Created in 1946 by the British occupying forces under the code word "Operation Marriage," the German state (Bundesland) of North Rhine-Westphalia has shaped West Germany's history like no other. "NRW," as it is known, has always been a heavyweight among the German Lander - before and after Germany's unification in 1989. It is the largest and most populous Bundesland. Traditionally known for its heavy industries and mining, it greatly contributed to the West German Wirtschaftswunder that started when West Germany was created as a state in 1949s. When steel and mining declined in the 1980s, which had defined the region for 100 years, NRW underwent profound transformation.