Quick facts
Köln overview
Köln (orange) and the other large cities of Germany
Köln lies in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany at 50.93°N, 6.95°E, about 58 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/Berlin (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Munich (1,505,005) and larger than Frankfurt am Main (650,000). The largest city in Germany is Berlin with 3,426,354 people; the capital, Berlin, has 3,426,354.
The national capital, Berlin, is about 479 km away; the nearest large city is Leverkusen, 11 km from Köln.
Germany as a whole has a live population of 83,587,871 (-0.2% a year) and ranks #19 of 238 countries — see the Germany population page for the full statistics and the Germany atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Köln
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Leverkusen North Rhine-Westphalia | 11 km | 162,738 |
| Bergisch Gladbach North Rhine-Westphalia | 14 km | 106,184 |
| Bonn North Rhine-Westphalia | 24 km | 330,579 |
| Solingen North Rhine-Westphalia | 28 km | 164,359 |
| Remscheid North Rhine-Westphalia | 32 km | 117,118 |
| Düsseldorf North Rhine-Westphalia | 34 km | 618,685 |
| Neuss North Rhine-Westphalia | 35 km | 152,457 |
| Wuppertal North Rhine-Westphalia | 38 km | 360,797 |
Largest cities in Germany
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BerlinCapital | State of Berlin | 3,426,354 |
| 2 | Hamburg | Hamburg | 1,973,896 |
| 3 | Munich | Bavaria | 1,505,005 |
| 4 | Köln | North Rhine-Westphalia | 1,024,621 |
| 5 | Frankfurt am Main | Hesse | 650,000 |
| 6 | Düsseldorf | North Rhine-Westphalia | 618,685 |
| 7 | Stuttgart | Baden-Wurttemberg | 612,663 |
| 8 | Essen | North Rhine-Westphalia | 593,085 |
| 9 | Dortmund | North Rhine-Westphalia | 588,462 |
| 10 | Dresden | Saxony | 564,904 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Köln?
Köln has about 1,024,621 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Köln the capital of Germany?
No. The capital of Germany is Berlin (3,426,354 people), about 479 km away. Köln is the 4th largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Köln compared with the rest of Germany?
Its 1,024,621 residents are 1.2% of the 83,587,871 people living in Germany today. Berlin is larger with 3,426,354 people.
Where is Köln?
In North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, at latitude 50.93 and longitude 6.95, 58 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Leverkusen (11 km), Bergisch Gladbach (14 km), Bonn (24 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Köln Population 2026 — Germany. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/germany/koeln/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/germany/koeln/">Köln Population 2026 — Germany</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.