Parchim is a former Kreis (district) in the southwestern part of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. Neighboring districts were (from the north clockwise) Nordwestmecklenburg, Güstrow, Müritz, the district Prignitz in Brandenburg, the district Ludwigslust and the district-free city Schwerin. The district was disbanded at the district reform of September 2011. Its territory has been part of the Ludwigslust-Parchim district since.

Most of the district is now agriculturally used, but in the easternmost part there are several lakes, the largest of them being the Plauer See (39 km). The Plauer See marks the western end of the Müritz lakeland.

In 1994 the three districts of Parchim, Sternberg and Lübz were merged into the enlarged district of Parchim. The borders of this new district were roughly identical with the medieval principality of Parchim-Riechenberg, which existed between 1238 and 1316. This district was merged with the district of Ludwigslust at the district reform of September 2011, forming the new Ludwigslust-Parchim district.

The coat of arms shows a bull's head, which is both the symbol of the former Estate of Parchim, as well as of Mecklenburg into which it was incorporated in 1471. The two blue corners symbolize the two biggest lakes of the district - the Schweriner See and the Plauer See.

The subdivisions of the district were (situation August 2011):

Amt-free town
Parchim

Ämter
1. Banzkow Banzkow Plate Sukow 2. Crivitz Barnin Bülow Crivitz Demen Friedrichsruhe Tramm Zapel 3. Eldenburg Lübz Gallin-Kuppentin Gischow Granzin Herzberg Karbow-Vietlübbe Kreien Kritzow Lübz Lutheran Marnitz Passow Siggelkow Suckow Tessenow Wahlstorf Werder	4. Goldberg-Mildenitz Diestelow Dobbertin Goldberg Mestlin Neu Poserin Techentin Wendisch Waren 5. Ostufer Schweriner See Cambs Dobin am See Gneven Godern Langen Brütz Leezen Pinnow Raben Steinfeld 6. Parchimer Umland (seat: Parchim) Damm Domsühl Grebbin Groß Godems Groß Niendorf Karrenzin Lewitzrand Rom Severin Spornitz Stolpe Ziegendorf Zölkow	7. Plau am See Barkhagen Buchberg Ganzlin Plau am See Wendisch Priborn 8. Sternberger Seenlandschaft Blankenberg Borkow Brüel Dabel Hohen Pritz Kobrow Kuhlen-Wendorf Langen Jarchow Mustin Sternberg Weitendorf Witzin Zahrensdorf
- seat of the Amt; - town; - former town/municipality

Media related to Landkreis Parchim at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (German)

53°30′N 11°55′E / 53.5°N 11.92°E / 53.5; 11.92