The district was bordered entirely by the Baltic Sea. The nearest districts were Nordvorpommern and the district-free city Stralsund. The district covered the islands Rügen and Hiddensee, and several small islands like Ummanz and Vilm. It was thus the only district of Germany which consists solely of islands.
History
The district of Rügen was established in 1806 by the Swedish administration of Swedish Pomerania. At first, it was named Amt Bergen, in 1810, it was renamed to Kreis Bergen. On 4 September 2011, Rügen was merged to Vorpommern-Rügen.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms derives from the coat of arms of the Principality of Rügen of the 13th century, with the only addition of a crown. The coat of arms were granted on January 18, 1993.
Towns and municipalities
The subdivisions of the district were (situation August 2011):