There are two big rivers on the territory of Berlin – Havel and its main tributary Spree. The area around is flat and plain but covered with dense forests. Water and woods combined create a brilliant environment for people to settle. The first known inhabitants of the region were Germanic people. The Semnones, followed by the more famous Burgundians, and numerous other Germanic tribes lived there from at least 500 BC until the middle of the 1st millennium AD. Then in about the 7-8th century West Slavic tribes (specifically Polabian Slavs) came here. Until at least the 10th century, nearly all of what is now north-eastern Germany was dominated by Slavic people. Besides, Slavs became the first people whose traces have been preserved until today, especially in multiple geographic names (like all those with “-ow” ending). Actually, the name of the city itself – Berlin – most likely came from old Slavic root ‘brlo’ or ‘berl(o)’ which meant “swamp” or “wetland”. Although the folk etymology says that it came from old Germanic ‘bero’ which meant “bear”. (That is why the city’s coat of arms is a bear.) In the 12th century, Germanic tribes came back and took over the region. Since then, the territory has been under control of the German-speaking population.