North Rhine–Westphalia, German Nordrhein-Westfalen, State (pop., 2020 est.: 17,925,570), western Germany. It is bordered by the states of Lower Saxony, Hesse, and Rhineland-Palatinate, as well as the countries of Belgium and the Netherlands. It was created in 1946 through the amalgamation of the former Prussian province of Westphalia and the northern portion of the Prussian Rhine province; the former state of Lippe was incorporated in 1947. The state capital is Düsseldorf, while its largest city is Cologne. Almost one-fourth of the state’s total land area is forested. Heavy industry has traditionally been the linchpin of the state’s economy, but services and technology became increasingly important in the 21st century. The north-flowing Rhine River, along with its major tributary, the Ruhr, drains the largest physical region. North Rhine–Westphalia is Germany’s most populous state, with many medium-sized and large cities.
