NORTH RHINEWESTPHALIA

German Nordrhein-westfalen, constituent Land (state) of western Germany. It is bordered by The Netherlands and Belgium (west) and by the Lnder (states) of Lower Saxony (north), Hesse (east), and Rhineland-Palatinate (south). North RhineWestphalia plays a leading role in the national economy. The Rhine-Ruhr regionthe nation's most important industrial arearuns 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 Dsseldorf, and Bonn in the south is the seat of the national government. North RhineWestphalia is the most populous state of Germany, containing about one-fifth of the country's total population.