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{{Infobox German district
| name = Schwalm-Eder-Kreis
| image_flag = Flagge Schwalm-Eder-Kreis.svg
| image_coa = Wappen Schwalm-Eder-Kreis.svg
| state = Hessen
| capital = [[Homberg (Efze)]]
| regierungsbezirk= [[Kassel (region)|Kassel]]
| area=  1538.56
| Kreisschlüssel    = 06634
| coordinates = {{Coord|51|02|N|9|22|E|region:DE_type:adm2nd|display=it}}
| carsign = HR, FZ, MEG, ZIG
| district_admin = Winfried Becker 
| admin_party = SPD
| url = {{url|https://www.schwalm-eder-kreis.de/}}
| map ={{Germany district OSM map |parent_subdivision = Q1199}}
}}

'''Schwalm-Eder-Kreis''' is a ''Kreis'' ([[Districts of Germany|district]]) in the north of [[Hesse]], [[Germany]]. Neighbouring districts are [[Kassel (district)|Kassel]],  [[Werra-Meißner]], [[Hersfeld-Rotenburg]], [[Vogelsbergkreis|Vogelsberg]], [[Marburg-Biedenkopf]], and [[Waldeck-Frankenberg]].

==History==
In 1821 districts were created in Hesse. They included the districts of [[Fritzlar]], Homberg, Melsungen, and Ziegenhain. In 1932 the districts of Fritzlar and Homberg were merged; in 1974 the three districts of Fritzlar-Homberg, Melsungen, and Ziegenhain were merged into the Schwalm-Eder district.

The district is twinned with the [[Finland|Finnish]] city of [[Kajaani]], the [[United Kingdom|British]] district of [[Sedgemoor]], and the [[Poland|Polish]] district of [[Piła County|Piła]].

==Geography==
The [[Schwalm (Eder)|Schwalm]] and [[Eder (Fulda)|Eder]] rivers give the district its name. After they merge close to Felsberg, the Eder enters the [[Fulda]] to the north at [[Edermunde]]. The southeast of the district includes a portion of the [[Knüllgebirge]] range of low mountains; the highest elevation is {{convert|634|m|ft}}. In the north are the hills of the ''Homberger Hochland''. The centre of the district is largely rural, and is surrounded by the mountains of the Knüll, the Stölzinger Gebirge, and the [[Kellerwald]] with the 675 metre-high [[Wüstegarten]] mountain, the highest peak in the district.
{{Further|Eckerich (Fritzlar)|Hundsburg (Hessenwald)|Pentersrück}}

== Geology ==
[[File:Gudensberg Scharfenstein.jpg|thumb|The Scharfenstein, an outcrop of an extinct volcano near [[Gudensberg]]]]

In the east, the geology of the Knüllgebirge is dominated by the [[clastic]] [[Triassic]] strata of the [[Buntsandstein|Middle Buntsandstein]], as is the western region around the Gilserberg.<ref>
{{cite web
| title = Geologie - Landesgeschichtliches Informationssystem Hessen
| url = http://www.lagis-hessen.de/en/subjects/browse/mode/grid/sn/ga?ex=inhalt&page=0&current=2&id=2
| access-date = 28 October 2014}}
</ref>

[[Soil]]s of weathered [[Buntsandstein]] are generally acidic to slightly basic and nutrient-poor. For the most part the land is forested.
 
In the district of Fritzlar there are outcrops of younger Upper [[Buntsandstein]], known as the [[Röt Formation]], because of its red colour. These strata consist of [[clay]] beds and various kinds of [[limestone|calcareous]] beds, interbedded with clayey [[marl]]s.

==Coat of arms==
The coat of arms shows the lion of Hesse (azure a lion rampant crowned, barry of six argent and gules, armed or).  Below are wavy lines (three bars wavy argent) that symbolise the three main rivers in the district, the [[Schwalm (Eder)|Schwalm]], the [[Eder (Fulda)|Eder]], and the [[Fulda (river)|Fulda]].

==Towns and municipalities==
{{Imagemap Germany district HR|Gemeinden in HR.svg|300px{{!}}thumb{{!}}Clickable map of towns and municipalities in the district}}
{|
! align=left width=33%|Towns
! align=left width=33%|Municipalities
! align=left width=33%|
|- valign=top
||
# [[Borken, Hesse|Borken]]
# [[Felsberg, Germany|Felsberg]]
# [[Fritzlar]]
# [[Gudensberg]]
# [[Homberg (Efze)|Homberg]]
# [[Melsungen]]
# [[Neukirchen, Hesse|Neukirchen]]
# [[Niedenstein]]
# [[Schwalmstadt]]
# [[Schwarzenborn, Hesse|Schwarzenborn]]
# [[Spangenberg]]
||
# [[Bad Zwesten]]
# [[Edermünde]]
# [[Frielendorf]]
# [[Gilserberg]]
# [[Guxhagen]]
# [[Jesberg]]
# [[Knüllwald]]
# [[Körle]]
# [[Malsfeld]]
||
<ol start=10>
<li>[[Morschen]]
<li>[[Neuental]]
<li>[[Oberaula]]
<li>[[Ottrau]]
<li>[[Schrecksbach]]
<li>[[Wabern, Hesse|Wabern]]
<li>[[Willingshausen]]
</ol>
|}

== See also ==
* [[Schwalm (region)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
* [https://www.schwalm-eder-kreis.de/ Official website] (German)

{{Germany districts hesse}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Schwalm-Eder-Kreis| ]]
[[Category:Districts of Hesse]]
[[Category:Kassel (region)]]