View source for Main-Tauber-Kreis

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox German district
|name=Main-Tauber
|state=Baden-Württemberg
|image_flag=Flagge Main-Tauber-Kreis.svg
|image_coa=Wappen Main-Tauber-Kreis.svg
|capital=[[Tauberbischofsheim]]
|regierungsbezirk=[[Stuttgart (region)|Stuttgart]]
|area=1,304.1
|Kreisschlüssel    = 08128
|district_admin = Christoph Schauder<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.landkreistag-bw.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Downloads/Informationsmaterial/Landraete.pdf|title=Die amtierenden Landrätinnen und Landräte der Landkreise in Baden-Württemberg|date=1 October 2022|publisher=Landkreistag Baden-Württemberg}}</ref>
|leader_term = 2021&ndash;29
|admin_party= CDU
|carsign=TBB, MGH
|url=http://www.main-tauber-kreis.de
|map={{Germany district OSM map|parent_subdivision=Q985}}
}}
'''Main-Tauber-Kreis''' is a [[Districts of Germany|''Landkreis'' (district)]] in the northeast of [[Baden-Württemberg]], Germany. Neighboring districts are (from northwest clockwise) [[Miltenberg (district)|Miltenberg]], [[Main-Spessart]], [[Würzburg (district)|Würzburg]], [[Neustadt (Aisch)-Bad Windsheim]] and [[Ansbach (district)|Ansbach]] (all in [[Bavaria]]), and the districts of [[Schwäbisch Hall (district)|Schwäbisch Hall]], [[Hohenlohe (district)|Hohenlohe]] and [[Neckar-Odenwald]].

== History ==
Traces of human population in the area were found to go back as early as 5500 B.C.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Main-Tauber-Kreis |title=Landkreisporträt / Main-Tauber-Kreis |url=https://www.main-tauber-kreis.de/Landkreis-Politik/Landkreis/Landkreisportraet/ |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=Main-Tauber-Kreis |language=de}}</ref>

Throughout the 18th and 19th century, during the so''-''called ''Kleinstaaterei'', southern parts of today's district were part of the [[free imperial city]] of [[Rothenburg ob der Tauber]], the [[Principality of Ansbach]], while the city of [[Weikersheim]] played a major role in the history of the [[Hohenlohe]] dynasty and temporarily was one of its seats.<ref name=":0" /> Later, the biggest part of the district was part of the [[Bishopric of Würzburg]] until 1803.

Bad Mergentheim belonged to the [[Teutonic Order|Teutonic order]] and [[Tauberbischofsheim]], the districts capitcal, was part of [[Kurmainz]] from 1237 to 1803.<ref name=":0" />

=== Coat of arms and flag ===
Historical affiliations of the territory reflect in the coat of arms. They show the symbols of the three of the historical states to which the area of the district belonged. The  [[Bishopric of Würzburg]] is represented by the red and white field divided by a line with three peaks, which was originally the coat of arms of [[Franconia]]. The [[Wheel of Mainz|wheel]] is the symbol of the [[Archbishopric of Mainz]]; the [[cross]] is the symbol of the [[Teutonic Order]].<ref name=":0" />

The coat of arms are officially recognized by the state of [[Baden-Württemberg]] since 19 March 1974. The corresponding flag was authorized by the {{Ill|Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart|de}} on 28 November 1989.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Main-Tauber-Kreis |title=Daten und Fakten zum Main-Tauber-Kreis / Main-Tauber-Kreis |url=https://www.main-tauber-kreis.de/Landkreis-Politik/Landkreis/Daten-und-Fakten/ |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=Main-Tauber-Kreis |language=de}}</ref>

=== District in modern Germany ===
The district originated in 1973 with the merging of the districts of [[Bad Mergentheim]], [[Tauberbischofsheim]] and parts of the district of [[Buchen]]. At first called the district of Tauber, it took its current name, the district of Main-Tauber, in 1974. The name comes from the two primary rivers in the district, the [[Main (river)|Main]] and the [[Tauber]].

== Geography ==

The [[Main (river)|Main]] forms the northern border of the district, while its affluent [[Tauber]] flows through the district from southeast to north. The north of the district covers part of the [[Odenwald]] mountains, while the southern area is called [[Bauland]].

