Bergkamen — town in Unna district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Bergkamen is a town in Unna district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, near the Lippe river. Founded in 1966 by merging smaller communities, it lies between Dortmund and Hamm in the Ruhr region.
Overview
Bergkamen is a municipal town in the district of Unna, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the country of Germany. It sits along the river Lippe and occupies a position roughly between the cities of Dortmund and Hamm. Located on the eastern edge of the Ruhr industrial area and to the south of the Münsterland, Bergkamen functions as a local centre for housing, light industry and regional services.
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Geography and divisions
The town stretches across a mixture of lowland river terraces and reclaimed industrial sites. Its placement beside the Lippe has influenced local green corridors and recreational paths. Bergkamen comprises several formerly independent communities that were administratively combined to form the modern municipality.
History and development
Bergkamen in its present form was created in the mid-20th century when a number of smaller settlements were merged into a single municipal structure. The area shares the historical development common to towns on the eastern fringe of the Ruhr: rural origins, expansion and transformation driven by coal mining and related industries, followed by structural change as the heavy industry declined and new sectors took root.
Economy, culture and public life
The local economy has diversified since the decline of large-scale coal extraction. Today Bergkamen hosts small and medium-sized enterprises, service providers, and cultural initiatives that reflect both its industrial heritage and a push toward leisure, education and environmental redevelopment. Community life includes sports clubs, seasonal events and public festivals that draw residents from surrounding municipalities.
Transport and connections
- Road and rail links connect Bergkamen to nearby urban centres such as Dortmund and Hamm, making commuting and regional travel straightforward.
- Proximity to the Ruhr area (Ruhrgebiet) places the town within a dense network of economic and cultural links.
- Greenbelt and cycling routes connect locally to the agricultural landscapes of the Münsterland.
Notable features and distinctions
Bergkamen is notable for the way it has combined industrial heritage with contemporary redevelopment. Former mining and manufacturing sites have been repurposed for recreation, commerce or housing in many parts of the town. Its position along the Lippe provides both ecological interest and leisure opportunities for visitors and residents alike.
For further regional context and official information, consult municipal resources and regional planning documents linked through local portals and administrative websites.
Geography
Bergkamen is located in the middle west of Germany in Westphalia on the eastern edge of the industrial Ruhr area in the immediate vicinity of the major cities of Hamm and Dortmund. To the south of the town runs the Hellweg with the adjoining low mountain range of the Sauerland, to the north the Münsterland borders on Bergkamen. To the east lies the fertile Soester Börde.
The northern border of the city is formed by the Lippe, the eastern border by the federal motorway 1. The southern border runs approximately in the area of the A 2. Along the western border flows the Seseke, a tributary of the Lippe. The Datteln-Hamm Canal connects Bergkamen to the European waterway network.
The highest elevation in the city area is the "Adener Höhe" at 148.5 m above sea level on the artificially heaped up Großes Holz slag heap, a landmark in the Ruhr area.
Neighboring communities
In the immediate vicinity are: (direction,city size,district affiliation)
- Kamen (In the south,medium-sized town,Unna district)
- Lünen (In the West,Big City,County Unna)
- Werne (In the north,Medium-sized town,Unna district)
- Hamm (East,Big city,County free)
City breakdown
The municipality of Bergkamen (City of Bergkamen since 14 June 1966) consists of the following districts since 1 January 1966 (Overberge since 1 January 1968) (with the number of inhabitants on 31 December 2019 in brackets):
- Heil (pop. 532)
- Mitte (former municipality of Bergkamen) (pop. 17,479)
- Oberaden (pop. 12,110)
- Overberge (pop. 3,621)
- Rünthe (pop. 6,671)
- Weddinghofen (pop. 9,994)
Demographics
Population development
The following table shows the population development of Bergkamen (total) and the population development of the various districts of Bergkamen from 2000 to 2019:
The table is arranged according to the number of inhabitants of the different districts of Bergkamen:
| Year | Total population | Middle | Oberaden | Weddinghofen | Rünthe | Overberge | Hail |
| 2000 | 52.732 | 18.074 | 13.120 | 10.188 | 7.185 | 3.647 | 515 |
| 2001 | 52.714 | 17.937 | 12.997 | 10.338 | 7.225 | 3.712 | 503 |
| 2002 | 52.607 | 17.983 | 12.793 | 10.377 | 7.198 | 3.744 | 511 |
| 2003 | 52.353 | 17.996 | 12.678 | 10.306 | 7.162 | 3.709 | 502 |
| 2004 | 52.329 | 18.169 | 12.571 | 10.242 | 7.152 | 3.698 | 496 |
| 2005 | 52.021 | 18.109 | 12.317 | 10.212 | 7.105 | 3.772 | 506 |
| 2006 | 52.020 | 18.069 | 12.391 | 10.211 | 7.076 | 3.800 | 483 |
| 2007 | 51.755 | 17.969 | 12.323 | 10.182 | 6.991 | 3.813 | 477 |
| 2008 | 51.467 | 17.932 | 12.266 | 10.082 | 6.914 | 3.791 | 482 |
| 2009 | 51.158 | 17.940 | 12.136 | 09.935 | 6.868 | 3.799 | 480 |
| 2010 | 50.605 | 17.728 | 11.956 | 09.815 | 6.842 | 3.790 | 474 |
| 2011 | 50.274 | 17.583 | 11.921 | 09.740 | 6.792 | 3.749 | 483 |
| 2012 | 49.957 | 17.462 | 11.898 | 09.635 | 6.757 | 3.751 | 470 |
| 2013 | 49.587 | 17.284 | 11.730 | 09.657 | 6.712 | 3.709 | 495 |
| 2014 | 49.637 | 17.359 | 11.696 | 09.666 | 6.724 | 3.682 | 510 |
| 2015 | 50.035 | 17.300 | 11.703 | 10.110 | 6.726 | 3.676 | 520 |
| 2016 | 50.161 | 17.350 | 11.820 | 10.053 | 6.740 | 3.673 | 525 |
| 2017 | 50.443 | 17.394 | 12.124 | 10.052 | 6.694 | 3.647 | 532 |
| 2018 | 50.339 | 17.427 | 12.094 | 09.972 | 6.682 | 3.636 | 528 |
| 2019 | 50.407 | 17.479 | 12.110 | 09.994 | 6.671 | 3.621 | 532 |
Population statistics
According to the statistical data of the demographic, integration and social reports published by Wegweiser-Kommune, the following values result for Bergkamen:
- Population under 18: 17.1% (as of 2019).
- Population aged 65 or over: 20.4 % (as of 2019)
- Share of foreigners: 12.9 % (as of 2019)
- Unemployment rate (in relation to employees subject to social security contributions): 10.6 % (as of 2019)
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AlegsaOnline.com Bergkamen — town in Unna district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Leandro Alegsa
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