Portrait of the Regions - GERMANY - KOBLENZ - Economy

Portrait of the Regions - GERMANY - KOBLENZ - Economy

KOBLENZ - Economy

Clay, natural stones and precious stones
There are still noticeable disparities in terms of economic strength and development between the conurbations in the valleys and the upland areas of the Rhenish Slate Mountains. Situated on the southern rim of the Middle Rhine Basin, Koblenz is by far the largest town. It is the services centre and a major hub for a large catchment area in the region. Further north lies the Neuwieder Basin, which is an economic area of great diversity. To the north-east, in the Westerwald, is the Kannenbäckerland, which is renowned for its ceramic products, and to the west of Koblenz there is the Eifel upland, which is a region of volcanic origin. As a result, mineral deposits in particular are of considerable economic importance. Industrial conurbations can be found in the south-west by the Nahe river. The valley towns, and Bad Kreuznach in particular, are centres of industry. Idar-Oberstein is well known for its jewellery and precious stone industry, as early agate finds in this area made it the centre of the German precious stone industry. Nowadays, however, it is mainly imported stones that are worked.
A wide range of businesses has evolved to supplement the region's traditional sectors. Apart from services, the main branches of economic acitivity include above all metal production and metalworking, the manufacture of metal products, mechanical engineering, the paper, publishing and printing sectors, and the manufacture of rubber and plastic products. The significance of agriculture and forestry has declined in parallel with the development of new economic sectors.

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Text was finalized in June 2004.