Land (state) of Germany. area 15,700 sq
km/6,060 sq mi capital Kiel towns Lubeck,
Flensburg, Schleswig features river Elbe,
Kiel Canal, Heligoland products shipbuilding,
mechanical and electrical engineering, food
processing population (1988) 2,613,000
religion 87% Protestant; 6% Catholic history
Schleswig (Danish Slesvig) and Holstein were
two duchies held by the kings of Denmark from
1460, but were not part of the kingdom; a
number of the inhabitants were German, and
Holstein was a member of the Confederation of
the Rhine formed 1815. Possession of the
duchies had long been disputed by Prussia,
and when Frederick VII of Denmark died
without an heir 1863, Prussia, supported by
Austria, fought and defeated the Danes 1864,
and in 1866 annexed the two duchies. A
plebiscite held 1920 gave the northern part
of Schleswig to Denmark, which made it the
province of Haderslev and Aabenraa; the rest,
with Holstein, remained part of Germany.