North Rhine-Westphalia
German Nordrhein-westfalen,
constituent Land (state) of western Germany. It is bordered by The Netherlands and Belgium (west) and by the Länder (states) of Lower Saxony (north), Hessen (east), and Rhineland-Palatinate (south). North Rhine–Westphalia plays a leading role in the national economy. The Rhine-Ruhr region—the nation's most important industrial area—runs through the centre of the state and dominates it economically and culturally. The Rhine-Ruhr is one of the most heavily populated areas of the world, and its rich natural resources support a wide variety of highly developed industries. Outside of this complex, the state exhibits a contrasting character of rural charm grounded in the German past. The state capital is at Düsseldorf, and Bonn in the south is the seat of the national government. North Rhine–Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, containing about one-fifth of the country's total population.
Copyright © 1994-2002 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Sources
- Encylopedia Britannica 2002, Expanded Edition DVD
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