Bavaria is the southernmost of Germany's sixteen states. It expands over more than 70,000 square kilometres, and more than twelve million people live and work here.

The Free State of Bavaria is widely known for its breathtaking scenery and for the annual Oktoberfest in Munich. But first and foremost, Bavaria is also one of Europe's strongest business regions: Its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 429,9 billion Euros (as of 2009) is larger than those of 20 of the EU’s 27 member states. Per head of population, 34,397 Euros were generated in 2009, which is well above Germany and EU-wide averages.

For new technologies, innovations and new products, Bavaria is Europe’s No. 1 high-tech region. More than twelfe percent of all employees work in the high-tech domain, heading the European league.

Names like Siemens, EADS or MAN stand for state-of-the-art technical developments. Many international companies come to Bavaria for manufacturing and research; and every year sees the establishment of a large number of start-up companies in the field of high-tech and state-of-the-art technology.

Ready for the future

Bavaria’s companies occupy top positions in nearly every field of technology, both nationally and internationally. And leading the field are the companies in the Bavarian metalworking and electrical industries, including: 

• Biotechnology
• Aerospace 
• Satellite navigation
• Medical technology 
• New materials 
• Information and communication technologies
• Sensor technology and high-performance electronics 
• Automotive 
• Nanotechnology 
• Mechatronics and automation 
• Railway technology 
• Environmental technology