Facts and figures
Karlsruhe, the former state capital of Baden, is located in the southwest of Germany, on the west border of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The city lies on the east bank of the Rhine river, bordering the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) to the northwest and France to the west.
Geographical information
Position: 8° 24’ 18” E, 49° 00’ 54” N (point of reference: tower of the Karlsruhe Palace). The 49th degree of latitude runs just by the south end of the lake in the city gardens behind the palace. The urban area covers 173.49 km² (66.98 mi²) and extends 16.8 km (10.4 miles) in the north-south direction, 19.3 km (12 mi) in the east-west direction. The city boundaries are 82.4 km (51.2 mi) long, of which 11.5 km (7.15 mi) go along the Rhine river bank.
Climate
Karlsruhe is famous for its pleasant climate. Thanks to its location in the broad Rhine valley, sheltered by nearby low mountains, Karlsruhe has an average temperature of 20°C (68°F) in the summer and is therefore the second warmest city in Germany. Along with the close by city of Freiburg, the famous fan-shaped Karlsruhe is blessed with the most days of sunshine per year (approx. 140 days). The southern European atmosphere in Karlsruhe is underscored by its unique parks and open areas: almost 60% of the city surface is covered with green.
Altitude
The market square (Marktplatz) in the city centre of Karlsruhe is 114.9 metres (377 ft) above sea level. The lowest point in the city lies at the port where the Rhine river enters the oil terminal. It is is exactly 100 metres (328 ft) a.s.l. The highest point above sea level is located by the wildlife park in the Grünwettersbach district of Karlsruhe (322.7 metres, 1059 feet).
Population
About 313,000 inhabitants live in Karlsruhe, 51 percent of whom are women.
For more information and statistics, please contact the Bureau for City Development.
