Population: 12 million, 8.8 million eligible voters.
Area: Germany's largest state, 70,554 sq km, bordering the Czech Republic to the east and Austria to the south.
Capital: Munich.
Government: CSU has ruled since 1946, and has had an absolute majority continuously since 1962.
Economy: High-tech and manufacturing centre, home of electronics and power group Siemens, carmakers BMW AG and Audi AG, and engineering firm MAN AG. Large agriculture and food-processing sector.
Unemployment: 6.5 per cent, lowest in Germany.
