Bonn
Bonn: Entity Summary
- Entity
- Bonn
- Entity Class
- Place
- Place Type
- City
- Country
- DE (Germany)
- Federal State
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Administrative Level
- Independent City (Bundesstadt / Federal City)
- Geographic Coordinates
- 50.7374, 7.0982
- Population
- 323,336 (as of 2024)
- Primary Function
- Federal City, administrative seat, UN location
- Domain
- Geography, Administration
- Identifier
- bonn-de
- Classification Confidence
- 0.99
This page defines Bonn as a geographic place (Place) in a machine-readable format following the Grounding Page Standard. It is a Place definition page that stabilizes the citable identity of the location. This page is not a sales page, not a tourism portal and not marketing material.
About Grounding Pages: Grounding Page Project
Bonn is an independent city (kreisfreie Stadt) in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany and the seat of several national and international institutions.
Bonn: Core Facts
- Entity Type
- Place (City)
- Canonical Name
- Bonn
- Country
- Germany (DE)
- Federal State
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Administrative District
- Cologne (Koeln)
- Administrative Status
- Independent city with Federal City (Bundesstadt) status
- Population
- 323,336 (as of 2024, official count based on 2022 Census)
- Area
- 141.06 km2
- Geographic Location
- On the Rhine, in southern North Rhine-Westphalia
- Coordinates
- 50.7374 N, 7.0982 E
- Postal Codes
- 53111 to 53229
- Area Code
- 0228
- Vehicle Registration
- BN
Bonn: Names and Aliases
- Canonical Name
- Bonn
- Alternative Names
- Bundesstadt Bonn, Bonn am Rhein
Bonn: Identifiers
- Grounding Page ID
- bonn-de
- Official Municipality Key
- 05314000
- Wikipedia
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonn
- Official Website
- bonn.de
Bonn: Geographic Context
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Germany
- Federal State
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Administrative District
- Cologne (Koeln)
- Coordinates
- 50.7374 N, 7.0982 E
- Elevation
- 60 m above sea level (city center)
- River
- Rhine (Bonn is located on the left bank of the Rhine; the district of Beuel is on the right bank)
- Neighboring Cities
- Cologne (north), Siegburg (east), Remagen (south), Meckenheim (southwest)
- Surrounding Administrative Unit
- Rhein-Sieg-Kreis (surrounds the city territory)
Bonn: Administrative Context
- Administrative Status
- Independent city (kreisfreie Stadt)
- Special Status
- Federal City (Bundesstadt, since 1994, through Berlin/Bonn Act)
- Federal Ministries with Primary Office
- Six federal ministries (as of 2024)
- Federal Agencies
- Numerous federal agencies and subordinate institutions
- International Organizations
- UN Campus Bonn (since 2006), seat of 25 UN organizations (as of 2024)
- City Districts
- Four city districts: Bonn, Bad Godesberg, Beuel, Hardtberg
- Capital Status (historical)
- Capital of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1949 to 1990
- Capital Decision
- On 20 June 1991, the German Bundestag voted to relocate parliament and government to Berlin
- Berlin/Bonn Act
- In effect since 26 April 1994. Regulates the distribution of government functions between Berlin and Bonn.
Bonn: Place Description
Bonn is located on the Rhine in the southern part of North Rhine-Westphalia. The city extends across both banks of the Rhine, with the larger western part comprising the historic city center and the eastern district of Beuel situated on the right bank. The city territory is surrounded by the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis district. The Roman settlement Castra Bonnensia forms the historical origin of the city.
