▁as ▁well ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁econom ical ▁areas ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁Of ▁Germany ' s ▁top ▁ 1 0 0 ▁corpor ations , ▁ 3 7 ▁are ▁based ▁in ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia . ▁On ▁a ▁per ▁cap ita ▁base , ▁however , ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia ▁remains ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁we aker ▁among ▁the ▁Western ▁German ▁states . ▁ ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia ▁attract s ▁companies ▁from ▁both ▁Germany ▁and ▁abroad . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁state ▁had ▁the ▁most ▁foreign ▁direct ▁invest ments ▁( F DI ) ▁anywhere ▁in ▁Germany . ▁Ar ound ▁ 1 3 , 1 0 0 ▁foreign ▁companies ▁from ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁invest ment ▁countries ▁control ▁their ▁German ▁or ▁European ▁operations ▁from ▁bases ▁in ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia . ▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ ▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ ▁There ▁have ▁been ▁many ▁changes ▁in ▁the ▁state ' s ▁economy ▁in ▁recent ▁times . ▁Among ▁the ▁many ▁changes ▁in ▁the ▁economy , ▁employ ment ▁in ▁the ▁cre ative ▁indust ries ▁is ▁up ▁while ▁the ▁min ing ▁sector ▁is ▁employ ing ▁fewer ▁people . ▁Indust rial ▁her itage ▁sites ▁are ▁now ▁work p laces ▁for ▁design ers , ▁artists ▁and ▁the ▁advert ising ▁industry . ▁The ▁Ru hr ▁region ▁has ▁– ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁– ▁under g one ▁a ▁significant ▁struct ural ▁change ▁away ▁from ▁coal ▁min ing ▁and ▁steel ▁industry . ▁Many ▁rural ▁parts ▁of ▁Eastern ▁West phal ia ,