North Rhine-Westphalia, with its state capital Düsseldorf, is the most densely populated federal state in Germany. As well as being a leading industrial region, an important international economic centre and a modern centre of technology, it is also a major base for culture and the media. With iron and steel, and companies like Thyssen and Krupp, Germany's economic success story was forged here, bringing work and wealth to thousands. Once the centre of the German mining industry, the Ruhr area is now renowned for its fantastic cultural scene. Today, its converted industrial sites are home to a variety of art, culture, sports and entertainment.