Gifhorn (district)

Geography

The district is located at the border of Saxony-Anhalt and extends from the southern edge of the Lüneburg Heath (Lüneburger Heide) in the north to the suburbs of Braunschweig and Wolfsburg in the south. The Aller River enters the district in the southeast, runs through the town of Gifhorn, is joined by the Ise and Oker river and leaves the district in the west. Also in the district, at Edesbüttel, the Elbe-Seitenkanal diverge from the Mittellandkanal.

It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise) the district of Helmstedt, the cities of Wolfsburg and Braunschweig, the districts of Peine, Hanover, Celle and Uelzen, and by the state of Saxony-Anhalt (districts of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel and Börde).

The lowest point of the administrative district Gifhorn lies at the Aller near Müden (46 m above sea level). The highest point lies in the north of the district near Sprakensehl (124 m above sea level).

History

The district was established in 1885 by the Prussian government. In 1932, the former district of Isenhagen became the northern part of the Gifhorn district. The city of Wolfsburg originally was a part of the district, but became a district-free city in 1951. In 1974 the district again lost parts of its territory, when the city of Fallersleben was incorporated into Wolfsburg.

Coat of arms

The lion as well as the hearts are heraldic symbols of Lüneburg - Gifhorn was a part of the duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg for many centuries and, briefly the Duchy of Gifhorn. The horn symbolises the syllable "horn" in the word Gifhorn.

Towns and municipalities

(numbers of inhabitants from 30 June 2005)

Communities

1. Gifhorn, Town, autonomous community (42.658)
2. Sassenburg (10.946) [Seat: Westerbeck
3. Wittingen, Town (12.268)

Samtgemeinden with their local communities

* Seat of Samtgemeinde government

Area without community (uninhabited)