View source for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

{{short description|State in Germany}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
| native_name        = <small>{{native name|nds|Mäkelborg-Vörpommern}}</small>
| native_name_lang   = 
| settlement_type    = [[States of Germany|State]]
| image_skyline      = 
| imagesize          = 270px
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = Flag of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.svg
| flag_size          = 120px
| image_shield       = Coat of arms of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (great).svg
| shield_size        = 75px
| anthem             = 
| image_map          = Locator_map_Mecklenburg-Vorpommern_in_Germany.svg
| mapsize            = 155px
| map_caption        = 
| coordinates        = {{coord|53|45|N|12|30|E|dim:200000_scale:2000000_region:DE-MV_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[Germany]]
| seat_type          = Capital
| seat               = [[Schwerin]]
| seat1_type         = Largest city
| seat1              = [[Rostock]]
| governing_body     = [[Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]
| leader_party       = SPD
| leader_title       = [[Minister-President]]
| leader_name        = [[Manuela Schwesig]]
| leader_title1      = Governing parties
| leader_name1       = {{Polparty|Germany|SPD}} / {{Polparty|Germany|[[The Left (Germany)|The Left]]}}
| leader_title2      = [[Bundesrat of Germany|Bundesrat votes]]
| leader_name2       = 3 (of 69)
| leader_title3      = [[Bundestag|Bundestag seats]]
| leader_name3       = [[Results of the 2025 German federal election#Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|13 (of 630)]] <small>(as of 2025)</small>
| total_type         = Total
| area_footnotes     = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Fläche und Bevölkerung |url=https://www.statistikportal.de/de/bevoelkerung/flaeche-und-bevoelkerung |access-date=2025-06-18|website=Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder |language=de}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 23294.90
| area_total_sq_mi   = 
| elevation_m        = 
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Bevölkerung am 31.12.2023 nach Nationalität und Bundesländern |url=https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-Umwelt/Bevoelkerung/Bevoelkerungsstand/Tabellen/bevoelkerung-nichtdeutsch-laender.html |access-date=2025-06-18|website=Statistisches Bundesamt |language=de}}</ref>
| population_total   = 1,629,464
| population_as_of   = 2023-12-31
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_urban   = 
| population_metro   = 
| population_demonym = 
| demographics_type1 = GDP
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web |year=2025 |title=Gross domestic product, gross value added in the states of the Federal Republic of Germany 1991 to 2024 (Series 1 Volume 1) |url=https://www.statistikportal.de/sites/default/files/2025-04/vgrdl_r1b1_bs2024_2.xlsx |website=Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder |language=de}}</ref>
| demographics1_title1 = Total
| demographics1_info1 = €61.245 billion (2024)
| demographics1_title2 = Per capita
| demographics1_info2 = €37,656 (2024)
| timezone1          = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1        = +1
| timezone1_DST      = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST    = +2
| postal_code_type   = 
| postal_code        = 
| area_code_type     = 
| area_code          = 
| registration_plate = formerly: MP<small> (1945–1947)</small>, SM<small> (1948–1953)<ref>With the abolition of states in East Germany in 1952 vehicle registration followed the new Bezirk subdivisions.  Since 1991 distinct prefixes are specified for each district.</ref></small>
| blank2_name_sec2   = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] (2022)
| blank2_info_sec2   = 0.922<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/table/shdi/DEU/ |title=Subnational HDI |website=hdi.globaldatalab.org|language=en|access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref><br />{{color|green|very high}} · [[List of German states by Human Development Index|15th of 16]]
| iso_code           = DE-MV
| blank_name_sec2    = [[First level NUTS of the European Union#Germany|NUTS Region]]
| blank_info_sec2    = DEF
| website            = [https://en.mecklenburg-vorpommern.de/homepage/ Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.de]
}}

'''Mecklenburg-Vorpommern''' ('''MV'''; {{IPA|de|ˌmeːklənbʊʁkˈfoːɐ̯pɔmɐn|lang}} {{small|or}} {{IPA|de|ˌmɛk-||De-Mecklenburg-Vorpommern2.ogg}};<ref>{{Citation |last1=Krech |first1=Eva Maria |last2=Stock |first2=Eberhard |last3=Hirschfeld |first3=Ursula |last4=Anders |first4=Lutz-Christian |year=2009 |title=Deutsches Aussprachewörterbuch |location=Berlin, New York |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |isbn=978-3-11-018202-6 |page=733}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |author1=Dudenredaktion |last2=Kleiner |first2=Stefan |last3=Knöbl |first3=Ralf |year=2015 |orig-year=First published 1962 |title=Das Aussprachewörterbuch |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T6vWCgAAQBAJ |language=de |edition=7th |location=Berlin |publisher=Dudenverlag |isbn=978-3-411-04067-4 |page=590}}. According to this source, the pronunciation with {{IPA|de|eː|}} is mainly found in Northern Germany (so Mecklenburg-Vorpommern itself as well). It is the historical pronunciation. In other regions, the spelling pronunciation with {{IPA|de|ɛ|}} is usual.</ref> {{langx|nds|Mäkelborg-Vörpommern}}), also known by its [[Anglicisation|anglicized]] name '''Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania''', is a [[Federated state|state]] in the north-east of Germany. Of the country's [[States of Germany|sixteen states]], Mecklenburg-Vorpommern [[Demographics of Germany#States|ranks]] 14th in population; it covers an area of {{cvt|23,300|sqkm}},<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mecklenburg-vorpommern.de/ueber-das-land-zum-leben/daten-und-fakten |title=Daten und Fakten - Landesportal Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |access-date=25 February 2023 |archive-date=25 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230225214803/https://www.mecklenburg-vorpommern.de/ueber-das-land-zum-leben/daten-und-fakten |url-status=live }}</ref> making it the sixth largest German state in area; and it is 16th in population density. [[Schwerin]] is the state capital and [[Rostock]] is the largest city. Other major [[List of cities in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|cities]] include [[Neubrandenburg]], [[Stralsund]], [[Greifswald]], [[Wismar]], and [[Güstrow]]. It was named after the two regions of Mecklenburg and [[Western Pomerania]] (German: Vorpommern).

The state was established in 1945 after [[World War II]] through the merger of the historic regions of [[Mecklenburg]] and Prussian [[Western Pomerania]] by the [[Soviet Military Administration in Germany|Soviet military administration]] in [[Allied-occupied Germany]]. It became part of the [[German Democratic Republic]] in 1949, but was dissolved in 1952 during [[Administrative divisions of East Germany|administrative reforms]] and its territory divided into the districts of [[Bezirk Rostock|Rostock]], [[Bezirk Schwerin|Schwerin]], and [[Bezirk Neubrandenburg|Neubrandenburg]]. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern was re-established in 1990 following [[German reunification]] and became one of the [[New states of Germany|new states]] of the Federal Republic of Germany.{{fact|date=February 2023}}

On the state's coastline on the [[Baltic Sea]] are many holiday resorts and much unspoilt nature, including the islands of [[Rügen]], [[Usedom]], and others, as well as the [[Mecklenburg Lake District]], making the state one of [[Tourism in Germany|Germany's leading tourist destinations]].  Three of Germany's fourteen [[national park]]s, as well as several hundred nature [[conservation area]]s, are in the state.  The [[University of Rostock]], founded in 1419, and the [[University of Greifswald]], established in 1456, are among the [[List of oldest universities in continuous operation|oldest universities]] in Europe. In 2007, the [[33rd G8 summit]] took place at the [[Grand Hotel Heiligendamm]] on the Mecklenburg Baltic coast during the chancellorship of [[Angela Merkel]], who represented various constituencies of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the national legislature, the [[Bundestag]].

