HanoverorHannover, on the RiverLeine, is the capital and largest city of theGerman stateofLower Saxony (Niedersachsen), and was once bypersonal unionthe family seat of theHanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes ofBrunswick-Lüneburg(later described as theElectorof Hanover). At the end of theNapoleonic Wars, the Electorate was enlarged to become the capital of theKingdom of Hanover.
With a population of over 500,000, Hanover is a major centre ofNorthern Germanyand the country'sthirteenth largest city. The cityalso hosts annual commercialtrade fairssuch as theHanover Fairand theCeBIT. Every year Hanover hosts theSchützenfest Hannover, the world's largest marksmen's festival, and theOktoberfest Hannover, the second largest such festival inGermany. In 2000, Hanover hosted the world fairExpo 2000. TheHanover fairground, due to numerous extensions, especially for the Expo 2000, is the largest in the world. Hanover is of national importance because of its universities and medical school, its international airport and its largezoo. The city is also a major crossing point of railway lines and highways (Autobahnen), connecting European main lines in both the east-west (Berlin–Ruhr area) and north-south (Hamburg–Munich, etc.) directions.