Paderborn (German pronunciation: [paːdɐˈbɔʁn]) is a Kreis (district) in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

After the Napoleonic wars when Prussia created the province Westphalia it also created five districts roughly covering the area of the previous state - Brakel, Büren, Höxter, Paderborn and Warburg.

The Paderborn district is located at the western slope of the Teutoburg Forest, west of the Eggegebirge.

The highest elevation is on the side of the Totenkopf (498 m) at the district border near Bleiwäsche (Bad Wünnenberg), the lowest near Delbrück at 77 m. The main river in the district is the Lippe, which has its source in Bad Lippspringe.

The red cross in chief of the coat of arms symbolizes the clerical state Paderborn, the historic precursor of today's district.