Thuringia, officially the Free State of Thuringia, is one of Germany's 16 states — with 2.1 million people its 12th-largest by population and with 16,171 square kilometers its 11th-largest in area. Erfurt is the capital and largest city. Other cities include Jena, Gera and Weimar. Thuringia is bordered by Bavaria, Hesse, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Sax…Thuringia, officially the Free State of Thuringia, is one of Germany's 16 states — with 2.1 million people its 12th-largest by population and with 16,171 square kilometers its 11th-largest in area. Erfurt is the capital and largest city. Other cities include Jena, Gera and Weimar. Thuringia is bordered by Bavaria, Hesse, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony. It has been known as "the green heart of Germany" from the late 19th century due to its broad, dense forest. Most of Thuringia is in the Saale drainage basin, a left-bank tributary of the Elbe.