ine ▁spl its ▁into ▁many ▁branches . ▁ ▁The ▁P ader , ▁which ▁flows ▁entirely ▁within ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁P ader born , ▁is ▁considered ▁Germany ' s ▁short est ▁river . ▁ ▁For ▁many , ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia ▁is ▁syn onymous ▁with ▁industrial ▁areas ▁and ▁urban ▁ag gl omer ations . ▁However , ▁the ▁largest ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁is ▁used ▁for ▁agricult ure ▁( al most ▁ 5 2 %) ▁and ▁for ests ▁( 2 5 %). ▁ ▁Sub div isions ▁▁ ▁The ▁state ▁consists ▁of ▁five ▁government ▁regions ▁( Reg ierungs bez ir ke ), ▁divided ▁into ▁ 3 1 ▁districts ▁( K re ise ) ▁and ▁ 2 3 ▁urban ▁districts ▁( kre isf re ie ▁Städ te ). ▁In ▁total , ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia ▁has ▁ 3 9 6 ▁municipal ities ▁( 1 9 9 7 ), ▁including ▁the ▁urban ▁districts , ▁which ▁are ▁municipal ities ▁by ▁themselves . ▁The ▁government ▁regions ▁have ▁an ▁assembly ▁elected ▁by ▁the ▁districts ▁and ▁municipal ities , ▁while ▁the ▁Land schaft s verband ▁has ▁a ▁directly ▁elected ▁assembly . ▁ ▁The ▁five ▁government ▁regions ▁of ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia ▁each ▁belong ▁to ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁Land schaft s verb ände : ▁ ▁B orders ▁ ▁The ▁state ' s ▁area ▁covers ▁a ▁maximum ▁distance ▁of ▁ 2 9 1   km ▁from ▁north ▁to ▁south , ▁and ▁ 2 6 6   km ▁from ▁east ▁to ▁west . ▁The ▁total