==Name==
Due to its lengthy name, the state is often abbreviated as ''MV'' or (colloquially) shortened to ''MeckPomm''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Steinhauer |first=Anja |date=2014 |title=Duden – Das Wörterbuch der Abkürzungen |location=Mannheim |publisher=Dudenverlag |page=287 |isbn=978-3-411-90269-9}}</ref> In English, it is usually called "Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania" or less frequently "Mecklenburg–Cispomerania." Inhabitants are called either ''[[Mecklenburg]]er'' or ''[[Western Pomerania|Pomeranians]]''; the combined form is never used.{{fact|date=February 2023}}

The place name ''Vorpommern'' derives from [[West Slavic languages]]. The prefix "po-" means ''along'' or ''at'', and the base word "more" means ''sea'', so that together "po more" means ''Land at the Sea''. The German prefix "vor-" denotes a closer location; from the German point of view, this is the near part of Pomerania.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20201204042937/https://www.pommersches-landesmuseum.de/kulturreferat-fuer-pommern/aufgaben/aufgaben.html Der Name Pommern (po more) ist slawischer Herkunft und bedeutet so viel wie "Land am Meer"]. Pommersches Landesmuseum</ref>

The full name in German is pronounced {{IPA|de|ˈmeːklənbʊʁk ˈfoːɐ̯pɔmɐn|}}. Sometimes, ''Mecklenburg'' is pronounced {{IPA|de|ˈmɛklənbʊʁk|}}, because the digraph {{angbr|ck}} marks a preceding short vowel in [[High German]]. However, Mecklenburg is within the historical [[Low German]] language area, and the {{angbr|c}} appeared in its name during the period of transition to [[Standard German|Standard]], High German usage (Low German authors wrote the name ''Meklenborg'' or ''Męklenborg'', depicting proper Low German pronunciation, which itself was a [[Syncope (phonetics)|syncope]] of [[Middle Low German]] ''Mekelenborg''). The introduction of the {{angbr|c}} is explained as follows: Either the {{angbr|c}} signals the stretched pronunciation of the preceding {{angbr|e}} (''Dehnungs-c''), or it signals the pronunciation of the subsequent {{angbr|k}} as an [[Plosive|occlusive]] {{IPAblink|k}} to prevent it from falsely being rendered as a [[Fricative consonant|fricative]] {{IPAblink|χ}} following a Low German trend.<ref>{{citation |title=Der Sprachdienst |volume=34 |author=Gesellschaft für Deutsche Sprache |author-link=Gesellschaft für Deutsche Sprache |location=Wiesbaden |year=1990 |page=128 |language=de}}</ref> Another explanation is that the {{angbr|c}} comes from a mannerism in High German [[officialese]] of writing unnecessary letters, a so-called ''Letternhäufelung'' ({{literally|letter accumulation}}, as was done sometimes in English with words such as "doubt").

==History==
[[File:Großsteingrab Lancken 1 - Lancken-Granitz, Insel Rügen.jpg|thumb|One of more than 1000 [[Megaliths in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|megalith sites in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]], the [[Lancken-Granitz dolmen]]]]
In the aftermath of the [[World War II|Second World War]] and [[German reunification]] in 1990, the state was constituted from the historic region of [[Mecklenburg]] and [[Western Pomerania]], both of which had long and rich independent histories.<ref>Michael North, ''Geschichte Mecklenburg-Vorpommerns'' (2008), p. 113</ref>

===Prehistory===
{{See also|Megaliths in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}}
[[File:Putgarten, Kap Arkona (2011-05-21) 3.JPG|thumb|right|Slavic ring fortress at [[Cape Arkona]], [[Rügen|Rügen Island]]]]
Human settlement in the area of modern Mecklenburg and Vorpommern began after the [[Last Glacial Period|Ice Age]], about 10,000 BC. About two thousand years ago, [[Germanic peoples]] were recorded in the area. Most of them left during the [[Migration Period]], heading towards Spain, Italy, and France, leaving the area relatively deserted. In the sixth century [[Polabian Slavs]] populated the area. While Mecklenburg was settled by the [[Obotrites]], Pomerania was settled by the [[Veleti]] (later ''Liuticians'') and the [[Rani (Slavic tribe)|Rani]].<ref name=MN>Michael North, ''The Baltic: A History'' (2015), pp. 187–189</ref>

Along the coast, [[Viking]]s and [[Slavs]] established trade posts like [[Reric]], [[Ralswiek]] and [[Altes Lager Menzlin|Menzlin]]. In the early 12th century, Hither Pomerania passed under Polish suzerainty under [[Bolesław III Wrymouth]], who initiated [[Christianization of Pomerania|Christianization]], entrusting this task to [[Otto of Bamberg]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Medley|first=D. J.|year=2004|title=The church and the empire|publisher=Kessinger Publishing|page=152}}</ref> In the late 12th century, Mecklenburg and Hither Pomerania were conquered by [[Henry the Lion]] and briefly incorporated into the [[Duchy of Saxony]], joining the [[Holy Roman Empire]] in the 1180s. Parts of Mecklenburg and Pomerania were settled with [[Germans]] in the ''[[Ostsiedlung]]'' process, starting in the 12th century.<ref name=MN/>

===Mecklenburg===
{{Main article|Mecklenburg}}
In the late 12th century, [[Henry the Lion]], Duke of the Saxons, conquered the [[Obotrites]], subjugated its [[House of Mecklenburg|Nikloting]] dynasty, and Christianized its people. In the course of time, German monks, nobility, peasants and traders arrived to settle here. After the 12th century, the territory remained stable and relatively independent of its neighbours; one of the few German territories for which this is true. Mecklenburg first became a [[duchy]] of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] in 1348. Though later partitioned and re-partitioned within the same dynasty, Mecklenburg always shared a common history and identity. The states of [[Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin|Mecklenburg-Schwerin]] and [[Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz|Mecklenburg-Strelitz]] became [[Grand duchy|Grand Duchies]] in 1815, and in 1870 they voluntarily joined the new [[German Empire]], while retaining their own internal autonomy. After the [[World War I|First World War]] and the [[abdication]] of the German [[Kaiser]], the monarchies of the duchies were abolished and republican governments of both Mecklenburg states were established, until the Nazi government merged the two states into a unified {{ill|state of Mecklenburg|de|Land Mecklenburg}}, a virtually meaningless administrative decision under the centralised regime.

===Western Pomerania===
{{Main article|History of Pomerania}}
[[File:Rathaus Stralsund nächtlich erleuchtet.jpg|thumb|right|Late medieval [[Brick Gothic]] architecture in [[Stralsund]], nowadays a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]]]

[[Western Pomerania|Vorpommern]], literally Fore-Pomerania, is the smaller, western part of the former [[Prussia]]n [[Province of Pomerania (1815–1945)|Province of Pomerania]]; the eastern part became part of [[Poland]] after the end of [[World War II]].

Since the [[Middle Ages]], the area was ruled by the [[List of Pomeranian duchies and dukes|Pomeranian dukes]] as part of the [[Duchy of Pomerania]]. The duchy was established as a [[vassal state]] of [[Kingdom of Poland (1025–1385)|Poland]] in 1121, which it remained until 1138. Afterwards the [[Dukes of Pomerania]] were independent, and later were vassals of [[Duchy of Saxony|Saxony]] from 1164 to 1181, of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] from 1181 to 1185, of [[History of Denmark#Middle_Ages|Denmark]] from 1185 to 1227 and finally, from 1227 on, staying with the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. Fore Pomerania was under [[Swedish Empire|Swedish]] rule after the [[Peace of Westphalia]] from 1648 until 1815 as [[Swedish Pomerania]]. It became a province of Prussia after the [[Congress of Vienna]] in 1815 and remained so until 1945.

