# Linnich

> town in the district of Düren, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

**Wikidata**: [Q200122](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200122)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linnich)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/linnich

## Summary

Linnich is a town and urban municipality located in the Düren district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Situated at coordinates 50.98°N, 6.27°E with an elevation of 73 metres above sea level, it covers an area of approximately 65.43 to 65.46 square kilometres. As of December 31, 2023, Linnich has a population of 13,056 residents and is administered by Mayor Wolfgang Witkopp.

## Key Facts

- **Location**: Düren district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
- **Coordinates**: 50.978888888889°N, 6.2677777777778°E
- **Area**: 65.43 km² (as of December 31, 2017); also recorded as 65.46 km²
- **Elevation**: 73 metres above sea level
- **Population**: 13,056 (December 31, 2023) — 6,568 male, 6,488 female
- **Postal Code**: 52441
- **License Plate Codes**: DN, JÜL
- **Local Dialing Codes**: 02462, 02463
- **Timezone**: Central European Time (UTC+01:00); Daylight Saving: UTC+02:00
- **UN/LOCODE**: DELIH
- **Head of Government**: Wolfgang Witkopp
- **Official Website**: https://www.linnich.de/
- **Twin Town**: Lesquin (France)
- **German Municipality Key**: 05358036
- **German Regional Key**: 053580036036

## FAQs

**What is Linnich's population and demographic breakdown?**
Linnich's population as of December 31, 2023 is 13,056 residents, consisting of 6,568 males and 6,488 females. The population has fluctuated over time, from 12,941 in 1975 to a low of 12,446 in 2013, before recovering to its current level.

**Where is Linnich located and what areas border it?**
Linnich is situated in the Düren district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, at coordinates 50.978888888889°N, 6.2677777777778°E. The town shares borders with Geilenkirchen, Jülich, and Titz.

**What governmental organizations is Linnich affiliated with?**
Linnich is a member of the Städte- und Gemeindebund Nordrhein-Westfalen (Cities and Municipalities Association of North Rhine-Westphalia). The town is administered by Mayor Wolfgang Witkopp.

**What historical and encyclopedic sources document Linnich?**
Linnich is described in several historical reference works including Meyers Konversations-Lexikon (4th edition, 1885–1890), Topographia Westphaliae, and Otto's encyclopedia.

**What digital resources and open data are available for Linnich?**
Linnich maintains an official German-language website at linnich.de and participates in the Open Data KDVZ Rhein-Erft-Rur portal, providing municipal data at offenedaten.kdvz-frechen.de/group/linnich.

## Why It Matters

Linnich represents a typical mid-sized urban municipality in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, serving as an administrative and community hub within the Düren district. The town's documented presence across 43 Wikipedia language editions demonstrates its international recognition, while its inclusion in major bibliographic systems (Library of Congress, Bibliothèque nationale de France, National Library of Israel) underscores its established place in global geographic and cultural records. Linnich's twin-town relationship with Lesquin, France, reflects its participation in European municipal partnership networks. The town's population growth from 12,446 in 2013 to 13,056 in 2023 indicates steady residential development over the past decade.

## Notable For

- Featured in 43 language editions of Wikipedia, indicating broad international documentation
- Documented in Meyers Konversations-Lexikon (1885–1890), establishing historical encyclopedic presence spanning over 135 years
- Maintains an official UN/LOCODE (DELIH) for international trade and logistics identification
- Twin-town partnership with Lesquin, France, fostering cross-border cultural exchange
- Population growth of approximately 5% between 2013 and 2023

## Body

### Geography and Location

Linnich is positioned at geographic coordinates 50.978888888889° latitude and 6.2677777777778° longitude, with an elevation of 73 metres above sea level. The municipality encompasses an area of 65.43 square kilometres as recorded on December 31, 2017, with alternative measurements documenting 65.46 km². The town is located within the Düren district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and shares municipal borders with three neighboring settlements: Geilenkirchen, Jülich, and Titz.

### Administrative Classification and Codes

Linnich is officially classified as both a city and an urban municipality in Germany (Stadt and kreisangehörige Gemeinde). The town operates under multiple administrative identification systems:

- **German Municipality Key**: 05358036
- **German Regional Key**: 053580036036
- **UN/LOCODE**: DELIH
- **License Plate Codes**: DN, JÜL
- **Postal Code**: 52441
- **Local Dialing Codes**: 02462, 02463

The town observes Central European Time (UTC+01:00) with daylight saving time shifting to UTC+02:00.

### Population Demographics

Linnich's population has been tracked through statistical updates and census data:

| Date | Population | Male | Female |
|------|------------|------|--------|
| December 31, 1975 | 12,941 | — | — |
| 2012 | 12,594 | — | — |
| December 31, 2013 | 12,446 | — | — |
| December 31, 2017 | 12,484 | — | — |
| September 30, 2019 | 12,593 | — | — |
| December 31, 2021 | 12,835 | 6,471 | 6,364 |
| December 31, 2022 | 13,015 | 6,575 | 6,440 |
| December 31, 2023 | 13,056 | 6,568 | 6,488 |

Population data is maintained through statistical updating methods by German statistical agencies.

