Haltern am See is a medium-sized town located in the northern part of the district of Recklinghausen within the Regierungsbezirk Münster in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Situated approximately 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Düsseldorf, it sits in the northern Ruhr area and directly borders the Münsterland region.
Geographically, the town is categorized as part of the Westmünsterland. It serves as a regional point where the industrial influence of the Ruhr area meets the rural characteristics of the surrounding landscape.