Brandenburg is one of Germany's sixteen Bundesländer (federal states). It lies in the east of the country as it is one of the new states created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam. Brandenburg surrounds but excludes the national capital Berlin.
Brandenburg is known for its intact natural environment and its ambitious nature protection policy in the 1990s. After the political change, 15 large protected areas were founded, each of them has a state financed administration and rangers, who guide visitors and work for nature protection. Most protected areas have visitor centers.

• National Park
• Lower Oder Valley National Park

• Biosphere Reserves
• Spreewald Biosphere Reserve
• Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve
• River Landscape Elbe-Brandenburg Biosphere Reserve

• Nature Parks
• Barnim Nature Park
• Dahme-Heideseen Nature Park
• High Fläming Nature Park
• Märkische Schweiz Nature Park
• Niederlausitzer Heidelandschaft Nature Park
• Niederlausitzer Landrücken Nature Park
• Nuthe-Nieplitz Nature Park
• Schlaube Valley Nature Park
• Uckermark Lakes Nature Park
• Westhavelland Nature Park
• Stechlin-Ruppiner Land Nature Park