Copenhagen Municipality

Municipality in Hovedstaden, Denmark

Copenhagen Municipality

Københavns Kommune (Danish)

Municipality

Municipality of Copenhagen

Copenhagen Skyline

Flag

Seal

Coat of arms

Coordinates: 55°40′31″N 12°34′13″E﻿ / ﻿55.67528°N 12.57028°E﻿ / 55.67528; 12.57028
Country| Denmark
Region| Hovedstaden
Seat| Copenhagen
Districts|

Districts

* Indre By
* Christianshavn
* Indre Østerbro
* Ydre Østerbro
* Indre Nørrebro
* Ydre Nørrebro
* Bispebjerg
* Vanløse
* Brønshøj-Husum
* Kongens Enghave
* Valby
* Vestamager
* Sundbyvester
* Sundbyøster

Government

• Type| City council
• Body| Copenhagen City Council
• Lord Mayor| Lars Weiss (Social Democrats)
Area

[1]

• Total

| 90.9 km2 (35.1 sq mi)
Population

(1 January 2025)[3]

• Total

| 667,099

• Estimate

(October 2016)

| 601,448[2]
• Density| 7,300/km2 (19,000/sq mi)
Time zone| UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code|

1000-2500

Municipal code| 101
Website| www.kk.dk

Copenhagen Municipality (Danish: Københavns Kommune), also known in English as the Municipality of Copenhagen, located in the Capital Region of Denmark, is the largest of the four municipalities that constitute the City of Copenhagen (Byen København), the other three being Dragør, Frederiksberg, and Tårnby.[4] The Municipality of Copenhagen constitutes the historic city center and the majority of its landmarks. It is the most populous in the country with a population of 667,099 inhabitants (as of January 2025[update]), and covers 90.9 km2 (35.1 sq mi) in area,.[1] Copenhagen Municipality is located at the Zealand and Amager islands and totally surrounds Frederiksberg Municipality on all sides. The strait of Øresund lies to the east. The city of Copenhagen has grown far beyond the municipal boundaries from 1901, when Frederiksberg Municipality was made an enclave within Copenhagen Municipality. Frederiksberg has the largest population density of the municipalities of Denmark.[5]

The municipal seat of government is the Copenhagen City Hall (Danish: Københavns Rådhus), the headquarters of the Copenhagen City Council. The acting Lord Mayor of Copenhagen is Lars Weiss, since August 29, 2024. The relationship between Copenhagen Municipality and the wider city of Copenhagen is one of an administrative unit within a significantly larger city, cf. the City of London or the City of Brussels.

In the Middle Ages, Copenhagen was defined as the area enclosed within the city walls. The city center lies in the area originally defined by the old ramparts, which are still referred to as the Fortification Ring (Fæstningsringen) and kept as a partial green band around it. In 1856 the ramparts were pulled down allowing for growth and expansion. In 1901 the city expanded to include Amager and Valby, while Frederiksberg became an enclave within the municipality. The Finger Plan in the second half of the 20th century led to expansion outside the municipal boundary along the commuter lines of the S-train and the Lokaltog rail lines going to i.e. Helsingør (The Coast Line (Kystbanen) northbound) and Stevns Municipality (East Line (from Køge southbound) along the Øresund. The Copenhagen-Ringsted Line makes Køge one of the railway hubs of Eastern Denmark. Road and rail construction is planned to relieve traffic congestion because the narrow 14.5–15.3-kilometre (9–9.5 mi) isthmus between Roskilde Fjord and Køge Bugt (Køge Bay) forms a bottleneck.

Copenhagen Municipality was one of the three last Danish municipalities not belonging to a county, the others being Frederiksberg Municipality and (from 2003) Bornholm. On 1 January 2007, the municipality lost its county privileges and became part of the Capital Region of Denmark.

