Schaumburg-Lippe, a principality forming part of the German Empire, consisting of the western half of the old countship of Schaumburg, and surrounded by Westphalia, Hanover and the Prussian part of Schaumburg. Area, 131 sq. m. Its northern extremity is occupied by a lake named the Steinhuder Meer. The southern part is hilly (Wesergebirge), but the remainder consists of a fertile plain. Besides husbandry, the inhabitants practise yarn-spinning and linen-weaving, and the coal-mines of the Biickeberg, on the south-eastern border, are very productive.
The great bulk of the population (in 1905, 44,99 2), are Lutherans. The capital is Biickeburg, and Stadthagen is the only other town.
Under the constitution of 1868 there is a legislative diet of 15 members, 10 elected by the towns and rural districts and 1 each by the nobility, clergy and educated classes, the remaining 2 nominated by the prince. Schaumburg-Lippe sends one member to the Bundesrat (federal council) and one deputy to the reichstag. The annual revenue and expenditure amount each to about £41,000. The public debt is about £23,000.
