Saxony (state)
Name
Saxony (state)
Nations
Germany (nation)
Descriptive Note Text
The east central German state of Saxony consists of the southeastern portion of what was formerly the nation of East Germany. In the 1950s three East German Bezirke, or national districts, were formed of the historic Saxon region. After the reunification of Germany, all or parts of these three districts were made into the German state of Saxony. It measures some 7080 square miles in area and has a population of about 4, 278,000. Its capital is Dresden. Except for the northern portion around Leipzig, which belongs to the North European Plain, the state is mostly mountainous in terrain. It is drained by the Elbe river, which runs northwest to southeast, and the Mulde, a tributary of the Elbe. Saxony's principal mountain range is the Ore Mountains, which run for about 100 miles along its southern border. The state has rich soil and its agriculture is highly developed, grains being important throughout most of the state, while cattle are the main product in the Ore Mountains. Forestry and the mining of tin, lead, and coal are also important. The main industries are the production of textiles and of machinery used in textile production, papermaking, printing, and mining.