===Mecklenburg-Vorpommern===
====Wartime====
In May 1945, the armies of the [[Soviet Union]] and the Western allies met east of [[Schwerin]]. Following the [[Potsdam Agreement]], the Western allies handed over [[Mecklenburg]] to the Soviets. Mecklenburg-West Pomerania was established on 9 July 1945, by order No. 5 of [[Red Army]] Marshal [[Georgy Zhukov]], head of the [[Soviet Military Administration in Germany]] (SMAD), as the ''Province of Mecklenburg and West Pomerania (zapadnoi Pomeranii)''.<ref>Brunner, Detlev, ''Inventar der Befehle der Sowjetischen Militäradministration Mecklenburg (-Vorpommern) 1945−1949'' in ''Texte und Materialien zur Zeitgeschichte 12'', 2003, {{ISBN|3-598-11621-7}}</ref>

[[File:Pomeraniamap.png|thumb|Division of Pomerania]]
During the war, the make-up of Mecklenburg and Vorpommern's population changed, due to wartime losses and the influx of evacuees (mainly from the Berlin and Hamburg metropolitan areas that were subject to air raids). After the war, people who [[Expulsion of Germans after World War II|fled and were expelled from]] the [[former eastern territories of Germany]] east of the [[Oder-Neisse line]] settled in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (and elsewhere in Germany), increasing the population by 40%. Before the war, [[Mecklenburg]] and [[Western Pomerania]] had a population of 1,278,700, of whom many perished during the war and others moved west in the course of the Red Army's advance. In 1947, some 1,426,000 refugees from the former eastern parts of Germany were counted. Most of them settled in rural communities, but the urban population also increased, most notably in [[Schwerin]] from 65,000 (1939) to 99,518 (January 1947), in [[Wismar]] from 29,463 to 44,173, and in [[Greifswald]] from 29,488 to 43,897.<ref>Beatrice Vierneisel, ''Fremde im Land: Aspekte zur kulturellen Integration von Umsiedlern in Mecklenburg und Vorpommern 1945 bis 1953'', 2006, p.12, {{ISBN|3-8309-1762-7}}, {{ISBN|978-3-8309-1762-5}}</ref> Western Pomerania was additionally stripped of [[Police County|the area]] around the Pomeranian regional capital Stettin/Szczecin as well as the city itself, despite its location to the west of the river Oder.

====German Democratic Republic====
[[File:Hanse sail 2010 rostock hafen.jpg|thumb|[[Rostock]] was the major overseas port of [[East Germany]], and is one of the most important [[Baltic Sea]] ports today. Pictured is [[Hanse Sail]], one of the world's largest maritime events.]]
On 5 June 1946, a law enacted by the Soviets constituted a provisional German administration (''Beratende Versammlung'', {{langx|en|"Consulting assembly"}}) under Soviet supervision on 29 June 1946. After elections on 20 October 1946, a ''[[Landtag]]'' replaced the ''Beratende Versammlung'' and created the constitution of 16 January 1947, for the ''[[States of Germany|Land]] Mecklenburg-Vorpommern''. On 18 April 1947, the state's name was shortened to ''Land Mecklenburg''. Mecklenburg became a constituent state ("''Land''") of the [[East Germany|German Democratic Republic]] (GDR) upon its formation in 1949. In 1952, the East German government abandoned the term ''Land'' in this context and redesignated its administrative territorial divisions as "districts" (German: ''[[Administrative division of the German Democratic Republic#Division into Bezirke#Division into Bezirke|Bezirke]]''). The territory of Mecklenburg and Vorpommern was divided into three districts that covered roughly the same area: ''[[Rostock (Bezirk)|Bezirk Rostock]]'', ''[[Schwerin (Bezirk)|Bezirk Schwerin]]'' and ''[[Neubrandenburg (Bezirk)|Bezirk Neubrandenburg]]''. These were commonly known as the ''Nordbezirke'' (northern districts) under the highly centralised GDR government. The East German government developed the [[shipyard]]s in the old [[Hanseatic League|Hanseatic]] ports (the largest being in [[Rostock]] and [[Stralsund]]), and also established the [[Greifswald Nuclear Power Plant]] in [[Lubmin]] near [[Greifswald]].

====Reunification====
At the time of [[German reunification]] in 1990, the eastern states were reconstituted along their postwar boundaries (with minor adjustments) as they had existed until 1952, and the historic name Mecklenburg-Vorpommern was restored. Since 1990, the state has undergone dramatic changes. What had been largely an industrial and agricultural economy is increasingly driven by the [[Tertiary sector of the economy|service]], [[Tourism in Germany|tourism]], and [[High tech|high-tech]] sectors. The [[List of cities in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|old towns]], [[List of castles and palaces in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|hundreds of castles and manors]], [[Resort architecture|resort buildings]], [[List of windmills in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|windmills]], churches, and various other cultural monuments of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have been renovated in recent years. Since 2013, net migration into the state has been positive again.

==Geography==

{{multiple image
| align = right
| caption_align = center
| image1 = Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.gif
| width1 = 180
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = Map of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, showing locations, heights, and waters
| image2 = Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Map Districts Border Mecklenburg Western Pomerania - Landkreise Grenzen Karte MV MeckPomm.svg
| width2 = 200
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = Constituent regions and districts of the state, including the border of the historical [[Mecklenburg]] and [[Western Pomerania]] regions
| footer = 
}}
[[File:SchwerinWiki.ogv|thumb|Schwerin]]

===Location and urban areas===
{{See also|List of cities in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|List of cities in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern by population}}
Sixth-largest in area and fourteenth in overall population among Germany's sixteen [[States of Germany|Bundesländer]] (federal states), Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is bounded to the north by the [[Baltic Sea]], to the west by [[Schleswig-Holstein]], to the southwest by [[Lower Saxony]], to the south by [[Brandenburg]], and to the east by the [[West Pomeranian Voivodeship]] in Poland.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's state capital is [[Schwerin]]. The largest city is [[Rostock]] with approximately 205,000 people, followed by [[Schwerin]]. Other major cities include [[Neubrandenburg]], [[Stralsund]], [[Greifswald]], [[Wismar]] and [[Güstrow]].

===Districts===
[[File:Schwerin Schloss3.JPG|thumb|[[Schwerin]], the state capital of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]
[[File:Rostock nördl Altstadt mit der Marienkirche.jpg|thumb|[[Rostock]], the largest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]

Since 4 September 2011, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is divided into six ''Kreise'' (districts):

# [[Rostock (district)|Landkreis Rostock]]
# [[Ludwigslust-Parchim]]
# [[Mecklenburgische Seenplatte (district)|Mecklenburgische Seenplatte]]
# [[Nordwestmecklenburg]]
# [[Vorpommern-Greifswald]]
# [[Vorpommern-Rügen]]
Also counting two independent urban districts:
# [[Rostock]] (HRO)
# [[Schwerin]] (SN)

===Landscape===
The state's [[Baltic Sea]] coast is about {{cvt|2,000|km}} long and features several islands, most notably Germany's two biggest islands [[Rügen]] and [[Usedom]], but also a number of smaller islands such as [[Hiddensee]] and [[Poel]]. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's varied coastline also has many peninsulas such as [[Fischland-Darß-Zingst]] and various [[lagoons]] (also known as ''Bodden'' or ''Haff'').

A total of 283 nature reserves, 110 landscape reserves and three of Germany's fourteen [[List of national parks of Germany|national parks]] are scattered all over the state.

