▁the ▁reasons ▁for ▁its ▁leading ▁high ▁pat ent ▁application ▁amount . ▁Two ▁instit utes ▁of ▁the ▁Max ▁Plan ck ▁Society , ▁six ▁of ▁the ▁Fra un ho fer ▁Society , ▁for ▁industrial ▁development ▁instit utes ▁where ▁several ▁companies ▁work ▁together , ▁one ▁large ▁research ▁inst iti ution , ▁ 8 8 ▁transfer ▁cent ers ▁of ▁the ▁Stein be is ▁foundation ▁for ▁economic ▁Prom otion ▁and ▁many ▁research ▁facilities ▁at ▁Univers ities ▁and ▁Univers ities ▁of ▁App lied ▁sciences ▁are ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁region .. ▁ ▁Administr ative ▁District ▁of ▁Stuttgart ▁▁ ▁Stuttgart ▁Region ▁shouldn ' t ▁be ▁confused ▁with ▁the ▁Administr ative ▁District ▁of ▁Stuttgart . ▁ ▁The ▁German ▁state ▁of ▁Baden - W ür ttemberg ▁is ▁sub - div ided ▁into ▁four ▁districts : ▁ ▁Administr ative ▁District ▁of ▁Stuttgart ▁Administr ative ▁District ▁of ▁T üb ingen ▁Administr ative ▁District ▁of ▁Kar ls ru he ▁Administr ative ▁District ▁of ▁Fre ib urg ▁ ▁Stuttgart ▁Region ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁" Admin istr ative ▁District ▁of ▁Stuttgart " ▁( Reg ierungs bez irk ▁Stuttgart , ▁ 4 ▁million ▁inhabitants , ▁ 1 1 , 0 0 0   km ²). ▁ ▁Stuttgart ▁Metropolitan ▁Area ▁▁ ▁The ▁Stuttgart ▁Metropolitan ▁Area ▁( pop . ▁ 5 . 3 ▁million ), ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁definition ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Union , ▁is ▁neither ▁identical ▁with ▁the ▁" inner " ▁Stuttgart ▁Region ▁nor ▁with ▁the ▁Administr ative ▁District ▁of ▁Stuttgart . ▁ ▁The ▁Stuttgart ▁Metropolitan ▁Area ▁consists ▁i . a . ▁of ▁the ▁following ▁larger ▁cities ▁( approx