Saxony-Anhalt

Administrative region (Land) in eastern central Germany; area 20,450 sq km/7,895 sq mi; population (2003 est) 2,549,200. The capital is Magdeburg, and other major towns include Halle and Dessau German. Industries include chemicals, electronics, rolling stock, and footwear. Cereals and vegetables are grown.

History
The territory of Anhalt, named after the medieval castle of Anhalt, was divided and reunited many times before becoming a duchy in 1863. It became a member of the North German Confederation in 1866. In 1871 the area was made a state of the German empire. In 1952, as part of the East German region of Saxony-Anhalt, it was divided into the districts of Halle and Magdeburg. After the reunification of Germany in 1990, Saxony-Anhalt was reconstituted as one of the Länder of the Federal Republic.