Bavaria is a federal state of Germany. In the southeast of the country with an area of 70,548 square kilometres (27,200 sq mi), it is the largest state, making up almost a fifth of the total land area of Germany, and, with 12.6 million inhabitants, Germany's second most populous state. Munich, Bavaria's capital and largest city, is the third largest city in Germany. The history of Bavaria stretches from its earliest settlement and formation as a duchy in the 6th century CE (AD) through the Holy Roman Empire to becoming an independent kingdom and finally a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. The Duchy of Bavaria dates back to the year 555. In the 17th century CE (AD), the Duke of Bavaria became a Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire. The Kingdom of Bavaria existed from 1806 to 1918, when Bavaria became a republic. In 1946, the Free State of Bavaria re-organised itself on democratic lines. Bavaria has a unique culture, largely because of the state's Catholic majority (52%) and Conservative traditions. Bavarians have traditionally been proud of their culture, which includes festivals such as Oktoberfest and elements of Alpine symbolism. The state also has the largest economy of any of the German states, giving it a status as a rather wealthy German region. Modern Bavaria also includes parts of the historical regions of Franconia, Upper Palatinate and Swabia. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bavaria, 02nd June 2016)