Karlsruhe District

Karlsruhe District is a rural district (Landkreis) in the north-west of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from north clockwise) Rhein-Neckar, Heilbronn, Enz, Calw, Rastatt, Germersheim, Rhein-Pfalz and the district-free city Speyer. The Karlsruhe municipal district (Stadtkreis Karlsruhe), which contains the City of Karlsruhe, is located in the middle of the district, and partially cuts it into a northern and a southern part.

History
The historic origin of the district is the Oberamt Karlsruhe. In 1809 it was split into one part responsible for the city Karlsruhe (Stadtamt), and one for the surrounding municipalities (Landamt). In 1865 however both parts were merged again to the Bezirksamt Karlsruhe. 1938 it was split again, this time with the district of Karlsruhe for the surrounding part, and the urban district of Karlsruhe for the urban area. In 1973 the district was enlarged by adding the complete district of Bruchsal and parts of the districts Sinsheim, Vaihingen, Pforzheim and Rastatt; some municipalities were also added to the city Karlsruhe and therefore left the district.

Since the founding of the Federal Republic, Karlsruhe has been the seat of the Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht), Germany's highest.

Geography
The western part of the district is located in the Rhine valley. The area in the east belongs to the landscape of the Kraichgau, and it is also to the north of the foothills of the Black Forest.

Partnerships
Starting in 1978 the district had a partnership with the Welsh county of Gwent. In 1996 Gwent was abolished, with the area split into several separate districts due to administrative reform, and the partnership has since continued with two new of these districts: Monmouthshire and Torfaen.

Since 1990 the district has had a partnership with the Döbeln district in Saxony, and since 1992 with the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council in Israel.