Merkelbach is an Ortsgemeinde – a community belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde – in the Westerwaldkreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

Merkelbach
Coat of arms of Merkelbach
Location of Merkelbach within Westerwaldkreis district
Merkelbach is located in Germany
Merkelbach
Merkelbach
Merkelbach is located in Rhineland-Palatinate
Merkelbach
Merkelbach
Coordinates: 50°38′44″N 7°46′11″E / 50.64556°N 7.76972°E / 50.64556; 7.76972
CountryGermany
StateRhineland-Palatinate
DistrictWesterwaldkreis
Municipal assoc.Hachenburg
Government
 • Mayor (2019–24) Edgar Schneider[1]
Area
 • Total2.54 km2 (0.98 sq mi)
Elevation
355 m (1,165 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[2]
 • Total423
 • Density170/km2 (430/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
57629
Dialling codes02662
Vehicle registrationWW
Websitewww.merkelbach-westerwald.de

Geography edit

The community lies in the Westerwald between Limburg and Siegen. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Hachenburg, a kind of collective municipality. Its seat is in the like-named town.

History edit

The first mention of Merkelbach was recorded in 1418.

Politics edit

The municipal council is made up of 10 council members, including the extraofficial mayor (Bürgermeister), who were elected in a majority vote in a municipal election on 13 June 2004.

Economy and infrastructure edit

The community lies right on Bundesstraße 413, leading from Bendorf (near Koblenz) to Hachenburg. The nearest Autobahn interchanges are in Dierdorf and Neuwied on the A 3 (CologneFrankfurt). The nearest InterCityExpress stop is the railway station at Montabaur on the Cologne-Frankfurt high-speed rail line. The community is linked by bus connections every two hours to Hachenburg and the InterCityExpress station at Montabaur.

References edit

  1. ^ Direktwahlen 2019, Westerwaldkreis, Landeswahlleiter Rheinland-Pfalz, accessed 9 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerungsstand 2022, Kreise, Gemeinden, Verbandsgemeinden" (PDF) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz. 2023.

External links edit