Cologne (German: Köln, Ripuarisch: Kölle) is an urban district (kreisfreie Stadt) and metropolis in Germany, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, located on the Rhine, north of Bonn and south of Neuss and Düsseldorf. With 1,060,582 inhabitants, Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany and the largest in North Rhine-Westphalia. About 2,500,000 people live in the conurbation. The capital of the Regierungsbezirk Cologne and the unofficial capital of the Rhineland, Cologne's history goes back more than 2,000 years. Cologne played an important role in church and politics from the Middle Ages onwards. Formerly part of electorate Keur-Keulen, the city is famous for its rich history, cultural and architectural heritage and a number of major and international events, such as the carnival and trade fairs. Cologne also boasts a university, one of the oldest in Europe, and an airport, which it shares with Bonn.
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