Braunschweig, also known as Brunswick, is a city located in the state of Lower Saxony, Germany. Situated north of the Harz Mountains, it sits at the farthest navigable point of the river Oker, which connects the city to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser. As of 2025, the city had a population of 255,500.
The city is considered an important regiopolis and serves as one of the largest regiopolitan cities in Northern Germany and the largest in Lower Saxony. It functions as a major regional hub, possessing characteristics similar to larger metropolitan cities on a smaller scale. The urban agglomeration of Braunschweig has a population of 551,000, making it part of a broader region that includes Wolfsburg and Salzgitter with over 1 million residents.
Braunschweig is characterized by its high level of diversity, with the urban agglomeration being the most diverse in Lower Saxony. Over 40% of the population has a migration background, including significant numbers from Europe, Asia, and Africa. The city maintains one of the highest integrated proportions of migrants in the nation, with nearly 80% of those with a migration background speaking German on a daily basis.