Cologne (region)

Cologne
Regierungsbezirk Köln
Map of North Rhine-Westphalia highlighting Cologne
CountryGermany
StateNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Region seatCologne
Government
 • District PresidentThomas Wilk (SPD)
Area
 • Total
7,364.71 km2 (2,843.53 sq mi)
Population
 (31 December 2024)
 • Total
4,486,282
 • Density609.159/km2 (1,577.72/sq mi)
GDP
 • Total€215.932 billion (2022)
Websitebezreg-koeln.nrw.de

Cologne is one of the five administrative districts (Regierungsbezirk) of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located in the south-west of the state and covers the hills of the Eifel as well as the Bergisches Land.

It was created on 30 April 1815, as district of the province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, when Prussia reorganised its internal administration. In 1972 the Aachen district was incorporated.

Kreise
(districts)
Kreisfreie Städte
(district-free towns)
  1. Aachen
  2. Düren
  3. Euskirchen
  4. Heinsberg
  5. Oberbergischer Kreis
  6. Rhein-Erft-Kreis
  7. Rhein-Sieg-Kreis
  8. Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis
  1. Aachen
  2. Bonn
  3. Cologne
  4. Leverkusen