Lahn

Lahn
Map of the Lahn from its source in the Rothaargebirge to its mouth near Koblenz
Location
CountryGermany
Physical characteristics
Source 
  locationNear the Lahnhof in the municipality of Netphen, North Rhine-Westphalia
  coordinates50°53′32″N 8°14′30″E / 50.89222°N 8.24167°E / 50.89222; 8.24167
  elevation602 m (1,975 ft)
Mouth 
  location
Rhine at Lahnstein,
Rhineland-Palatinate
  coordinates
50°18′32″N 7°35′42″E / 50.30889°N 7.59500°E / 50.30889; 7.59500
  elevation
61 m (200 ft)
Length245.6 km (152.6 mi)
Basin size5,925.6 km2 (2,287.9 sq mi)
Discharge 
  average54 m3/s (1,900 cu ft/s)
Basin features
ProgressionRhineNorth Sea
Lahn
-11.06
Badenburger Wehr
-5
Gießen
0
Grand Duchy of Hesse
Prussia
former
border
4.64
Dorlar
6
Garbenheim
8.05
Naunheim
12
Wetzlar
12.2
Wetzlar Waterways and
Shipping Administration
12.22
Federal waterway
16.49
Altenberg
19.26
Oberbiel
20.26
Niederbiel
25
Leun
28.5
Stockhausen
36.26
Löhnberg
39
Weilburg tunnel
B 456
41.32
Weilburg staircase
44
Odersbach
45.54
Kirschhofen
51.2
Fürfurt
54.5
Aumenau
59.5
Arfurt
62.55
Villmar
65.29
Runkel
70
Wetzlar
Diez
Administration
border
71.5
Marina Dehrn
73
Dietirchen
76.6
Limburg
83.23
Diez
83.5
Diez Waterways and
Shipping Administration
91
Balduinstein
91.83
Cramberg
96.78
Scheid
110
Obernhof
105.8
Kalkhofen
113.1
Hollerich
117.62
Nassau
121
Dausenau
122.37
Dausenau
126.99
Bad Ems
129.28
Nievern
133.1
Ahl
135.96
Lahnstein
137
Rhine

The Lahn (German pronunciation: [laːn] ) is a 245.6-kilometre-long (152.6 mi), right (or eastern) tributary of the Rhine in Germany. Its course passes through the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia (23.0 km), Hesse (165.6 km), and Rhineland-Palatinate (57.0 km).

It has its source in the Rothaargebirge, the highest part of the Sauerland, in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Lahn meets the Rhine at Lahnstein, near Koblenz. Important cities along the Lahn include Marburg, Gießen, Wetzlar, Limburg an der Lahn, Weilburg and Bad Ems.

Tributaries to the Lahn include the Ohm, Dill, the Weil and the Aar. The lower Lahn has many dams with locks, allowing regular shipping from its mouth up to Runkel. Riverboats also operate on a small section north of the dam in Gießen.