Münster is situated on the river Aa, approximately 15 kilometres (9 miles) south of its confluence with the Ems in the so-called  Westphalian Bight, a landscape studded with dispersed settlements and farms - the "Münsterland".
The  Wolstonian sediments of the mountain ridge called "Münsterländer Kiessandzug" cross the city from north to south.
The highest elevation is the Mühlenberg in the northwest of Münster, 97 metres  above sea level.
The lowest elevation is at the Ems, 44 m above sea level.
The city centre is 60 m above sea level, measured at the Prinzipalmarkt in front of the historic city hall.

The Dutch city of Enschede lies about 65 km (40 mi) northwest of Münster.
Other major cities nearby include Osnabrück, about 44 km (27 mi) to the north, Dortmund, about 61 km (38 mi) to the south, and Bielefeld, about 62 km (39 mi) to the east.

Münster is one of the 42  agglomeration areas and one of Germany's biggest cities in terms of area.
But it includes substantial sparsely-populated rural districts which were formerly separate local government authorities until they were  amalgamated in 1975.
Thus nearly half the city's area is agricultural, resulting in a low population-density of approximately 900 inhabitants per km².
Münster is situated on the river Aa, approximately 15 kilometres (9 miles) south of its confluence with the Ems in the so-called  Westphalian Bight, a landscape studded with dispersed settlements and farms - the "Münsterland". The  Wolstonian sediments of the mountain ridge called "Münsterländer Kiessandzug" cross the city from north to south. The highest elevation is the Mühlenberg in the northwest of Münster, 97 metres  above sea level. The lowest elevation is at the Ems, 44 m above sea level. The city centre is 60 m above sea level, measured at the Prinzipalmarkt in front of the historic city hall.
The Dutch city of Enschede lies about 65 km (40 mi) northwest of Münster. Other major cities nearby include Osnabrück, about 44 km (27 mi) to the north, Dortmund, about 61 km (38 mi) to the south, and Bielefeld, about 62 km (39 mi) to the east.
Münster is one of the 42  agglomeration areas and one of Germany's biggest cities in terms of area. But it includes substantial sparsely-populated rural districts which were formerly separate local government authorities until they were  amalgamated in 1975. Thus nearly half the city's area is agricultural, resulting in a low population-density of approximately 900 inhabitants per km².
Münster