Oldenburg (state)

Oldenburg is a historical state in today's Germany. It is named after its capital, Oldenburg.

Oldenburg was a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire, and was made an independent country by the Congress of Vienna of 1815. In 1871, it joined the German Empire, and in 1919, it became a republic. After World War II, its main part was merged into the newly founded state of Lower Saxony, the district of Eutin was added to the state of Schleswig-Holstein, and the district of Birkenfeld was added to the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Oldenburg had an area of 5,375 km², and 580,000 inhabitants (1939).