Skip Navigation

Economy

Oberlausitz Vielechancenland oberlausitz_vielechancenland_logo
At a glance! The Upper Lusatia economic region

At a glance!

The Upper Lusatia economic region

Panorama Economy in Upper Lusatia © Peter Wilhelm

A rural region in the border triangle

Upper Lusatia is the region to the east of Dresden in Saxony. It stretches from the European city of Görlitz-Zgorzelec in the east to the edge of the Saxon state capital of Dresden in the west. In the south, it is bordered by the Zittau Mountains Nature Park and the Upper Lusatian Uplands, while the north is characterized by the Upper Lusatian Heath and Pond Landscape Biosphere Reserve and the Lusatian Lakeland. Upper Lusatia is located in the border triangle between Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic and comprises the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz. The largest cities are Görlitz with 56,265 inhabitants and Bautzen with 39,262 inhabitants - which also give the two districts their names. A total of 556,590 people live in the largely rural region. It covers an area of 4,507 km², making it Saxony's largest region. This size corresponds roughly to the size of the Ruhr area. About half as many people live here per square kilometer as the German average.

Important sectors in Upper Lusatia

Mechanical and plant engineering, metalworking

Mechanical engineering and metalworking are strong growth drivers in Upper Lusatia. Around a third of all mechanical engineering and metalworking companies in Saxony are active in the fields of special machinery and toolmaking as well as fixture, plant and metal construction in our region.

Textile industry

Upper Lusatia is one of the oldest textile regions in Europe. The textile companies in Upper Lusatia produce, for example, technical textiles, fluffy terry towelling, high-quality clothing fabrics, attractive underwear, durable workwear and home textiles.

Plastics technology

Everything from one region: In addition to specific technological solutions, the Upper Lusatian plastics companies offer the complete range of product development and marketing. They are highly valued by satisfied customers in vehicle construction, the electrical industry, mechanical engineering and medical technology.

Food and luxury food industry

The food industry in Upper Lusatia is characterized by a large number of traditional craft businesses, but also by modern industrial companies that are known far beyond the region's borders.

Energy technology

Lusatia is a traditional energy region. While in the past it was primarily lignite, the "black gold" of Lusatia, today it is above all the new sources of energy production such as water, wind, biomass and sun that give the region a face.

Information technology

Specialized IT service providers now operate worldwide from the Oberlausitz location in the programming, consulting, implementation and maintenance of software solutions. One particular focus is the region's complete SAP product expertise.

Tourism and leisure industry

The tourism and leisure industry is very strong in Upper Lusatia. With guest numbers rising every year, it has developed into an economic sector that is relevant to employment.

Education

Universities: 1
Universities: 4           
Technology and start-up centers: 5
Industry-specific training associations: 3
Schools: Primary, secondary, special schools, grammar schools, vocational and vocational training schools as well as vocational colleges, technical colleges, vocational grammar schools and technical colleges

On average, there are 11 pupils per teacher in Upper Lusatia.

Between new beginnings and change

The location benefits from its proximity to the economic centers - especially Dresden, but also Berlin, Wroclaw, Liberec and Prague. Numerous global and local trends and developments pose challenges for the region. Globalization, urbanization, digitalization and the shortage of skilled workers do not stop at Upper Lusatia. The regional structural change caused by the lignite phase-out, which is attracting nationwide attention, is also contributing to the region's transformation. However, structural change and the associated strong dependence on industrial and political decisions also bring opportunities. For example, successions and takeovers of existing companies, enormous development opportunities and extensive possibilities for promoting ideas and model projects are positive developments.

How many companies are there in Upper Lusatia?

37,800 companies are located in Upper Lusatia. This corresponds to around a fifth of all Saxon companies.

What is the working situation like in Upper Lusatia?

261,100 people are employed in the region, 145,600 of them in the district of Bautzen and 115,500 in the district of Görlitz. Unemployment varies from "full employment" in some areas to over 10 percent in others.

Childcare is a major problem in the everyday lives of many parents. How should the situation in the region be assessed?

The average full-day care rate for children of nursery school age in Upper Lusatia is 75.8%. This means that three out of four children are looked after in facilities all day. Across Germany, the rate is 44.8% - too few nursery places are one reason for this figure. The situation in Upper Lusatia is therefore generally positive.

What are the best-known products and goods "made in Upper Lusatia"?

Edding permanent markers, Bautz'ner mustard, Herrnhuter Sterne, beers such as Landskron or Radeberger, Wilthener spirits, Oppach mineral water or Pulsnitz gingerbread are probably some of the best-known products from Upper Lusatia. However, this list could be extended to include numerous other products from the region.

What makes Upper Lusatia worth living in

© 2024 Marketing-Gesellschaft
Oberlausitz-Niederschlesien mbH

With the partnership support of the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz
and regional savings banks.