This is where the heart of the economy beats: NRW is the most populous state in Germany. With its 17.9 million inhabitants, there are more people living here than in the neighboring Netherlands. With 697 billion euros, they generate one-fifth of the total German gross domestic product. If NRW were a country in its own right, it would rank 18th internationally ahead of Sweden, Poland and Belgium. More than 160 million people live within a radius of 500 kilometers (311 miles) around the state capital Düsseldorf. No other European metropolitan region possesses such purchasing power.

At the forefront of all German states

With 697 billion euros, NRW generates 20.9 percent of the German GDP. This puts the state clearly ahead of all the other federal states. In 2020, the GDP per capita stood at 38,876 euros and per employed person on average at 72,996 euros.

Europe's largest sales and procurement market

NRW is also a convincing business location when compared internationally. The federal state accounts for 4.3 percent of the European GDP (EU-28), making it one of the most important economic regions in Europe. In the international ranking, North Rhine-Westphalia is ahead of other European countries such as Poland, Sweden and Belgium.

Huge market potential

From no other location in Europe is it possible to reach so many people with such high purchasing power within such short distances as from NRW: More than 160 million people with a purchasing power of 3,587,277 million euros live within a radius of 500 km around the state capital Düsseldorf.