Geography Saxony borders on (from the east and clockwise) Poland, the Czech Republic and the German states of Bavaria, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg. Its capital is Dresden, and the other principal cities are Leipzig, Chemnitz and Zwickau. Since 1989 the state and its urban centres have lost population through migration to the former West Germany. The main axis of Saxony is the Elbe river, crossing the state from southeast to northwest. Another important river, located west of the Elbe, is the Mulde. The Neiߥ (Nysa) river forms the Polish border. The portions in the east of Saxony are the southern parts of the historical region of Lusatia (Lausitz) and are called Upper Lusatia (Oberlausitz); the minority of the Sorbs live in the region, which is bilingual today. The countryside rises gradually from north to south, culminating in the mountain ranges along the Czech border. The Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge) extend from Bavaria to the Elbe river. The Elbe itself has cut a majestic gorge in order to pass the mountains of the Elbsandsteingebirge. Further east the mountains are less high and form a hilly countryside called the Lausitzer Bergland. Saxony is divided into 3 Regierungsbezirke - Chemnitz, Dresden, Leipzig - which are subdivided into 22 districts: Annaberg, Aue-Schwarzenberg, Bautzen, Chemnitzer Land, Delitzsch, D?n,  Freiberg, Kamenz, Leipziger Land, L?-Zittau, Meiߥn, Mittlerer Erzgebirgskreis, Mittweida, Muldentalkreis, Niederschlesischer, Oberlausitzkreis, Riesa- Groߥnhain, S䣨sische, Schweiz, Stollberg, Torgau-Oschatz, Vogtlandkreis, Zeiߥritzkreis and Zwickauer Land.