The German Empire consisted of 27, later 26 constituent states, the largest of which was Prussia. These states, or Staaten (they became known as Länder during the Weimar Republic).

Several of these states had gained sovereignty following the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Others were created as sovereign states after the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Territories were not necessarily contiguous, such as Bavaria, or Oldenburg—many existed in several parts (enclaves and exclaves), as a result of historical acquisitions, or, in several cases, divisions of the ruling family trees.

Contents 1 Kingdoms 2 Grand Duchies 3 Duchies 4 Principalities 5 Free Hanseatic Cities (republics) 6 Imperial Territory 7 Four of Prussia's provinces

[edit] Kingdoms

• Kingdom of Bavaria
• Kingdom of Prussia (itself subdivided into the Provinces of Prussia of restricted self-governance)
• Kingdom of Saxony
• Kingdom of Württemberg

[edit] Grand Duchies

• Grand Duchy of Baden
• Grand Duchy of Hesse
• Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
• Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
• Grand Duchy of Oldenburg
• Grand Duchy of Saxony (until 1877 Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach)

[edit] Duchies

• Duchy of Anhalt
• Duchy of Brunswick
• Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg
• Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
• Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg (until 1876, then merged in the Kingdom of Prussia)
• Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen

[edit] Principalities

• Principality of Lippe
• Principality of Reuss Junior Line
• Principality of Reuss Senior Line
• Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe
• Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
• Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
• Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont

[edit] Free Hanseatic Cities (republics)

Different than the above-mentioned monarchies these city states were constitutionally organised as republics.

• Free Hanseatic City of Bremen
• Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg
• Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck

[edit] Imperial Territory

Different than all other above-mentioned component states this state, comprising territory ceded by France in 1871, was first administered by the central government, growing later into a republic of restricted autonomy only, with an elected state parliament of its own only as of 1912.

• Alsace-Lorraine

[edit] Four of Prussia's provinces

Flag	State	Capital	Style of Government	Area (km²)	Inhabitants	Inhabitants per km²	Present Situation
	East Prussia (German: Ostpreußen)	Königsberg	Province	36,993.9	2,025,741 (1910)	54.1	divided between Poland, Lithuania, and Russia
	Hannover (German: Hanover)	Hannover	Province	38,705	3,537,390 (1939)	91.4	now part of Lower Saxony with Oldenburg, Brunswick, and Schaumburg-Lippe
	Silesia (German: Schlesien)	Breslau	Province	40,319	4,935,823 (1905)	122	now part of Saxony, Poland, and the Czech Republic
	West Prussia (German: Westpreußen)	Danzig	Province	25,534.9	1,641,936 (1905)	64.3	now part of Poland