## Geography

[edit]

Copenhagen Municipality is a political division covering the central city (Indre By) and certain additional areas. It encloses Frederiksberg Municipality and stretches east to the waterfront. Neighboring municipalities are Gentofte, Gladsaxe and Herlev to the north, Rødovre and Hvidovre to the west, and Tårnby to the south.

The City Hall Square (Danish: Rådhuspladsen) is the old city center, from which an old shopping street leads northeast to Kongens Nytorv, which was laid out in the seventeenth century. Christiansborg Palace, which houses the Danish parliament, is located on the islet of Slotsholmen.

* Nørrebro

* Slotsholmen

* Amalienborg and Frederik's Church

### Districts

[edit]

The municipality is divided into ten administrative, statistical and tax districts (Danish: bydele):[6]

Districts of Copenhagen municipality

Official districts:[6]

1. Indre By
2. Østerbro
3. Nørrebro
4. Vesterbro/Kongens Enghave
5. Valby
6. Vanløse
7. Brønshøj-Husum
8. Bispebjerg
9. Amager Øst
10. Amager Vest

Other areas:

* Slotsholmen
* Frederiksstaden
* Islands Brygge
* Holmen
* Christiania (Freetown)
* Carlsberg
* Sluseholmen
* Amagerbro
* Ørestad
* Nordhavnen
* Bellahøj
* Brønshøj
* Ryparken
* Vigerslev

The suffix -bro in the names Østerbro, Nørrebro, Vesterbro and Amagerbro should not be confused with the Danish word for bridge, which is also bro. The term is thought to be an abbreviation or short form of the Danish word brolagt meaning "paved", referring to the roads paved with cobblestones leading to the city's former gates.

## Demography

[edit]

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|

Historic population. The two figures for 1 February 1901 are before and after the municipality annexed some nearby parishes. The apparent decline since the 1960s are due to the figures not including the suburban and urban areas – notably Frederiksberg – outside Copenhagen municipality. With the exception of 2005, which saw a decrease of more than 1,000 people, the population of the municipality has been increasing since 1992 after having decreased by 303,539 inhabitants (39.517%) from 1950 to 1992. Copenhagen County rose from 313,601 (7 November 1950) to 618,529 in 2006, adding 304,928 inhabitants. Roskilde County rose from 76,781 to 241,523 inhabitants (2006), and Frederiksborg County from 147,695 to 378,686 inhabitants (2006). Frederiksberg Municipality went from 118,993 inhabitants to around 85,000 in 1988, and 104,664 in 2023. Counties were abolished from 1 January 2007.[7]

| Date  | Year  | Population

|
|

| 1450  | est. 4–5,000
| 1500  | est. 10,000
| 1650  | est. 30,000
| 1700  | est. 65,000
15 January  | 1769  | 80,000
1 July  | 1787  | 90,032
1 February  | 1801  | 100,975
1 February  | 1840  | 120,819
1 February  | 1850  | 129,695
1 February  | 1860  | 155,143
1 February  | 1870  | 181,291
1 February  | 1880  | 234,850
1 February  | 1890  | 312,859
1 February  | 1901  | 360,787
1 February  | 1901  | 400,575
1 February  | 1911  | 462,161
1 February  | 1921  | 561,344
5 November  | 1930  | 617,069
5 November  | 1940  | 700,465
7 November  | 1950  | 768,105
26 September  | 1960  | 721,381
9 November  | 1970  | 622,773
| Year  | Population

|

1971  | 625,671
1972  | 610,985
1973  | 595,751
1974  | 576,030
1975  | 562,405
1976  | 545,350
1977  | 529,154
1978  | 515,594
1979  | 505,974
1980  | 498,850
1981  | 493,771
1982  | 490,597
1983  | 486,593
1984  | 482,937
1985  | 478,615
1986  | 473,000
1987  | 469,706
1988  | 468,704
1989  | 467,850
1990  | 466,723
1991  | 464,773
1992  | 464,566
| Year  | Population

|

1993  | 466,129
1994  | 467,253
1995  | 471,300
1996  | 476,751
1997  | 483,658
1998  | 487,969
1999  | 491,082
2000  | 495,699
2001  | 499,148
2002  | 500,531
2003  | 501,285
2004  | 501,664
2005  | 502,362
2006  | 501,158
2007  | 503,699
2008  | 509,861
2009  | 518,574
2010  | 528,208
2011  | 539,542
2012  | 549,050
2013  | 559,440
2014  | 569,557

Note. The two population numbers given for 1901 are the municipality's population before annexation and following annexation of neighboring municipalities, which in the process made Frederiksberg municipality an enclave within the municipality of Copenhagen.

