Ludwigshafen, officially Ludwigshafen am Rhein (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}German pronunciation: [ˈluːtvɪçsˌhaːfn̩ ʔam ˈʁaɪn] ⓘ; meaning "Ludwig's Port upon Rhine"), is a city in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, on the river Rhine (Upper Rhine), opposite Mannheim. With Mannheim, Heidelberg, and the surrounding region, it forms the Rhine Neckar Area. Known primarily as an industrial city, Ludwigshafen is home to BASF, the world's largest chemical producer,[3][4][5] and other companies. Among its cultural facilities are the Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz . It is the birthplace and death place of the former Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl.