Bremerhaven

Bremerhaven
Bremerhoben (Low German)
Bremerhaven in July 2013
Location of Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Coordinates: 53°33′N 8°35′E / 53.550°N 8.583°E / 53.550; 8.583
CountryGermany
StateBremen
Founded1827
Subdivisions2 boroughs with 9 districts
Government
 • Lord mayorMelf Grantz (SPD)
 • Governing partiesSPD / CDU / FDP
Area
 • Total
93.82 km2 (36.22 sq mi)
Elevation
2 m (6.6 ft)
Population
 (2024-12-31)
 • Total
118,610
 • Density1,264/km2 (3,274/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
27568-27580
Dialling codes0471
Vehicle registrationHB (with 1 letter and 4 digits)
Websitebremerhaven.de

Bremerhaven (German pronunciation: [ˌbʁeːmɐˈhaːfn̩] ; Low German: Bremerhoben) is a city on the east bank of the Weser estuary in northern Germany. It forms an exclave of the city-state of Bremen. The River Geeste flows through the city before emptying into the Weser.

Bremerhaven was founded in 1827 as a seaport for Bremen, and it remains one of the busiest ports in the country. It was historically rivalled by Geestemünde [de] on the opposite side of the Geeste, which belonged to Hanover (and later Prussia). Geestemünde united with neighbouring Lehe [de] to form the city of Wesermünde [de] in 1924, and Bremerhaven was itself annexed to Wesermünde in 1939, but the entire conurbation was restored to Bremen in 1947.