View source for Vechta (district)

{{short description|District in Lower Saxony, Germany}}
{{Infobox District DE
| name=Vechta
| state=Lower Saxony
| capital=[[Vechta]]
| area=813
| Kreisschlüssel    = 03460
| district_admin    = Tobias Gerdesmeyer
| admin_party       = CDU
| carsign=VEC
| url= [http://www.kreis-vechta.de kreis-vechta.de]
| map={{Germany district OSM map |parent_subdivision = Q1197}}
|image_coa = DEU Landkreis Vechta COA.svg
|image_flag = Flagge Landkreis Vechta.svg
}}
'''Vechta''' ({{IPA|de|ˈfɛçta}}) is a [[districts of Germany|district]] (''Landkreis'') in [[Lower Saxony]], [[Germany]]. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of [[Oldenburg (district)|Oldenburg]], [[Diepholz (district)|Diepholz]], [[Osnabrück (district)|Osnabrück]] and [[Cloppenburg (district)|Cloppenburg]].

==History==
In the 13th century the region was acquired by the [[bishop of Münster]] and became a part of his clerical state. When the clerical states of Germany were dissolved in 1803, Vechta was given to [[Duchy of Oldenburg|Oldenburg]], while clerically still belonging to Münster, hence the name [[Oldenburger Münsterland]] is also used for the region (together with Cloppenburg district). The present district was established in 1945 and became a part of the newly founded state of Lower Saxony.

In terms of political history, both Vechta and neighbouring Cloppenburg are, as one of the few historically [[Catholic]] districts in an otherwise majority-protestant state, some of the most conservative areas in Germany. The federal constituency [[Cloppenburg – Vechta]] is frequently the Christian Democratic Union's safest constituency, winning a majority in all but two elections since WWII.

==Geography==
The countryside is generally flat. Only in the very south there is a hill chain close to the town of [[Damme, Germany|Damme]], called the [[Damme Hills]] (''Dammer Berge''). The western shore of Lake [[Dümmer]] with its adjoining fens is also part of the district.

==Coat of arms==
The coat of arms displays:
* the arms of [[Duchy of Oldenburg|Oldenburg]]
* the arms of the County of Calvelage-[[County of Ravensberg|Ravensberg]] (which ruled over the region before the 13th century)
* the arms of the counts of [[County of Galen|Galen]] (who were vassals of the bishops of Münster)

==Cities and municipalities==
{{Imagemap Germany district VEC|Municipalities in VEC.svg|250px{{!}}thumb{{!}}Clickable map of towns and municipalities in the district}}

{|
!width=50% align=left|Cities
!width=50% align=left|[[Municipality|Free municipalities]]
|- valign=top
||
#[[Damme, Germany|Damme]]
#[[Dinklage]]
#[[Lohne, Germany|Lohne]]
#[[Vechta]]
||
#[[Bakum]]
#[[Goldenstedt]]
#[[Holdorf, Lower Saxony|Holdorf]]
#[[Neuenkirchen-Vörden]]
#[[Steinfeld, Lower Saxony|Steinfeld]]
#[[Visbek]]
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Landkreis Vechta}}
* [http://www.kreis-vechta.de/ Official website] {{in lang|de}}

{{Germany districts lower saxony}}

{{Coord|52.67|8.25|display=title|format=dms}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vechta (District)}}
[[Category:Vechta (district)| ]]
[[Category:Districts of Lower Saxony]]