Duisburg

Duisburg, with 492,000 inhabitants the 20th biggest city in Germany, is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhine and Ruhr. For decades, the development of the city has been shaped by these European rivers. Duisburg is a welcoming, world-open city with the largest inland port in Europe. Through its special geographical location, it is a place where all different forms of transport - water, rail, road and air - come together, making it an ideal platform for companies with Europe-wide and world-wide operations. Of the 50 biggest companies in Germany, some of the best-known, such as Thyssen-Krupp, Klöckner, Mannesmann or Haniel, have their headquarters or at least major production facilities in Duisburg.
When people think of Duisburg, they tend to think primarily of industry. What is less well-know is that the city also has a very high leisure value, with a great variety of facilities and opportunities for cultural and sports activities. The "Sechs-Seen-Platte" (Six Lakes' Region), a paradise for water sports enthusiasts and recreation seekers, Sportpark Wedau with the world-famous regatta course, the Marina, a new centre for small boats in the Inner Port, and the Mattlerbusch Park with the revitalizing hot springs "Niederrhein Therme", are outstanding examples of urban and regional leisure planning. Duisburg Zoo at Kaiserberg, with its dolphins, koalas and 4,000 other animals, attracts over a million visitors per year. 
For decades, the city's economy was dominated by coal and steel. The crisis in these industries was the starting signal to set off in a new direction. Duisburg is still the most important steel production site in Europe. With the smelting plants and steelworks of Thyssen-Krupp Stahl AG, the city has internationally competitive production facilities in this industry. Also Duisburg's only remaining coal mine, in the city's northern district of Walsum, is among the most modern in the country, thanks to highly sophisticated, state-of-the-art production technology. Besides the steel industry, however, new sectors, young technology-oriented companies, and trading and service companies are playing an increasingly important role.

For more information, please follow the link www.duisburg.de