====Lakes====
{{see also|List of lakes in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}}
The southern part of the state is characterized by a multitude of lakes within the [[Mecklenburg Lake District|Mecklenburg Lakeland]], the largest of which is Lake [[Müritz]] (also the largest [[List of lakes of Germany|German lake]]), followed by [[Lake Schwerin]], [[Plauer See (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)|Plauer See]] and [[Lake Kummerow]]. The "land of a thousand lakes" (German: ''Land der tausend Seen'') is hallmarked by its unspoilt nature. Due to its clean air and idyllic setting, [[medical tourism]] has become a notable tourism sector in the region.<ref name=Welt>{{Cite news |url=https://www.welt.de/die-welt/article3690141/Branche-mit-Zukunft.html |title=Branche mit Zukunft |date=7 May 2009 |work=[[Die Welt]] |access-date=8 May 2009 |language=de |archive-date=14 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214003337/https://www.welt.de/die-welt/article3690141/Branche-mit-Zukunft.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

====National parks====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
! Name
! Established
! Size (km<sup>2</sup>)
! class="unsortable" | Map
! class="unsortable" | Illustration
|-
| [[Jasmund National Park]]
| style="text-align:center" | 1990
| style="text-align:center" | 30
| style="text-align:center; padding:0" |
{{location map|Germany Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|label=|position=left|float=left|width=198|lat=54.5602|long=13.6538|caption=}}
| style="text-align:center; padding:0" | [[File:2019 - Nationalpark Jasmund - 03.jpg|180px]]
|-
| [[Müritz National Park]]
| style="text-align:center" | 1990
| style="text-align:center" | 318
| style="text-align:center; padding:0" |
{{location map|Germany Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|label=|position=left|float=center|width=198|lat=53.439444|long=12.836667|caption=}}
| style="text-align:center; padding:0" | [[File:2016 NP Müritz 05.jpg|180px]]
|-
| [[Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park|Western Pomeranian Lagoons National Park]]
| style="text-align:center" | 1990
| style="text-align:center" | 805
| style="text-align:center; padding:0" |
{{location map|Germany Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|label=|position=left|float=center|width=198|lat=54.466667|long=13|caption=}}
| style="text-align:center; padding:0" | [[File:Born a Darss Darsswald Rehberge 01.jpg|180px]]
|}

==Culture==
Over the centuries, Mecklenburg and Vorpommern have developed and maintained strong regional cultures. It can generally be described as [[Northern Germany|North German]] and has similar linguistic and historic characteristics to other north German states, such as [[Schleswig-Holstein]]. People in Vorpommern, as a result of that territory being a former province of [[Prussia]], tend to look slightly more towards [[Berlin]] and [[Brandenburg]] than people in Mecklenburg would.

===Architecture===
The cities are characterised by a certain "[[Hanseatic League|Hanseatic]]" style also found in other parts of northern Germany (e.g. [[Lübeck]]) as well as in countries bordering the [[Baltic Sea]] like [[Estonia]] (e.g. [[Tallinn]]) or [[Latvia]] (e.g. [[Riga]]). A common feature of many towns in Mecklenburg and Vorpommern are red [[Brick Gothic]] churches and houses dating back to the [[Middle Ages]]. Also [[Crow-stepped gable|stepped]] and [[Dutch gable|tailed gables]] are a typical feature of the [[Hanseatic League|Hanseatic]] old towns, such as [[Stralsund]], [[Wismar]] and [[Greifswald]].

The old towns are usually built around one or several market places with a church or the town hall. Often towns were founded at the [[Baltic Sea]], one of the many [[Mecklenburg Lake District|lakes]] or a river for logistical and trade motives.

Rural areas of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are often characterized by Brick Gothic village [[:Category:Churches in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|churches]] and [[agricultural]] heritage, like brick [[Farmhouse|homestead]]s, [[thatched roof]] houses, [[List of windmills in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|windmills]], [[List of castles and palaces in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|manor houses and castles]].

[[File:Greifswald Panorama view.jpg|center|thumb|700px|The central market square of [[Greifswald]] (''Marktplatz''), showing typical architecture of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]

===Museums, art and theatres===
{{See also|List of museums in Germany#Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}}
[[File:Schwerin Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin Mecklenburg State Theatre Mecklenburg Staatstheater.jpg|thumb|The [[Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin|Mecklenburg State Theatre]] in [[Schwerin]]]]
[[File:Stralsund, am Hafen (2013-07-11), by Klugschnacker in Wikipedia (129).JPG|thumb|The [[Ozeaneum]] in [[Stralsund]], Europe's museum of the year 2010 and Northern Germany's most popular museum (as part of the [[German Oceanographic Museum]])]]
The largest publicly funded theatres in the state are the [[Mecklenburg State Theatre]], the [[Rostock People's Theatre]], the [[Theatre of West Pomerania]], with venues in [[Stralsund]], [[Putbus]] and [[Greifswald]], and the Mecklenburg State Theatre of Neustrelitz with venues in [[Neubrandenburg]] and [[Neustrelitz]]. All four theatres offer both drama and musical theatre as well as orchestral music.
Other important theatres are the Ernst Barlach Theatre of [[Güstrow]], the Theatre of [[Parchim]], the [[Anklam]] Theatre and the [[Wismar Theatre]].
There are also many small theatres on the Baltic coast and in individual artist's villages and resorts (e.g. the popular concert pavilions at the [[Baltic Sea]]). Since its growing importance for summer tourism, [[open-air theatre]]s and festivals become more common again as well, such as the [[Störtebeker Festival]] on the island of [[Rügen]], and the ''Vineta Festival'' on [[Usedom]].

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Theatre !! Visitors<br />2007/2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statistik-mv.de/cms2/STAM_prod/STAM/_downloads/Veroeffentlichungen/7._Gesamtausgabe(2010).pdf |title=(PDF) Visitor nos. at public theatres in M-V |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016043838/http://www.statistik-mv.de/cms2/STAM_prod/STAM/_downloads/Veroeffentlichungen/7._Gesamtausgabe(2010).pdf |archive-date=16 October 2013}}</ref>
|-
| Mecklenburg State Theatre, Schwerin || style="text-align:right"|170,681
|-
| West Pomeranian Theatre and Symphony Orchestra, Greifswald/Stralsund || style="text-align:right"|140,902
|-
| Neustrelitz/Neubrandenburg Theatre and Orchestre || style="text-align:right"|120,042
|-
| Rostock People's Theatre || style="text-align:right"|119,758
|-
| West Pomeranian State Theatre, Anklam || style="text-align:right"|71,825
|-
| Mecklenburg State Theatre, Parchim || style="text-align:right"|14,773
|}

Since 1993, the [[Störtebeker Festival]] has taken place in [[Ralswiek]] on the island of Rügen. It is Germany's most successful open-air theatre.

Notable museums include, for example, the [[Staatliches Museum Schwerin|Schwerin State Museum]] and the [[Pomeranian State Museum]] at Greifswald. The [[German Oceanographic Museum]] with its [[Ozeaneum]] in Stralsund is the most popular museum in northern Germany. Furthermore, the [[German Amber Museum]] in [[Ribnitz-Damgarten]], Rostock's [[Abbey of the Holy Cross, Rostock|Abbey of the Holy Cross]] and [[Rostock Art Gallery]] are of national importance. The oldest museum in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is Stralsund's [[Museum of Cultural History, Stralsund|Cultural History Museum]], the smallest is the [[Wilhelm Wandschneider|Professor Wandschneider Sculpture Museum]] in Plau am See.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is home to many cultural events throughout the year. During summer, many open-air concerts and operas are open to visitors. The Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival (''Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern'') attracts a sizeable audience by performing classical concerts in parks, churches and castles.

[[Caspar David Friedrich]], a famous [[romanticism|romanticist]] [[Painting|painter]] born in [[Greifswald]], immortalised parts of the state in several of his paintings.

===Language===
[[File:Low Saxon Dialects.svg|thumb|upright|Low German dialects]]
Today the vast majority of people speak [[Standard German]]; a few centuries ago most people spoke [[Low German]] (German: ''Plattdeutsch'' or ''Niederdeutsch''), a language that is still kept alive within various communities and cultural events.

===Food and drinks===
{{See also|Pomeranian cuisine}}
Like most German regions, Mecklenburg and Vorpommern have their own traditional dishes, often including fish, beef and pork. Rostock has its own type of [[bratwurst]] called ''Rostocker Bratwurst''. A famous dish from [[Western Pomerania]] is [[Pickled herring|Bismarck Herring]]. [[Rødgrød|Rote Grütze]] is a popular dessert. The largest [[German beer|beer]] breweries are ''[[Holsten Brewery|Mecklenburgische Brauerei Lübz]]'' ([[Lübz]]er Pils), ''Hanseatische Brauerei [[Rostock]]'', ''[[Dargun]]er Brauerei'' and ''Störtebeker Braumanufaktur'' ([[Stralsund]], multiple winner of the [[World Beer Cup]]). Besides, there are many smaller breweries and [[craft beer]] variations, such as the ''[[Mellenthin]] Castle Beer'' from [[Usedom]] Island.

