Südwestpfalz is a district (Kreis or more precise Landkreis) in the south of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from west clockwise) Saarpfalz, the district-free city Zweibrücken, the districts Kaiserslautern and Bad Dürkheim, the district-free city Landau (the Taubensuhl/Fassendeich forest part of the city), Südliche Weinstraße, and the French département Bas-Rhin. The district-free city Pirmasens is surrounded by the district.

Südwestpfalz
Flag of Südwestpfalz
Coat of arms of Südwestpfalz
Map
CountryGermany
StateRhineland-Palatinate
CapitalPirmasens
Government
 • District admin.Susanne Ganster (CDU)
Area
 • Total953.76 km2 (368.25 sq mi)
Population
 (31 December 2022)[1]
 • Total94,899
 • Density99/km2 (260/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Vehicle registrationPS, ZW
Websitelksuedwestpfalz.de

History

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The district was created 18 February 1818 as the Landkommisariat Pirmasens. During the communal reforms of 1968-72, several changes were made to the district. In 1969, the neighboring district Bad Bergzabern was dissolved and some part of it was added, while other municipalities were incorporated into the city Pirmasens. In 1972, the district Landkreis Zweibrücken was dissolved and added into the district Landkreis Pirmasens, which on 1 January 1997 renamed itself to Südwestpfalz.

Geography

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The district is located in the hills of the Palatinate, the Palatinate forest. The river Lauter has its spring near the city of Pirmasens.

Coat of arms

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The three red bars on golden ground in the left half is the coat of arms of Hanau-Lichtenberg, while the lion in the right half is the lion of the Electorate of the Palatinate. These mark the two historic states which were located on the district's area until the end of the 18th century.

Towns and municipalities

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Verbandsgemeinden
  1. Bobenthal
  2. Bruchweiler-Bärenbach
  3. Bundenthal
  4. Busenberg
  5. Dahn1, 2
  6. Erfweiler
  7. Erlenbach bei Dahn
  8. Fischbach bei Dahn
  9. Hirschthal
  10. Ludwigswinkel
  11. Niederschlettenbach
  12. Nothweiler
  13. Rumbach
  14. Schindhard
  15. Schönau
  1. Darstein
  2. Dimbach
  3. Hauenstein1
  4. Hinterweidenthal
  5. Lug
  6. Schwanheim
  7. Spirkelbach
  8. Wilgartswiesen
  1. Bottenbach
  2. Eppenbrunn
  3. Hilst
  4. Kröppen
  5. Lemberg
  6. Obersimten
  7. Ruppertsweiler
  8. Schweix
  9. Trulben
  10. Vinningen
  1. Clausen
  2. Donsieders
  3. Leimen
  4. Merzalben
  5. Münchweiler an der Rodalb
  6. Rodalben1, 2
  1. Biedershausen
  2. Herschberg
  3. Hettenhausen
  4. Höheischweiler
  5. Höhfröschen
  6. Knopp-Labach
  7. Krähenberg
  8. Maßweiler
  9. Nünschweiler
  10. Obernheim-Kirchenarnbach
  11. Petersberg
  12. Reifenberg
  13. Rieschweiler-Mühlbach
  14. Saalstadt
  15. Schauerberg
  16. Schmitshausen
  17. Thaleischweiler-Fröschen1
  18. Wallhalben
  19. Weselberg
  20. Winterbach
  1. Geiselberg
  2. Heltersberg
  3. Hermersberg
  4. Höheinöd
  5. Horbach
  6. Schmalenberg
  7. Steinalben
  8. Waldfischbach-Burgalben1
  1. Althornbach
  2. Battweiler
  3. Bechhofen
  4. Contwig
  5. Dellfeld
  6. Dietrichingen
  7. Großbundenbach
  8. Großsteinhausen
  9. Hornbach2
  10. Käshofen
  11. Kleinbundenbach
  12. Kleinsteinhausen
  13. Mauschbach
  14. Riedelberg
  15. Rosenkopf
  16. Walshausen
  17. Wiesbach
1seat of the Verbandsgemeinde; 2town

References

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  1. ^ "Bevölkerungsstand 2022, Kreise, Gemeinden, Verbandsgemeinden" (PDF) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz. 2023.
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49°12′44″N 7°37′04″E / 49.21231°N 7.61788°E / 49.21231; 7.61788