Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen in German) in Germany's northwest is the country's second-largest state in terms of size and its fourth population-wise. Home to Hannover and several other larger cities, the area is treasured for its natural beauty, as well, with diverse terrain that includes coastline, flatlands, rolling hills and woodlands. Both the wildlife-filled Harz Mountains in the south and the East Frisian Islands off the northern coast are beloved by Germans and visitors alike.