===Religion===
{{bar box
|title=Religion in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern − 2020
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|Other or [[Irreligion|none]]|SlateGray|82.4}}
{{bar percent|[[Protestant Church in Germany|EKD Protestants]]|DodgerBlue|14.2}}
{{bar percent|[[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholics]]|DarkOrchid|3.4}}
}}

As of 2020, the majority (82.4%) of the citizens of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are not religious or adhere to other religions. 14.2% are members of the [[Protestant Church in Germany]] and 3.4% of the [[Catholic Church]].<ref>[https://www.ekd.de/ekd_de/ds_doc/Ber_Kirchenmitglieder_2020.pdf Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland – Kirchemitgliederzahlen Stand 31. Dezember 2020] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221111729/https://www.ekd.de/ekd_de/ds_doc/Ber_Kirchenmitglieder_2020.pdf |date=21 December 2021 }} EKD, November 2021</ref>

Following the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]], led in Germany by [[Martin Luther]], as well as a period of [[Sweden|Swedish]] rule, the traditional faith in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is [[Protestantism]], specifically [[Lutheranism]]. There are also a number of [[Catholic]]s and people of other faiths.

In May 2012 the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Mecklenburg]] merged with [[North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church]] and [[Pomeranian Evangelical Church]] into the new [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nordkirche.de/ |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20140512101634/http://www.nordkirche.de/ |url-status=dead |title=Nordkirche - nordkirche.de |archive-date=12 May 2014 |website=www.nordkirche.de}}</ref>
Some parishes of the state belong to [[Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia|Evangelical Church of Berlin and Brandenburg]].

There are also [[Judaism|Jewish]] communities, in the state capital of [[Schwerin]] (including [[Wismar]]) and in the city of [[Rostock]]. Historically, there were also synagogues in smaller towns, of which some are still preserved (like [[Röbel]], [[Krakow am See]] and [[Boizenburg]]). The state's Jewish organisation is part of the [[Central Council of Jews in Germany]].

===Immigration===
Largest groups of foreign residents by 31 December 2023:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www-genesis.destatis.de/genesis//online?operation=table&code=12521-0021&bypass=true&levelindex=0&levelid=1716497121275#abreadcrumb|date=24 May 2024|title=Largest groups of foreign residents by 31 December 2023}} German Statistical Office. 
</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Nationality || Population (31 December 2022) || Population (31 December 2023)
|+
|{{flag|Ukraine}}||27,310 || 28,120
|-
|{{flag|Poland}}||16,589 || 17,425
|-
|{{flag|Syria}}||11,495 || 13,590
|-
|{{flag|Afghanistan}}||4,700 || 5,870
|-
|{{flag|Romania}}||5,620 || 5,775
|-
|{{flag|Russia}}||3,705 || 4,485
|-
|{{flag|Turkey}}||2,385 || 3,435
|-
|{{flag|Bulgaria}}||2,605 || 2,745
|-
|{{flag|Vietnam}}||3,945 || 2,730
|-
|}

===Vital statistics===
*Births from January to September 2016 = {{increase}} 10,224<ref>{{cite web |title=Bevölkerung |url=https://www.statistikportal.de/de/bevoelkerung |website=Statistische Ämter des Bundes Und der Länder |access-date=16 June 2018 |archive-date=17 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617015609/https://www.statistikportal.de/de/bevoelkerung |url-status=live }}</ref>
*Births from January to September 2017 = {{decrease}} 9,836
*Deaths from January to September 2016 = {{decreasepositive}} 15,251
*Deaths from January to September 2017 = {{increasenegative}} 15,532
*Natural growth from January to September 2016 = {{increase}} -5,027
*Natural growth from January to September 2017 = {{decrease}} -5,696

==Education==

===Universities and colleges===
[[File:Rostock asv2018-05 img29 University.jpg|thumb|The [[University of Rostock]]]]
[[File:Rubenowplatz Greifswald.jpg|thumb|The [[University of Greifswald]]]]
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has the two oldest [[university|universities]] of the Baltic Sea region, also among the oldest of Germany and all of Europe:
*[[University of Greifswald]] (established 1456)
*[[University of Rostock]] (established 1419)

Also, there are further colleges / technological universities:
*Fachhochschule des Mittelstands (FHM)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fh-mittelstand.de/university-of-applied-sciences/ |title=University of Applied Sciences: fh-mittelstand.de |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815122544/http://www.fh-mittelstand.de/university-of-applied-sciences/ |archive-date=15 August 2015 |access-date=27 July 2015}}</ref> in [[Rostock]] and [[Schwerin]] (private)
*[[Rostock University of Music and Theatre]]
*[[Hochschule Wismar]] (''University of Applied Sciences: Technology, Business and Design'')
*Hochschule Stralsund<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hochschule-stralsund.de/ |title=Hochschule Stralsund - University of Applied Science |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504235704/https://www.hochschule-stralsund.de/ |archive-date=4 May 2023}}</ref> (''University of Applied Sciences'')
*Hochschule Neubrandenburg<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hs-nb.de/nc/en/home/ |title=University NB: Hochschule Neubrandenburg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008170448/http://www.hs-nb.de/nc/en/home/ |archive-date=8 October 2012}}</ref> (''University of Applied Sciences'')
*Fachhochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung, Rechtspflege und Polizei Güstrow<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fh-guestrow.de/ |title=FH Güstrow |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010052743/http://www.fh-guestrow.de/ |archive-date=10 October 2012}}</ref> (''University of Administration, Judicature and Police in [[Güstrow]]'')
*Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit with its [[Schwerin]] campus
*DesignSchule Schwerin with options to study design (private; game/fashion/media/web design)

===Schools===
The state's school system is centralised. There are two main types of schools, ''Regionalschule'' (for the majority of pupils) and ''Gymnasium'' (for the top 30% of each year's students, leading to the university entrance qualification "[[Abitur]]"). Besides, there are also independent schools, comprehensive schools and trade schools.

==Politics==

Article 20 of the State Constitution states that the [[Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|Landtag]] is the "site of political decision-making".<ref name="State Landtag">{{cite web |title=State Parliament |url=http://www.mecklenburg-vorpommern.eu/cms2/Landesportal_prod/Landesportal/content/en/State_and_Government/State_Parliament/index.jsp |publisher=Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |access-date=30 March 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110402201314/http://www.mecklenburg-vorpommern.eu/cms2/Landesportal_prod/Landesportal/content/en/State_and_Government/State_Parliament/index.jsp |archive-date=2 April 2011}}</ref> The Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Landtag is elected democratically by the citizens of the state and sits for a 5-year legislative period.<ref name="State Landtag"/> The seat of the Landtag is located at [[Schwerin Palace]] in [[Schwerin]].<ref name="State Landtag"/> The essential functions of the Landtag are to elect the [[Minister-President]] of the state; to discuss and decide on laws which have been proposed by the government, by any four members of the Landtag, or a people's initiative or petition for a referendum initiated directly by the people; and to control the state government.<ref name="State Landtag"/>

===Minister-President===
{{main article|List of minister-presidents of Mecklenburg}}
[[File:Manuela Schwesig 2.jpg|thumb|[[Manuela Schwesig]], Minister-President since 2017]]
The executive is led by a cabinet, in turn led by a Minister-President, who is the official head of state and government. The election to determine the Minister-President is held no later than four weeks after the newly elected Landtag is convened.<ref name="State Landtag"/>

