5 ) ▁and ▁was ▁highest ▁in ▁Li ppe ▁( 1 . 7 2 ) ▁and ▁lowest ▁in ▁Bo ch um ▁( 1 . 2 9 ). ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁table ▁shows ▁the ▁ten ▁largest ▁cities ▁of ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia : ▁ ▁Historical ▁population ▁The ▁following ▁table ▁shows ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁since ▁ 1 9 3 0 . ▁The ▁values ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁are ▁the ▁average ▁of ▁the ▁year ly ▁population , ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁the ▁population ▁at ▁year ▁end ▁is ▁used . ▁ ▁V ital ▁statistics ▁ ▁B irth s ▁from ▁January – Se ptember ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁= ▁▁ 1 3 0 , 0 2 5 ▁B irth s ▁from ▁January – Se ptember ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁= ▁▁ 1 3 0 , 0 8 8 ▁Death s ▁from ▁January – Se ptember ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁= ▁▁ 1 5 0 , 0 1 8 ▁Death s ▁from ▁January – Se ptember ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁= ▁▁ 1 5 3 , 4 3 5 ▁Natural ▁growth ▁from ▁January – Se ptember ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁= ▁ ▁- 1 9 , 9 9 3 ▁Natural ▁growth ▁from ▁January – Se ptember ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁= ▁ ▁- 2 3 , 3 4 7 ▁ ▁Religion ▁ ▁, ▁ 3 7 . 7 % ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁ad her ed ▁to ▁the ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁Church , ▁