Ruhr

Ruhr, or Ruhrgebiet, is a large urban region in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It centers on the river Ruhr, a tributary of the Rhine, which flows north through the region and joins the Rhine at Duisburg. The Ruhrgebiet encompasses many cities, including Essen, Dortmund, Duisburg, Bochum, Gelsenkirchen, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Oberhausen, Herne, and Recklinghausen, forming one of Europe’s largest metropolitan areas. The Regionalverband Ruhr administers planning across the area, which is home to about five million people.

Historically, the region developed around coal mining and heavy industry in the 19th and early 20th centuries, becoming a leading industrial center of Germany. After World War II it remained important for coal and steel, but faced structural decline from the 1960s onward as mines closed and production shifted. In recent decades it has undergone economic diversification toward services, logistics, higher education, research, and culture.

Key cultural and educational institutions include Ruhr University Bochum and the University of Duisburg-Essen. The region also hosts UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein in Essen and other industrial heritage sites. Sport is prominent with clubs such as Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04.

Economically, the Ruhr is now a diversified region with a strong logistics sector, anchored by the Port of Duisburg, Europe’s largest inland port, and a wide range of technology and creative industries. The area remains closely connected by an extensive rail network and the Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn, integrating its cities and neighboring regions.