===Landtag===
{{See also|2021 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election}}
[[File:Schwerin Castle Aerial View.jpg|The [[Schwerin Palace]], seat of the [[Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]], is one of more than 2,000 [[List of castles and palaces in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|palaces and castles in the state]].|thumb]]
The last election of the [[Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] took place on 26 September 2021. The [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]] won a landslide plurality of almost 40% of votes, a nine [[percentage point]] increase from 2016. The opposition [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD) remained the second largest party but declined to under 17%. The CDU recorded its worst ever result in the state with 13.3%, while [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] also declined to 10%. [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] and the [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP) both won around 6% of votes and re-entered the Landtag after previously falling out in 2016 and 2011, respectively.<ref name="NDR27">{{cite web |url=https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/wahlen_mv_2021/Landtagswahl-MV-Schwesigs-SPD-triumphiert-CDU-erlebt-Debakel,landtagswahlmv182.html |title=State election MV: Schwesig's SPD triumphs - CDU experiences debacle |date=27 September 2021 |language=de |website=[[Norddeutscher Rundfunk]] |access-date=13 November 2021 |archive-date=9 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109031514/https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/wahlen_mv_2021/Landtagswahl-MV-Schwesigs-SPD-triumphiert-CDU-erlebt-Debakel,landtagswahlmv182.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Landtag has been led by Minister President [[Manuela Schwesig]] since 2017.
On 13 October 2021, Schwesig announced the SPD would enter coalition talks with The Left. She stated her motivations for reorienting the coalition as a desire for "a new departure", and described The Left as a "social, pragmatic party" with decisive policy overlap with the SPD. She said that The Left had been a reliable partner to the government even while in opposition, and had assumed "state-political responsibility" during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=13 October 2021 |title=Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: Schwesig wants to govern with the Left Party |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/regional/mecklenburgvorpommern/mecklenburg-vorpommern-spd-linke-101.html |access-date=14 October 2021 |website=tagesschau.de |publisher=[[Tagesschau (German TV series)|Tagesschau]] |language=de |archive-date=13 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211013182312/https://www.tagesschau.de/regional/mecklenburgvorpommern/mecklenburg-vorpommern-spd-linke-101.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 5 November 2021, the SPD and The Left agreed to a coalition government and plan to form a cabinet, which is to be approved by each party-congress by mid-November.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=13 October 2021 |title=SPD and Left agree on coalition agreement |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/mecklenburg-vorpommern-123.html |access-date=7 November 2021 |website=tagesschau.de |publisher=[[Tagesschau (German TV series)|Tagesschau]] |language=de |archive-date=5 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105204921/https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/mecklenburg-vorpommern-123.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{Election results
|image       = [[File:2021 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election - composition chart.svg]]
|firstround  = Constituency
|secondround = Party list

|party1    = [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD)
|votes1    = 313224
|sw1       = +4.99
|seats1    = 34
|votes1_2  = 361769
|sw1_2     = +9.03
|seats1_2  = 0
|totseats1 = 34
|sc1       = +8

|party2    = [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD)
|votes2    = 163962
|sw2       = –3.88
|seats2    = 1
|votes2_2  = 152775
|sw2_2     = –4.10
|seats2_2  = 13
|totseats2 = 14
|sc2       = –4

|party3    = [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU)
|votes3    = 157403
|sw3       = –4.50
|seats3    = 1
|votes3_2  = 121583
|sw3_2     = –5.68
|seats3_2  = 11
|totseats3 = 12
|sc3       = –4

|party4    = [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (DIE LINKE)
|votes4    = 106189
|sw4       = –3.20
|seats4    = 0
|votes4_2  = 90881
|sw4_2     = –3.23
|seats4_2  = 9
|totseats4 = 9
|sc4       = –2

|party5    = [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] (GRÜNE)
|votes5    = 59544
|sw5       = +1.73
|seats5    = 0
|votes5_2  = 57554
|sw5_2     = +1.48
|seats5_2  = 5
|totseats5 = 5
|sc5       = +5

|party6    = [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP)
|votes6    = 56951
|sw6       = +2.91
|seats6    = 0
|votes6_2  = 52963
|sw6_2     = +2.75
|seats6_2  = 5
|totseats6 = 5
|sc6       = +5

|party7    = [[Human Environment Animal Protection]]
|votes7    = 6902
|sw7       = +0.76
|seats7    = 0
|votes7_2  = 15212
|sw7_2     = +0.46
|seats7_2  = 0
|totseats7 = 0
|sc7       = ±0

|party8    = [[Grassroots Democratic Party of Germany|Grassroots Democratic Party]]
|votes8    = 16319
|sw8       = New
|seats8    = 0
|votes8_2  = 15221
|sw8_2     = New
|seats8_2  = 0
|totseats8 = 0
|sc8       = New

|party9    = [[Free Voters]]
|votes9    = 18324
|sw9       = +0.95
|seats9    = 0
|votes9_2  = 10075
|sw9_2     = +0.51
|seats9_2  = 0
|totseats9 = 0
|sc9       = ±0

|party10    = [[National Democratic Party of Germany|National Democratic Party]]
|votes10    = 0
|sw10       = –
|seats10    = 0
|votes10_2  = 7063
|sw10_2     = –2.24
|seats10_2  = 0
|totseats10 = 0
|sc10       = ±0

|party11    = [[Die PARTEI]]
|votes11    = 1826
|sw11       = –0.11
|seats11    = 0
|votes11_2  = 7023
|sw11_2     = +0.14
|seats11_2  = 0
|totseats11 = 0
|sc11       = ±0

|party12    = Animal Protection Here!
|votes12    = 0
|sw12       = New
|seats12    = 0
|votes12_2  = 3883
|sw12_2     = New
|seats12_2  = 0
|totseats12 = 0
|sc12       = New

|party13    = [[Pirate Party Germany]]
|votes13    = 1774
|sw13       = +0.15
|seats13    = 0
|votes13_2  = 3706
|sw13_2     = –0.08
|seats13_2  = 0
|totseats13 = 0
|sc13       = ±0

|party14    = Free Horizon
|votes14    = 2491
|sw14       = –0.45
|seats14    = 0
|votes14_2  = 3348
|sw14_2     = –0.45
|seats14_2  = 0
|totseats14 = 0
|sc14       = ±0

|party15    = [[:de:Unabhängige für bürgernahe Demokratie|Independents for Citizen-oriented Democracy]]
|color15    = #FF9900
|votes15    = 558
|sw15       = New
|seats15    = 0
|votes15_2  = 2331
|sw15_2     = New
|seats15_2  = 0
|totseats15 = 0
|sc15       = New

|party16    = [[Partei für Gesundheitsforschung|Party for Health Research]]
|votes16    = 0
|sw16       = New
|seats16    = 0
|votes16_2  = 2030
|sw16_2     = New
|seats16_2  = 0
|totseats16 = 0
|sc16       = New

|party17    = [[Team Todenhöfer]]
|votes17    = 0
|sw17       = New
|seats17    = 0
|votes17_2  = 1631
|sw17_2     = New
|seats17_2  = 0
|totseats17 = 0
|sc17       = New

|party18    = [[Party of Humanists|The Humanists]]
|votes18    = 0
|sw18       = New
|seats18    = 0
|votes18_2  = 1105
|sw18_2     = New
|seats18_2  = 0
|totseats18 = 0
|sc18       = New

|party19    = [[Ecological Democratic Party]]
|votes19    = 0
|sw19       = New
|seats19    = 0
|votes19_2  = 936
|sw19_2     = New
|seats19_2  = 0
|totseats19 = 0
|sc19       = New

|party20    = [[Alliance C – Christians for Germany]]
|votes20    = 186
|sw20       = –0.02
|seats20    = 0
|votes20_2  = 827
|sw20_2     = –0.01
|seats20_2  = 0
|totseats20 = 0
|sc20       = ±0

|party21    = [[German Communist Party]]
|votes21    = 0
|sw21       = –
|seats21    = 0
|votes21_2  = 727
|sw21_2     = –0.08
|seats21_2  = 0
|totseats21 = 0
|sc21       = ±0

|party22    = [[Democracy in Motion]]
|votes22    = 0
|sw22       = New
|seats22    = 0
|votes22_2  = 563
|sw22_2     = New
|seats22_2  = 0
|totseats22 = 0
|sc22       = New

