Geography & Climate
Westphalia's first city lies on the north-west edge of the Ruhr, bordering with the Sauerland to the south-west and with the Münsterland to the north. To be more precise, you will find Dortmund between 50 to 254 metres above sea level at a northern latitude of 51°30'58" and at an eastern longitude of 7°28'5".
The River Ruhr and the River Lenne flow to the south of Dortmund and the Datteln-Hamm Canal to the north. The Dortmund-Ems Canal terminates in the large Dortmund Harbour - i.e. almost in the middle of town.
Mild winters and relatively cool summers are typical for the climate in the Dortmund region, the average year-round temperature being 9 - 10°. Mean annual rainfall is a total of 750 mm with a maximum of 80 - 90 mm in July and a minimum of 40 - 50 mm in February.
Dortmund and the neighbours
Dortmund as the "heart of Westphalia" is surrounded by eleven neighbors. The following map shows the location of the neighbouring cities and municipalities.