=== Area ===
The Main-Tauber Kreis has a total area of 1304.1km², that is distributed as follows:<ref name=":1" />

* Settlement and traffic area: 136,3 km² (10,4%)
* Recreational area: 5,9 km² (0,5%)
* Agricultural area: 765,4 km² (58,7%)
* Forest: 386,2 km² (29,6%)
* Water: 10,5 km² (0,8%)

== Cities and municipalities ==
{{Imagemap Germany district TBB|Karte Main-Tauber-Kreis.png|300px{{!}}thumb{{!}}Clickable map of towns and municipalities in the district}}

{|
! width=33% align=left|Cities
! width=33% align=left|Administrative districts
! width=33% align=left|Municipalities
|- valign=top
||
#[[Bad Mergentheim]]
#[[Boxberg, Baden-Württemberg|Boxberg]]
#[[Creglingen]]
#[[Freudenberg am Main]]
#[[Grünsfeld]]
#[[Külsheim]]
#[[Lauda-Königshofen]]
#[[Niederstetten]]
#[[Tauberbischofsheim]]
#[[Weikersheim]]
#[[Wertheim am Main]]
||
#Bad Mergentheim
#Boxberg
#Grünsfeld
#Tauberbischofsheim
||
#[[Ahorn, Baden-Württemberg|Ahorn]]
#[[Assamstadt]]
#[[Großrinderfeld]]
#[[Igersheim]]
#[[Königheim]]
#[[Werbach]]
#[[Wittighausen]]
|}

== Demographics ==
As of 31 December 2022, 134,745 people live in the district, which corresponds to 1.19% of [[Baden-Württemberg|Baden-Württemberg's]] total population. Foreign born residents make up 12 percent of the population and people aged 65 or older make up 23 percent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eckdaten zur Bevölkerung - Statistisches Landesamt Baden-Württemberg |url=https://www.statistik-bw.de/BevoelkGebiet/Bevoelkerung/99025010.tab?R=KR128 |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=www.statistik-bw.de}}</ref>

== Infrastructure ==

=== Roads ===
The total length of the road network in the district is about 909 kilometres, of which about half (463 km) are county roads ([[Kreisstraße|Kreisstraßen]]), just over a third (347 km) are state roads ([[Landesstraße|Landesstraßen]]), and about 10 per cent (99 km) are federal highways ([[Bundesstraße|Bundestraßen]]).<ref name=":1" />

=== Public transport ===
Around 110 public transport buses are operated by the VGMT (Verkehrsgesellschaft Main-Tauber) in the district. The VGMT was founded 1997 and serves around 900 to 1000 stations today.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Verkehrsgesellschaft Main-Tauber mbH (VGMT) - Die VGMT |url=https://www.vgmt.de/die-vgmt/ |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=www.vgmt.de |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Main-Tauber-Kreis |title=Bus und Bahn / Main-Tauber-Kreis |url=https://www.main-tauber-kreis.de/Landkreis-Politik/Kreiseinrichtungen/Bus-und-Bahn/ |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=Main-Tauber-Kreis |language=de}}</ref>

== International relations ==
Comparable with the concept of [[Sister city|twin towns]], the ''Kreis'' has partnerships with:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Main-Tauber-Kreis |title=Lebendige Partnerschaften / Main-Tauber-Kreis |url=https://www.main-tauber-kreis.de/Landkreis-Politik/Landkreis/Partnerschaften/ |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=Main-Tauber-Kreis |language=de}}</ref>

* [[Tolna County]], [[Hungary]]
* [[Bautzen (district)|Bautzen District]], [[Saxony]]
* [[Ząbkowice County|Zabkowice Slaskie]], [[Poland]]
* {{Ill|Transporthubschrauberregiment 30|de}}, formal partnership with a part of the [[German Army Aviation Corps]].

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

{{commons category}}
* [http://www.main-tauber-kreis.de Official website] (German)

{{Germany_districts_baden-württemberg}}
{{Cities and towns in Main-Tauber (district)}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|49.57|N|9.71|E|source:dewiki_region:DE-BW_type:adm2nd|display=title}}

[[Category:Main-Tauber-Kreis| ]]
[[Category:Stuttgart (region)]]
[[Category:Districts of Baden-Württemberg]]