|party23    = Free Parliamentary Alliance
|votes23    = 708
|sw23       = New
|seats23    = 0
|votes23_2  = 436
|sw23_2     = New
|seats23_2  = 0
|totseats23 = 0
|sc23       = New

|party24    = [[Liberal Conservative Reformers]]
|votes24    = 0
|sw24       = –
|seats24    = 0
|votes24_2  = 221
|sw24_2     = –0.28
|seats24_2  = 0
|totseats24 = 0
|sc24       = ±0

|party25    = [[Independent politician|Independents]]
|votes25    = 3808
|sw25       = –0.28
|seats25    = 0
|votes25_2  = 0
|sw25_2     = –
|seats25_2  = 0
|totseats25 = 0
|sc25       = ±0

|validsw     = +0.24
|validsw2    = +0.24
|invalidsw   = –0.24
|invalidsw2  = –0.24
|turnoutsw   = +8.92
|turnoutsw2  = +8.92

|invalid     = 18638
|electorate  = 1312471
|invalid2    = 14944
|electorate2 = 1312471
|source      = [https://wahlen.mvnet.de/dateien/ergebnisse.2021/landtagswahl/html/l_99.html State Returning Officer]
}}
{{bar box
| title=Popular vote
| titlebar=#ddd
| width=600px
| barwidth=410px
| bars=
{{bar percent|SPD|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|39.59}}
{{bar percent|AfD|{{party color|Alternative for Germany}}|16.72}}
{{bar percent|CDU|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|13.30}}
{{bar percent|LINKE|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|9.94}}
{{bar percent|GRÜNE|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|6.30}}
{{bar percent|FDP|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|5.80}}
{{bar percent|Other|{{party color|Other}}|8.35}}
}}
{{bar box
| title=Landtag seats
| titlebar=#ddd
| width=600px
| barwidth=410px
| bars=
{{bar percent|SPD|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|43.04}}
{{bar percent|AfD|{{party color|Alternative for Germany}}|17.72}}
{{bar percent|CDU|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|15.19}}
{{bar percent|LINKE|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|11.39}}
{{bar percent|GRÜNE|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|6.33}}
{{bar percent|FDP|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|6.33}}
}}

==Economy==
The [[gross domestic product]] (GDP) of the state was 44.5 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 1.3% of German economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 25,400 euros or 84% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 83% of the EU average. The GDP per capita was the lowest of all German states.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/10474907/1-05032020-AP-EN.pdf/81807e19-e4c8-2e53-c98a-933f5bf30f58 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/10474907/1-05032020-AP-EN.pdf/81807e19-e4c8-2e53-c98a-933f5bf30f58 |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |title=Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018 |website=Eurostat}}</ref>

===Labour market===
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is the least densely populated and least industrial [[States of Germany|German state]], being the sixth largest in area, but only the 14th in population. Formerly, unemployment has been negatively affected by the breakdown of non-competitive former [[GDR]] industries after the [[German reunification]] in the 1990s.  As of 2018 unemployment is the lowest in more than 15 years while the economy is growing and the number of jobs is increasing continually. Growing sectors are [[biotechnology]], [[information technology]], [[life sciences]], [[maritime industry]] and [[Tourism in Germany|tourist]] services.

In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, approximately 732,200 people were gainfully employed in 2008 with 657,100 of them were white and blue collar workers. About 4,200 new jobs were created in 2007. Employees worked an average of 1,455 hours a year. The number of self-employed did not change in 2008. Three out of every four of all workers are employed in the service sector.<ref name="Employment and Labour Market">{{cite web |title=Employment and Labour Market |url=http://www.mecklenburg-vorpommern.eu/cms2/Landesportal_prod/Landesportal/content/en/State_and_Government/Our_State/Facts_and_Figures/Employment_and_Labour_Market/index.jsp |publisher=Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |access-date=30 March 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110307023704/http://www.mecklenburg-vorpommern.eu/cms2/Landesportal_prod/Landesportal/content/en/State_and_Government/Our_State/Facts_and_Figures/Employment_and_Labour_Market/index.jsp |archive-date=7 March 2011}}</ref> In October 2018 the unemployment rate stood at 7.1% and was the third highest rate in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/36651/umfrage/arbeitslosenquote-in-deutschland-nach-bundeslaendern/|title=Arbeitslosenquote nach Bundesländern in Deutschland 2018 {{!}} Statista|website=Statista|language=de|access-date=13 November 2018|archive-date=27 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627171657/https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/36651/umfrage/arbeitslosenquote-in-deutschland-nach-bundeslaendern/|url-status=live}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!Year<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www-genesis.destatis.de/genesis/online/data;sid=B1C50643A60FE295E866C5D1DE88989D.GO_2_2?operation=previous&levelindex=3&levelid=1542121134059&levelid=1542121130976&step=2 |title=Federal Statistical Office Germany - GENESIS-Online |last=(Destatis) |first=© Statistisches Bundesamt |date=13 November 2018 |website=www-genesis.destatis.de |language=en |access-date=13 November 2018 |archive-date=8 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308110120/https://www-genesis.destatis.de/genesis/online/data;sid=B1C50643A60FE295E866C5D1DE88989D.GO_2_2?operation=previous&levelindex=3&levelid=1542121134059&levelid=1542121130976&step=2 |url-status=live }}</ref>
!2000
!2001
!2002
!2003
!2004
!2005
!2006
!2007
!2008
!2009
!2010
!2011
!2012
!2013
!2014
!2015
!2016
!2017
!2018
|-
|Unemployment rate in %
|17.8
|18.3
|18.6
|20.1
|20.4
|20.3
|19.0
|16.5
|14.1
|13.5
|12.7
|12.5
|12.0
|11.7
|11.2
|10.4
|9.7
|8.6
|7.9
|}

===Tourism===
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is the top destination for intra-German tourism and is gaining importance for [[international tourism]].
The main tourist regions are:
*Islands: [[Rügen|Rugia]] and [[Usedom]] (Germany's two largest islands), [[Poel]] and [[Hiddensee]];
*Peninsula: [[Fischland-Darß-Zingst]] (with [[Ahrenshoop]] and [[Zingst]]);
*Seaside resorts: [[Binz]], [[Boltenhagen]], [[Graal-Müritz]], [[Heringsdorf]] (including [[Bansin]] and [[Ahlbeck]]), [[Heiligendamm]], [[Kühlungsborn]], [[Warnemünde]] and [[Zinnowitz]];
*[[Szczecin Lagoon|Stettin Lagoon]]: [[Ueckermünde]];
*Hinterland: particularly the [[Mecklenburg Lake District|Mecklenburg Lakeland]];
*Cities: [[Stralsund]] and [[Wismar]] (both listed as [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]s), [[Schwerin]], [[Güstrow]], [[Rostock]] and [[Greifswald]], which have a diverse cultural heritage.
*Night sky: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is home to some of the most [[skyglow|pristine night skies]] in Germany, especially in the area near Nationalpark Müritz. It is a potential site for a [[Dark-sky preserve|Dark Sky Park]].

As a reminder of its rich history, nearly 2,000 castles, palaces and [[manor house]]s exist in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, many of which are used as venues for public events like concerts and festivals, such as Festspiele MV<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.festspiele-mv.de/en |title=Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019121201/http://www.festspiele-mv.de/en |archive-date=19 October 2012}}</ref> (a classical music festival).

[[Medical tourism]]<ref name="Welt"/> based on the clean air and idyllic settings by the [[Baltic Sea]] has a growing importance to the regional tourism industry.<ref name=Welt/>

<gallery>
File:Röbel Müritz Hafen 2.JPG|[[Mecklenburg Lake District|Mecklenburg Lakeland]], [[Röbel]]
File:The Pier, Sellin.jpg|[[Sellin]] on the island of [[Rügen]]
File:Moonrise over Nationalpark Müritz.jpg|Moonrise over Nationalpark Müritz
File:48 Peenemuende A4 300915.jpg|[[V2 rocket]] replica in Peenemünde. These rockets were the first man-made objects to reach space.
</gallery>

==Transport==
[[File:Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Flughäfen und Landeplätze.png|thumb|Airports in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania]]
There are two airports that are currently operating in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern which are [[Rostock–Laage Airport]] and [[Heringsdorf Airport]]. However, residents of the state also use [[Berlin Brandenburg Airport]] and [[Hamburg Airport]], which both can be easily reached by train and car.

