Historically speaking, Dortmund is a part of Westphalia. Today it is a part of the European Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, which is situated in the Bundesland North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund is in independent city within the boundaries of the district government of Arnsberg. Dortmund consists of 12 municipalities, three of which (West, Nord and Ost) cover the area of the inner city. The remaining 9 municipalities are - going clockwise and starting in the north - Eving, Scharnhorst, Brackel, Aplerbeck, H�rde, Hombruch, L�tgendortmund, Huckarde and Mengede
