Merkelbach is an Ortsgemeinde – a community belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde – in the Westerwaldkreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

Merkelbach
Coat of arms of Merkelbach
Location of Merkelbach within Westerwaldkreis district
Merkelbach is located in Germany
Merkelbach
Merkelbach
Merkelbach is located in Rhineland-Palatinate
Merkelbach
Merkelbach
Coordinates: 50°38′44″N 7°46′11″E / 50.64556°N 7.76972°E / 50.64556; 7.76972
CountryGermany
StateRhineland-Palatinate
DistrictWesterwaldkreis
Municipal assoc.Hachenburg
Government
 • Mayor (2019–24) Edgar Schneider[1]
Area
 • Total
2.54 km2 (0.98 sq mi)
Elevation
355 m (1,165 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[2]
 • Total
423
 • Density170/km2 (430/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
57629
Dialling codes02662
Vehicle registrationWW
Websitewww.merkelbach-westerwald.de

Geography

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The community lies in the Westerwald between Limburg and Siegen. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Hachenburg, a kind of collective municipality. Its seat is in the like-named town.

History

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The first mention of Merkelbach was recorded in 1418.

Politics

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The municipal council is made up of 10 council members, including the extraofficial mayor (Bürgermeister), who were elected in a majority vote in a municipal election on 13 June 2004.

Economy and infrastructure

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The community lies right on Bundesstraße 413, leading from Bendorf (near Koblenz) to Hachenburg. The nearest Autobahn interchanges are in Dierdorf and Neuwied on the A 3 (CologneFrankfurt). The nearest InterCityExpress stop is the railway station at Montabaur on the Cologne-Frankfurt high-speed rail line. The community is linked by bus connections every two hours to Hachenburg and the InterCityExpress station at Montabaur.

References

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  1. ^ Direktwahlen 2019, Westerwaldkreis, Landeswahlleiter Rheinland-Pfalz, accessed 9 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerungsstand 2022, Kreise, Gemeinden, Verbandsgemeinden" (PDF) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz. 2023.
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