==Sport==
Main sporting attractions include the [[Bundesliga|German football league]] games of [[F.C. Hansa Rostock]] and the international sailing event [[Hanse Sail]]. If the bid for the 2012 summer Olympics in [[Leipzig]] had been successful, the sailing competitions would have taken place off the coast of [[Rostock]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.n-tv.de/sport/Leipzig-und-Rostock-article107926.html |title=Deutsche Olympia-Bewerber - Leipzig und Rostock |website=n-tv.de |language=de |date=12 April 2003 |access-date=19 May 2020 |archive-date=3 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803201444/https://www.n-tv.de/sport/Leipzig-und-Rostock-article107926.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Notable people==
[[File:Besuch Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel im Rathaus Köln-09916.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Angela Merkel]]'s constituency is in [[Western Pomerania]].]]
Notable from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern include:
<!-- New links in alphabetical order please -->
*'''Arts''': [[Ernst Barlach]], [[Friedrich von Flotow]], [[Caspar David Friedrich]], [[Marianne Hoppe]], [[Till Lindemann]], [[Philipp Otto Runge]]
*'''Business''': [[Ernst Heinkel]], [[Carl Heinrich von Siemens]], [[Leonhard Tietz]], [[Georg Wertheim]]
*'''Literature''': [[Ernst Moritz Arndt]], [[John Brinckman]], [[Hans Fallada]], [[Walter Kempowski]], [[Fritz Reuter]], [[Rudolf Tarnow]], [[Ehm Welk]]
*'''Politics''': [[Ernst Moritz Arndt]], [[Dietmar Bartsch]], [[Joachim Gauck]], [[Egon Krenz]], [[Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher]], [[Angela Merkel]], [[Helmuth von Moltke the Elder]], [[Harald Ringstorff]]
*'''Science''': [[Theodor Billroth]], [[Friedrich Chrysander]], [[Walther Flemming]], [[Gottlob Frege]], [[Otto Lilienthal]], [[Gustav Mie]], [[Ferdinand von Mueller]], [[Paul Pogge]], [[Carl Wilhelm Scheele]], [[Heinrich Schliemann]], [[Johannes Stark]]
*'''Sports''': [[Tim Borowski]], [[Andreas Dittmer]], [[Thomas Doll]], [[Carsten Jancker]], [[Marita Koch]], [[Toni Kroos]], [[Sebastian Sylvester]], [[Jan Ullrich]], [[Jens Voigt]]

==Miscellaneous==
*Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is Germany's number-one tourist location, the main destinations being the [[Baltic Sea]] coastline with islands such as [[Rügen]] or [[Usedom]], spa towns like [[Heiligendamm]], [[Kühlungsborn]], [[Boltenhagen]] or [[Warnemünde]] and the [[Mecklenburg Lake District]]. It also offers important historical cities, such as [[Stralsund]], [[Wismar]], [[Greifswald]] and [[Rostock]] as former [[Hanseatic league|Hanseatic]] cities − or [[Schwerin]], [[Güstrow]], [[Ludwigslust]] and [[Neustrelitz]] as former residences.
*The first [[V2 Rocket]] which was the first explosive missile was launched in 1944 during World War II in [[Peenemünde]] on the present-day territory of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Space and astronomy: decade by decade |first=Marianne J. |last=Dyson |publisher=Infobase Publishing |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-8160-5536-4 |page=95}}</ref>
*During the chancellorship of [[Angela Merkel]], Mecklenburg-Vorpommern hosted the first official public meeting with President [[George W. Bush]] in 2006 and the [[33rd G8 summit]] in 2007. Both political events were financed by state and federal budgets.
*Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is one of four first-level administrative divisions containing the name of region of Pomerania, the other being the [[Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship]], [[Pomeranian Voivodeship]] and [[West Pomeranian Voivodeship]] in Poland.

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center">
Image:Stralsund, Altstadt (2011-05-21) 4.JPG|[[Stralsund]] − aerial view of an old town, protected by [[UNESCO]]
Image:Baederarchitektur-Binz 1658.jpg|[[Binz]] − typical German [[resort architecture]] (''Bäderarchitektur'') at the Baltic Sea
Image:Rostock-Warnemünde, Seepromenade, 489-595.jpg|[[Esplanade|Beach Promenade]] of [[Warnemünde]], part of [[Rostock]]
Image:Rostock.jpg|[[Rostock]] − Shopping street
Image:Kerkhoffhaus.jpg|[[Rostock]] − [[Brick Gothic]] gable house
Image:Greifswald - Marktplatz 1.jpg|[[Greifswald]] − [[Gable]] houses at market square
Image:Schwerin 20090410.jpg|[[Schwerin]] − capital of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Image:Wismar hafen.jpg|Harbour of [[Wismar]], a historical [[Hanseatic League|Hanseatic city]] sharing its [[World Heritage Site]] status with [[Stralsund]] 
Image:Grabow Rathaus.jpg|[[Grabow]] − Half timbered town hall
Image:Marienkirche Neubrandenburg1.jpg|[[Neubrandenburg]] − Concert Church St. Marien
Image:Benz Holländer Windmühle Berg Dorf Schmollensee.jpg|[[Usedom]] − [[Benz, Ostvorpommern|Benz]] windmill, one of [[List of windmills in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|many windmills]] in MV
Image:Schloss Ralswiek 2 crop.jpg|[[Rügen]] − [[Ralswiek]] castle, one of [[List of castles in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|many castles]] in MV
Image:Jagdschloss Granitz 4.jpg|[[Rügen]] − Granitz Hunting Castle near [[Binz]]
Image:Ahlbeck hotel ahlbecker hof.jpg|[[Ahlbeck]] − Hotel "Ahlbecker Hof" ([[Usedom]] Island)
Image:Steilküste bei Ahrenshoop.jpg|[[Ahrenshoop]] − [[steep coast]], peninsula of [[Fischland-Darß-Zingst]]
Image:Kreidefelsen Ruegen.jpg|[[Rügen]] Island − [[Jasmund National Park]]
Image:Hiddensee asv2022-08 img39 Leuchtturm Dornbusch.jpg|[[Hiddensee]] Island − [[Dornbusch Lighthouse]]
Image:Müritz Röbel 1.jpg|[[Müritz]] Lake − near [[Röbel]]
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Germany|Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}}
{{colbegin}}
*[[History of Pomerania]]
*[[List of places in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]
*[[List of towns in Vorpommern]]
*[[Mecklenburg]]
*[[Pomerania]]
{{colend}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|commonscat=yes |voy=Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}}
*[https://en.mecklenburg-vorpommern.de/homepage/ Official Mecklenburg-Vorpommern portal]
*{{Osmrelation-inline|62774}}

;Tourism
*[https://www.off-to-mv.com/ Off to MV - Official tourism website of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]
*[http://www.germany.travel/en/travel-information/federal-states/bundeslaender_1/mecklenburg-western-pomerania/mecklenburg-vorpommern.html Germany.Travel - Federal Tourism Association: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]

{{States of the Federal Republic of Germany}}
{{Geographic location
|North     = [[Baltic Sea]]
|West      = {{flag|Schleswig-Holstein}}
|Centre    = {{flag|Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}}
|East      = {{flag|West Pomeranian Voivodeship}}, {{flag|Poland}}
|Southwest = {{flag|Lower Saxony}}
|South     = {{flag|Brandenburg}}}}
{{Districts of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}}
{{Pomeranian history|adm}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mecklenburg-Vorpommern| ]]
[[Category:1946 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:NUTS 2 statistical regions of the European Union]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1946]]
[[Category:States of Germany]]