Munich. Munich is one of the strongest science locations in Germany. Universities and other research institutions are economic engines for the entire region, says Muenchener Merkur.

A crucial point from the "European Metropolitan Region of Munich" report was the effect of science and research on the labor market in the region. The academic institutions alone secured some 33 000 jobs, announced EMM. "The science facilities in the EMM are an important driving force - economically and for further innovation processes in companies of the EMM," said study creator Michael Astor of Prognos.

The European metropolitan region is significantly larger than Munich and its affluent suburbs - it includes 24 counties and six cities, including Munich, Augsburg, Ingolstadt, Landshut, Rosenheim and Kaufbeuren. Six of these metropolitan areas are located in Germany, including the area around Stuttgart.