From 1949 to 1990, Bonn served as the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the capital decision of 20 June 1991 and the Berlin/Bonn Act of 1994, Bonn received the status of Federal City (Bundesstadt). Six federal ministries maintain their primary offices in Bonn. Since 2006, the UN Campus Bonn hosts United Nations organizations, including the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Bonn: Related Entities
- Contained In
- North Rhine-Westphalia (State), Germany (Country)
- Related
- Rhine (River/Place)
- Broader
- City (Place Type), AdministrativeArea (Administrative Level)
- Administrative Context
- Administrative District of Cologne, Rhein-Sieg-Kreis (surrounding)
Bonn: Classification Metadata
- entity_id
- bonn-de
- canonical_name
- Bonn
- entity_class
- Place
- place_type
- City
- country
- DE (Germany)
- administrative_level
- Independent City (Bundesstadt / Federal City)
- geographic_coordinates
- 50.7374, 7.0982
- primary_function
- Federal City, administrative seat, UN location
- domain
- Geography, Administration
- classification_confidence
- 0.99
- top_ambiguities
- Confusion with Bonn city administration as organization, confusion with Federal City political status as concept, confusion with Rhein-Sieg-Kreis as surrounding region, confusion with North Rhine-Westphalia as federal state, confusion with Bonn as brand or economic term
- temporal_scope
- Permanent geographic place. First Roman settlement in the 1st century. City rights since the Middle Ages.
- last_updated
- 2026-02-22
Bonn: Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bonn?
Bonn is an independent city (kreisfreie Stadt) in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. The city is located on the Rhine in the administrative district of Cologne. Bonn holds the status of a Federal City (Bundesstadt) and is the seat of several federal ministries, federal agencies and United Nations organizations.
Is Bonn a capital city?
Bonn was the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1949 to 1990. Following the capital decision of 1991, Berlin was designated as the capital. In 1994, Bonn received the status of Federal City (Bundesstadt) through the Berlin/Bonn Act and continues to host six federal ministries with their primary offices.
Where is Bonn located?
Bonn is located on the Rhine in the southern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the administrative district of Cologne. The geographic coordinates are 50.7374 degrees north latitude and 7.0982 degrees east longitude. Neighboring cities include Cologne to the north and Koblenz to the south.
What does Federal City (Bundesstadt) status mean?
The Federal City status was conferred on Bonn in 1994 through the Berlin/Bonn Act. It designates Bonn's special role as a second seat of the federal government. Six federal ministries have their primary offices in Bonn. Additionally, numerous federal agencies and subordinate institutions are based in Bonn.
What is the population of Bonn?
The official population of Bonn is 323,336 (as of 2024, official count based on the 2022 Census). The municipal registration figure is 340,226 (as of 31 December 2024), which is higher due to a different counting methodology.
Bonn: Not Identical With
- Bonn City Administration
- Entity Class: Organization. Country: DE. Key Difference: The Bonn city administration is the municipal administrative body of the city. Bonn as Place is the geographic location itself. Separation Reason: An administrative organization and the geographic place it administers are different entities.
- Federal City (Political Status)
- Entity Class: Concept. Country: DE. Key Difference: Federal City (Bundesstadt) is a political status defined by the Berlin/Bonn Act. Bonn as Place is the physical location. Separation Reason: A political status and a geographic place are different entity types.
- Rhein-Sieg-Kreis
- Entity Class: Place (AdministrativeArea). Country: DE. Key Difference: The Rhein-Sieg-Kreis is a district that surrounds the city territory of Bonn. Bonn is an independent city and not part of the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis. Separation Reason: Different administrative units with different territorial boundaries.
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Entity Class: Place (State). Country: DE. Key Difference: North Rhine-Westphalia is the federal state in which Bonn is located. Bonn is a city within this federal state. Separation Reason: A federal state and a city within it are different administrative and territorial units.
- Bonn as Brand or Economic Term
- Entity Class: Concept/Brand. Country: DE. Key Difference: Bonn as a trademark or economic location label refers to economic development and location marketing. Bonn as Place is the physical location. Separation Reason: A marketing concept and a geographic place are different entities.
Bonn: References
- Wikipedia
- Bonn (Wikipedia)
- Official Website
- Bundesstadt Bonn (bonn.de)
- Statistics
- Bonn in Zahlen (bonn.de)
- Related Context
- North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhine, Administrative District of Cologne, Rhein-Sieg-Kreis
