▁length ▁of ▁the ▁state ' s ▁borders ▁is ▁ 1 , 6 4 5   km . ▁The ▁following ▁countries ▁and ▁states ▁have ▁a ▁border ▁with ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia : ▁ ▁Belg ium ▁( 9 9   km ) ▁ ▁Netherlands ▁( 3 8 7   km ) ▁ ▁Lower ▁Sax ony ▁( 5 8 3   km ) ▁ ▁H esse ▁( 2 6 9   km ) ▁ ▁Rh in eland - Pal at inate ▁( 3 0 7   km ) ▁ ▁Dem ograph ics ▁ ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia ▁has ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁approximately ▁ 1 7 . 5 ▁million ▁inhabitants ▁( more ▁than ▁the ▁entire ▁former ▁East ▁Germany , ▁and ▁slightly ▁more ▁than ▁the ▁Netherlands ) ▁and ▁is ▁cent red ▁around ▁the ▁poly cent ric ▁Rh ine - R u hr ▁metropol itan ▁region , ▁which ▁includes ▁the ▁industrial ▁Ru hr ▁region ▁and ▁the ▁R hen ish ▁cities ▁of ▁Bonn , ▁C ologne ▁and ▁Düsseldorf . ▁ 3 0 ▁of ▁the ▁ 8 0 ▁largest ▁cities ▁in ▁Germany ▁are ▁located ▁within ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia . ▁The ▁state ' s ▁capital ▁is ▁Düsseldorf ; ▁the ▁state ' s ▁largest ▁city ▁is ▁C ologne . ▁The ▁number ▁of ▁birth s ▁reached ▁ 1 6 0 . 4 7 8 ▁while ▁ 2 0 4 . 3 7 3 ▁died ▁in ▁▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁The ▁TR F ▁reached ▁ 1 . 5 2 ▁( 2 0 1