Emsland, Administrative district in Lower Saxony, Germany
Emsland is an administrative district in Lower Saxony, Germany, that stretches along the Ems Valley and connects flat plains with gentle hills. Over thirty municipalities spread across the territory, with Meppen serving as administrative seat and the western border to the Netherlands only a few kilometers away.
The territory remained largely undeveloped until the mid-20th century because extensive moorlands prevented agricultural use. After 1950, government drainage projects transformed large parts of the moorland into farmland and enabled the settlement of industry.
Catholic parishes shape many towns today, where church services and processions remain part of everyday life. Many farms still follow the traditional cultivation methods of moorland colonization that differ markedly from other farms in Lower Saxony.
Regional train connections run through several municipalities and link the territory with larger cities in the surrounding area. Buses complement the transport network and reach smaller towns that have no railway connection.
In Papenburg, large cruise ships are built even though the shipyard lies more than 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the open sea. The finished vessels must be towed backward through the narrow Ems to the North Sea, which often takes several days.
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