Kleve (district)

Kleve (Cleves in English use) or Kreis Kleve is a Kreis (local-government district) in the Lower Rhine region of northwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighbouring districts are Borken, Wesel, and Viersen in Germany, and the Dutch provinces of Limburg and Gelderland.

Kleve Cleves
District
Flag Coat of arms
Coordinates: 51°40′N 6°15′E
Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Adm. region	Düsseldorf
Capital	Kleve (Cleves)
Government
• District admin.	Christoph Gerwers (CDU)
Area
• Total	1,232.15 km2 (475.74 sq mi)
Population  (31 December 2023)
• Total	321,491
• Density	260/km2 (680/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Vehicle registration	KLE, GEL
Website	kreis-kleve.de

History

The district in its current borders was created in 1975 when the former district of Kleve and Geldern was merged with the Rees District towns of Emmerich and Rees and the Moers District municipality of Rheurdt.

The two precursor districts had been created in 1816 when the whole of the Rhineland became a province of Prussia. Territorially they corresponded roughly to the historic Duchies of Cleves and Guelders.

Geography

The district is located in the lower valley of the Rhine, in the region where that river flows into the Netherlands.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms, which was granted in 1983, combines the shields of the two constituent duchies.

The dexter side depicts the emblem of the dukes of Cleves: On a red (gules) field a white (argent) escutcheon (shield shape) with an eightfold fleur-de-lys (escarbuncle/metal shield reinforcement). The sinister side shows a golden (or) lion (in rampant position) on a blue (azure) field (background): the emblem of the dukes of Geldern.

Towns and municipalities

Clickable map of towns and municipalities in the district

Towns (Städte)	Municipalities (Gemeinden)
Emmerich am Rhein Geldern Goch Kalkar Kevelaer Kleve (Cleves) Rees Straelen	Bedburg-Hau Issum Kerken Kranenburg Rheurdt Uedem Wachtendonk Weeze

Gallery of churches in Kleve

• 
  Bimmen, St. Martin
• 
  Düffelward, St. Maurice
• 
  Griethausen, St. Martin
• 
  Keeken, St. Mariae Himmelfahrt
• 
  Keeken, Reformed church
• 
  Kellen, St. Willibrord
• 
  Kleve, St. Mariae Himmelfahrt
• 
  Materborn, St. Anna
• 
  Rindern, St. Willibrord
• 
  Schenkenschanz, Reformed church

External links

• Media related to Kreis Kleve at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website (in German)