Essen [ˈɛsn̩] is a city in the center of the Ruhr Area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Located on the Ruhr River, its population of approximately 582,000 (as of December 31, 2006) makes it the 7th- or 8th-largest city in Germany. The city was recently appointed European Capital of Culture for 2010 representing the whole Ruhr Area. Formerly one of Germany's most important coal and steel centers and historically linked to the centuries-old Krupp family iron works, the city has developed a strong tertiary sector of industry and is nowadays (sometimes together with nearby Düsseldorf) known as the "desk of the Ruhr area". It is home to 13 of the 100 largest German corporations and seat to several of the region's authorities. The city was chosen in 1958 to serve as the seat of a Roman-Catholic diocese, the Diocese of Essen (Ruhrbistum). In early 2003, the universities of Essen and its neighboring city of Duisburg (both established in 1972) were merged into the University of Duisburg-Essen with campuses in both cities and a university hospital in Essen.