Nauen is situated within theHavelland Luch glacial lowland, the heart of theHavelland region north of theNauen Plateau, about 38 km (24 mi) west of theBerlin'scity center (18 km (11 mi) from the Berlin city limits) and 27 km (17 mi) northwest ofPotsdam. It is one of Germany's largest municipalities by area, comprising Nauen proper and fourteen surrounding villages, including Ribbeck whose landowners were perpetuated inTheodor Fontane's poemHerr von Ribbeck auf Ribbeck im Havelland.
Nauen is well known for the location of atransmission site. It was used from 1906 to 1945 forVLF andshortwave. After 1945 the installations were dismantled, but after 1955 theGDR started building up a shortwave transmission center at Nauen. Since 1997 four turnable shortwave transmission aerials have been sited there.
Population trends since 1875 within the current boundaries (blue line: population; dotted line: comparison to population trends in the state of Brandenburg; grey background: time of Nazi rule; red background: time of Communist rule)
Recent Population Development and Projections (Population Development before Census 2011 (blue line); Recent Population Development according to theCensus in Germany in 2011 (blue bordered line); Official projections for 2005-2030 (yellow line); for 2017-2030 (scarlet line); for 2020-2030 (green line)
Nauen: Population development within the current boundaries (2020)[3]