The region is divided into seven districts ('Landkreise') and five independent cities ('Kreisfreie Städte'). The lowest level is divided into 210 municipalities (including five cities).[5]
After the founding of the Kingdom of Bavaria the state was totally reorganised and, in 1808, divided into 15 administrative government regions (German: Regierungsbezirke (singular Regierungsbezirk)), in Bavaria called Kreise (singular: Kreis). They were created in the fashion of the French departements, quite even in size and population, and named after their main rivers.
In the following years, due to territorial changes (e. g. loss of Tyrol, addition of the Palatinate), the number of Kreise was reduced to eight. One of these was the Rezatkreis (Rezat District). In 1837 king Ludwig I of Bavaria renamed the Kreise after historical territorial names and tribes of the area. This also involved some border changes or territorial swaps. Thus the district name of Rezatkreis changed to Middle Franconia.
the black and white pattern of the Hohenzollern family in the upper dexter quarter (the first quarter)[6]
the Arms of Franconia in the lower dexter quarter (the 3rd quarter)[7]
the sinister half of the German Imperial Eagle (similar to that displayed by the Imperial Banner of the Holy Roman Empire).[8]
Population
Year
Inhabitants
1900
815,895
1910
930,868
1939
1,065,122
1950
1,273,030
1961
1,371,144
1970
1,486,389
1987
1,521,484
2002
1,703,869
2005
1,712,275
2006
1,712,622
2008
1,714,453
2010
1,710,876
2015
1,738,686
2019
1,775,169
Economy
The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the region was 78.6 billion € in 2018, accounting for 2.4% of German economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 40,900 € or 136% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 105% of the EU average.[9]
^Pressestelle, Regierung von Mittelfranken. "Regierung von Mittelfranken". www.regierung.mittelfranken.bayern.de (in German). Archived from the original on 2019-03-10. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
