Allgäu, the Wetterstein mountains, the Karwendel
mountains and the Berchtesgaden Alps. The peaks, almost all above 2.000 m, form a fascinating
panorama. Towering above them all is Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze, at 2.964 m.
Over the past decades Bavaria has been transformed into a modern industrial state with an
advanced economic structure. In addition to major international companies, Bavaria’s economy is
underlain by a large number of small and medium-sized businesses, thriving craft trades and efficient
service industries. High-tech sectors such as information technology, laser technology and bio-
engineering, or the development of new materials are also to be found in Bavaria. Tourism in Bavaria
has become an increasingly important economic factor and is the most popular holiday area in
Germany.