====== Ruhr Area ======
The Ruhr Area (German //Ruhrgebiet//) is an urban agglomeration in western Germany, in the state of North Rhine Westphalia. It is one of the largest urban agglomerations in Europe, even though not a single city in it reaches anywhere near a million inhabitants. However, in its wider definition, as the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area it includes [[Cologne]], which does have nearly a million inhabitants. On the other hand, even though it contains so many cities, it is a smaller metropolitan area than [[London]], [[Paris]] or [[Moscow]].

The area's coal reserves, and its subsequent heavy industrialization spelled trouble, and it hence is significant in history and alternate history alike: including for example the occupation by the French in the aftermath of WWI, or being the prime target for the infamous Morgenthau Plan.

==== In Alternate History & Science Fiction ====

Due to its overt similarity with the Sprawl from William Gibson's //Neuromancer// trilogy, the Ruhr Area was also prominently featured in German Cyberpunk fiction, for example in the //Shadowrun// franchise/universe.

==== See Also ====

**[[Germany]]**

==== Navigation ====

**[[regions|Regions of the World]]**