Bottrop is a city located in west-central Germany within the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Situated on the Rhine–Herne Canal, it is positioned in the Ruhr industrial area and shares borders with the cities of Essen, Oberhausen, Gladbeck, and Dorsten.
The city developed as a significant coal-mining and rail center starting in the 1860s and was officially chartered as a city in 1921. Its industrial landscape includes factories producing machinery, textiles, chemicals, and coal-tar derivatives. During World War II, Bottrop was targeted during the Oil Campaign.
In 1975, Bottrop unified with the neighboring communities of Gladbeck and Kirchhellen. However, Gladbeck separated from the union in 1976, resulting in Kirchhellen becoming a district known as Bottrop-Kirchhellen. The city maintains a twinning relationship with Blackpool, England.