Aachen is a city located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It serves as the westernmost major city in the country and functions as the seat of the district of Aachen (Städteregion Aachen). The city is situated within the Meuse–Rhine Euroregion.
Geographically, Aachen lies approximately 61 km (38 mi) west of Cologne and Bonn. It shares international borders with Belgium to the southwest and the Netherlands to the northwest. The city has a population of around 261,000 inhabitants, making it the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the 27th-largest city in Germany.