Dusseldorf is one of Germany’s most populous cities. It is the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia. The city is one of the most influential in the country, and it has become known around the world for its fairs and trade shows, as well as its role as an international business center. The city’s population as of the end of 2015 was 612,178.
The most recent population estimation from 2017 comes to 639,407.
This city has a long history, a rich culture, and the many business opportunities offered within this city have made it one of the most livable cities in the world.
The city of Dusseldorf boasts a total surface area of 217.14 square kilometers (83.94 square miles). In combination with the growing population, the population density comes to just around 2,800 individuals per square kilometer.
Over 100,000 Dusseldorf residents are foreign, with many coming to the city because of the employment opportunities it offers.
According to figures from 2017, the largest group of foreign residents is from Turkey. Other foreign groups with numbers in the tens of thousands are from Greece, Poland, Yugoslavia, and Italy, as well as smaller numbers from Syria, Spain, Morocco, Russia, and Iraq.
The city also has one of the largest Jewish populations in the country, as well as one of the largest populations of Japanese residents in all of Europe.
The dominant age group in Dusseldorf is the 30 to 49 year age range, with over 190,000 individuals. Those aged 50 to 64 years come in with nearly 130,000. The 18 to 29 year age range is next, with just over 97,000 in this age bracket currently.
Dusseldorf began as a collection of fishing and farming settlements near the Dussel River during the 7th and 8th centuries. The name Dusseldorf was mentioned in writing in 1135. Later in the 1100s, the city was ruled by the Counts of Berg. About one hundred years later, in 1288, Dusseldorf was given town privileges. Walls protected the city throughout the 1300s, and a market was established along the banks of the Rhine River. Other buildings and monuments were erected in the centuries that followed.
After the Napoleonic Wars, the city was stricken by poverty. However, following Napoleon’s defeat, the city was given to the Kingdom of Prussia, where its economy was revitalized during the Industrial Revolution. During the late 1800s, the city saw a strong period of population growth. The city was designated as a capital in 1946 and spent the following years rebuilding following the damaging effects of World War II.
Today, Dusseldorf is a leading financial and industrial center. Telecommunications is one of its largest and most prosperous industries. The city is also home to multiple internet companies, auto manufacturers, and headquarters of major companies including Metro, L’Oreal, and Henkel.
Dusseldorf through the years has seen population increases that have made it one of the largest cities in Germany. In the 1800s, the city surpassed the 100,000 resident milestone, and in 1962, numbers had jumped to exceed 700,000. After some population declines in the years to follow, Dusseldorf’s population began to rise again in the late 1990s and is expected to continue on a path of slow and steady growth in the future.
| City | 2025 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Berlin | 3,580,190 | 0.09% |
| Hamburg | 1,787,710 | 0.02% |
| Munich | 1,590,890 | 0.4% |
| Cologne | 1,153,230 | 0.37% |
| Frankfurt | 803,758 | 0.4% |
| Duesseldorf | 642,888 | 0.22% |
| Stuttgart | 636,840 | 0.11% |
| Leipzig | 609,135 | 0.36% |
| Dresden | 594,326 | 0.39% |
| Dortmund | 590,432 | 0.05% |
| Essen | 580,594 | 0.01% |
| Bremen | 568,991 | 0.11% |
| Hannover | 538,777 | 0.07% |
| Duisburg | 528,993 | 0.33% |
| Nurenberg | 512,051 | 0.04% |
| Bochum | 382,181 | 0.21% |
| Wuppertal | 348,119 | 0% |
| Mannheim | 347,710 | 0.55% |
| Westfalen | 341,871 | 0.42% |
| Bielefeld | 334,631 | 0.04% |
| Karlsruhe | 323,804 | 0.23% |
| Bonn | 320,358 | 0.04% |
