Erkelenz
| Erkelenz | ||
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Old town hall in Erkelenz
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 Erkelenz
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Location of Erkelenz within Heinsberg district
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| Coordinates: 51°05′N 6°19′E / 51.083°N 6.317°ECoordinates: 51°05′N 6°19′E / 51.083°N 6.317°E | ||
| Country | Germany | |
| State | North Rhine-Westphalia | |
| Admin. region | Cologne | |
| District | Heinsberg | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Peter Jansen (CDU) | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 117.35 km2 (45.31 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 92 m (302 ft) | |
| Population (2015-12-31) | ||
| • Total | 43,350 | |
| • Density | 370/km2 (960/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) | |
| Postal codes | 41812 | |
| Dialling codes | 02431 | |
| Vehicle registration | HS, ERK, GK | |
| Website | www |
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Erkelenz is a town in the Rhineland in western Germany that lies 15 kilometres (9 miles) southwest of Mönchengladbach on the northern edge of the Cologne Lowland, halfway between the Lower Rhine region and the Lower Meuse. It is a medium-sized town (over 44,000) and the largest in the district of Heinsberg in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Despite the town having more than 1,000 years of history and tradition, in 2006 the eastern part of the borough was cleared to make way for the Garzweiler II brown coal pit operated by RWE Power. This is planned to be in operation until 2045. Over five thousand people from ten villages have had to be resettled as a result. Since 2010, the inhabitants of the easternmost village of Pesch have left and most have moved to the new villages of Immerath and Borschemich in the areas of Kückhoven and Erkelenz-Nord.
The area is characterised by the gently rolling to almost level countryside of the Jülich-Zülpich Börde, whose fertile loess soils are predominantly used for agriculture. Settlements and roads cover about 20 per cent of the area of the borough and only 2 per cent is wooded. The Wahnenbusch, the largest contiguous wooded area, is located south of the town of Tenholt and covers 25 hectares (62 acres). In the north the börde gives way to the forests and waterways of the Schwalm–Nette-Plateau, part of the Lower Rhine Plain. In the west on the far side of the town, lies the Rur depression, some 30 to 60 metres lower (100 to 200 ft). Its transition is part of the Baal Riedelland. Here, streams have created a richly varying landscape of hills and valleys. In the east is the source region of the River Niers near Kuckum and Keyenberg. To the south the land climbs up towards the Jackerath loess ridge. The lowest point lies at 70 metres (230 ft) above sea level (NN) (Niers region in the northeast and near the Ophover Mill in the southwest) and the highest point is 110 metres (361 ft) above NN (on the boundary of the borough near Holzweiler/Immerath in the south).
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Wikipedia