Oberbergischer Rural District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oberbergischer Kreis
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| Country |  Germany |
| State | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Adm. region | Cologne |
| Capital | Gummersbach |
| Area | |
| • Total | 918.53 km2 (354.65 sq mi) |
| Population
(2003)
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| • Total | 290.308 |
| • Density | 0.3160572/km2 (0.818584/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Vehicle registration | GM |
| Website | http://www.oberbergischer-kreis.de |
The Oberbergische Kreis is a rural district located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It's a region with many towns and villages, and it's known for its beautiful landscapes.
The name Oberbergische means Upper Bergian. This tells us a bit about its history! It was once part of a larger area called the mediaeval county of Berg. The "upper" part means it was located further up the Wupper river, while the "lower" part (called Niederbergisch) was further down the river.
The way districts are organized in North Rhine-Westphalia changed quite a bit between 1969 and 1975. That's when the Oberbergische Kreis got its current size and shape.
Contents
What the Coat of Arms Means
The coat of arms for the Oberbergische Kreis is like a special symbol. It combines signs from different historical areas that make up the district today.
The red and white bar at the top represents the old County of Mark. The lion on the shield stands for the region of Berg. You can also see Homburg Castle in the coat of arms. This castle, near Nümbrecht, was once the home of important princes.
How the District is Governed
The Oberbergische Kreis is managed by a special leader called the District Administrator. This person is in charge of running the district and making important decisions.
District Administrator
Since October 1, 1999, there has been one main District Administrator who is directly elected by the people. This person also leads the district's management team.
- From 1999 to 2004, the District Administrator was Hans-Leo Kausemann from the CDU party.
- From 2004 until today, Hagen Jobi from the CDU party has been the District Administrator.
Towns and Municipalities
The Oberbergische Kreis is made up of several towns and smaller communities called municipalities. Here are some of them:
- Towns
- Bergneustadt
- Gummersbach
- Hückeswagen
- Radevormwald
- Waldbröl
- Wiehl
- Wipperfürth
- Municipalities
- Engelskirchen
- Lindlar
- Marienheide
- Morsbach
- Nümbrecht
- Reichshof