### Governance and Civic Organization

The town is led by Head of Government Wolfgang Witkopp. Linnich holds membership in the Städte- und Gemeindebund Nordrhein-Westphalen (Cities and Municipalities Association of North Rhine-Westphalia), an organization representing municipal interests at the state level. The official municipal website (linnich.de) provides German-language information and services to residents.

### International Partnerships

Linnich maintains a twin-town (sister city) relationship with Lesquin, a commune in France. This partnership facilitates cultural and administrative exchange between the two municipalities.

### Historical Documentation

Linnich has been documented in several significant encyclopedic and topographical works:
- **Meyers Konversations-Lexikon**, 4th edition (1885–1890)
- **Topographia Westphaliae**
- **Otto's Encyclopedia** (Ottův slovník naučný)

These sources establish the town's presence in scholarly documentation spanning the late 19th century through early 20th century.

### Digital and Bibliographic Identifiers

Linnich is indexed across numerous international library, geographic, and digital systems:

**Library and Bibliographic Systems:**
- Library of Congress Authority ID: n89146893
- GND ID (German National Library): 4035860-4
- VIAF ID: 131469845
- FAST ID: 1258084
- Bibliothèque nationale de France ID: 157676626
- National Library of Israel J9U ID: 987007565017105171
- WorldCat Entities ID: E39PBJbCQThvm7Xk3gYyqTw3cP

**Geographic and Mapping Systems:**
- GeoNames ID: 6557530
- OpenStreetMap Relation ID: 158394
- Who's On First ID: 101809907, 1125342489
- Historical Gazetteer (GOV) ID: LINICHJO30DX
- OpenWeatherMap City ID: 2877021

**Cultural and Specialized Databases:**
- MusicBrainz Area ID: 6e661103-6a23-42a9-8b63-3f7a347714fe
- Archinform Location ID: 11558
- Museum Digital Place ID: 503
- NWBib ID (North Rhine-Westphalian Bibliography): Linnich (Düren district)
- Brockhaus Enzyklopädie Online ID: linnich
- Yale LUX ID: place/e3764fd7-a116-41e5-b953-e09662defbad
- Klimadashboard.de Region ID: 55d25627-b43d-426b-9259-6589d492fdbd

**Legacy Digital Identifiers:**
- Freebase ID: /m/0bflm6
- WOEID (Where On Earth ID): 672095

### Wikipedia and Wikimedia Presence

The town maintains a substantial presence across Wikimedia projects:
- **Wikipedia Languages**: Articles in 43 languages including German, English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, and others
- **SiteLink Count**: 45 interconnected Wikimedia project pages
- **Wikimedia Commons**: Dedicated gallery and category (Category:Linnich)
- **Wikidata Description**: "town in the district of Düren, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany"
- **Quora Topic**: Linnich

### Visual and Heraldic Representation

Linnich is represented through several official visual elements:
- **Coat of Arms**: DEU_Linnich_COA.svg
- **Flag**: Flagge_Linnich.svg
- **Banner**: Banner_Linnich.svg
- **Locator Map**: Linnich_in_DN.svg (showing position within Düren district)
- **Featured Image**: Martinskirche (Church of St. Martin) at Kirchplatz 3

### Open Data and Transparency

Linnich participates in regional open data initiatives through the Open Data KDVZ Rhein-Erft-Rur portal. Municipal datasets are accessible at offenedaten.kdvz-frechen.de/group/linnich, providing transparency and public access to administrative information.

### Categories and Classification

The town is organized within several classification systems:
- **Main Category**: Category:Linnich
- **Maps Category**: Category:Maps of Linnich
- **People Categories**: Category:People from Linnich; associated Wikidata item Q86592059 for people born in the town

## References

1. archINFORM
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. BnF authorities
4. [Source](https://www.kommunen.nrw/der-verband/mitglieder-des-stgb-nrw.html)
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. [Source](http://www.it.nrw.de/statistik/a/daten/bevoelkerungszahlen_zensus/index.html)
7. [Source](https://www.landesdatenbank.nrw.de/ldbnrw/online;?sequenz=statistikTabellen&selectionname=12410)
8. [Alle politisch selbständigen Gemeinden mit ausgewählten Merkmalen am 31.12.2018 (4. Quartal). Federal Statistical Office of Germany](https://www.destatis.de/DE/ZahlenFakten/LaenderRegionen/Regionales/Gemeindeverzeichnis/Administrativ/Archiv/GVAuszugQ/AuszugGV4QAktuell.html)
9. DESTATIS 1975
10. [Federal Statistical Office of Germany](https://www.statistikportal.de/de/produkte/gemeindeverzeichnis)
11. register of German municipalities (4th quarter 2022)
12. register of German municipalities (2022)
13. register of German municipalities (2023)
14. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
15. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/de.htm)
16. Quora
17. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
18. museum-digital