Duisburgis aGermancity in the western part of theRuhr Area(Ruhrgebiet) inNorth Rhine-Westphalia. It is an independent metropolitan borough withinRegierungsbezirk Düsseldorf. With the world's biggestinland harborand its proximity to Düsseldorf Airport, Duisburg has become an important venue for commerce and steel production. In the early Middle Ages it was a royal court of the Franks, first mentioned in writing in 883.
Like many other cities, today's Duisburg is a result of numerous incorporations of surrounding towns and smaller cities. It is the fifteenth-largest city in Germany and the fifth-largest city inNorth Rhine-Westphaliawith 486,855 residents at the end of 2013. The city is renowned for itssteel industry.It also has a large brewery, theKönig Brauerei, located in Duisburg-Beeck, which makes the König Pilsener brand. TheUniversity of Duisburg-Essen, with 39,000 students, ranks among the 10 largest German universities.