## Politics and government

[edit]

Copenhagen City Hall, situated on City Hall Square

Copenhagen Municipality is distinct from the wider Copenhagen urban area. The seat of Copenhagen's municipal council is the Copenhagen City Hall (Rådhus). The council is chaired by the Lord Mayor who oversees the civic duties of the fifty-five representatives of the council.[8] The council usually meets every other week at 17:30 on a Thursday.[8] They discuss a range of issues including business growth, economics, international cooperation and IT, urban planning, housing and construction, and young, old, and disabled peoples' issues, and healthcare, among others, with a central focus on making the city sustainable and meeting environmental and health targets.[9]

All members of the council are elected every four years. In the municipal elections in November 2013 (see below), the Social Democrats remained in first place with 27.8% of the vote (down by 2.2% from 2009), while the Red-Green Alliance was in second place with 19.5%.[10][11] In the 2021 elections, the Red-Green Alliance secured a higher vote total than the Social Democrats. This was the first time that a party other than the Social Democrats topped the ballot. The Social Democrats have claimed the office of mayor for the past 110 years.[12]

The municipal government is divided into seven administrative departments: Employment and Integration, Culture and Leisure, Health and Care, Finance, Child and Youth, Social Services, and Technical and Environmental Administration.[13] It has six political committees and a finance committee. The annual budget for the city is proposed in August and finalized in October and the annual report is published in May of every year. The accounting firm Deloitte is responsible for auditing the City of Copenhagen's accounts.[14]

### Lord mayors since 1938

[edit]

Sophie Hæstorp Andersen, former Lord Mayor

All lord mayors of Copenhagen have belonged to the Social Democratic party.[12]

* 1938–1946: Viggo Christensen
* 1946–1956: Hans Peter Sørensen
* 1956–1962: Sigvard Munk
* 1962–1976: Urban Hansen
* 1976–1989: Egon Weidekamp
* 1989–2004: Jens Kramer Mikkelsen
* 2004–2005: Lars Engberg
* 2006–2009: Ritt Bjerregaard
* 2010–2020: Frank Jensen
* 2020–2021: Lars Weiss (acting)
* 2022-2024: Sophie Hæstorp Andersen
* 2024–: Lars Weiss (acting)

### Municipal council

[edit]

Copenhagen's municipal council consists of 55 members, elected every four years. Copenhagen's municipal council is by far the largest in Denmark, being the only municipal council with more than 31 seats.

Below are the municipal councils elected since 1909.

Election  | Party  | Total
seats  | Elected
mayor

|
|
|

A | B | C | D | D | E | F | G | I | K | K | N | O | P | V | Y | Z | Ø | Å | L
1909 | 20  | 5  | 16  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 | 42  |
1912 | 21  | 4  | 16  | 1
1913 | 27  | 5  | 22  | 1 | 55
1917 | 30  | 6  | 17  | 2
1921 | 33  | 4  | 16  | 2  |
1925 | 31  | 6  | 17  | 1
1929 | 35  | 4  | 16  |
1933 | 35  | 4  | 15  | 1
1937 | 37  | 5  | 11  | 2  | Viggo Christensen (A)
1943 | 32  | 6  | 15  |  | 1  | 1
1946 | 27  | 3  | 11  | 11  |  | 2  | 1 | Hans Peter Sørensen (A)
1950 | 28  | 3  | 12  | 6  | 6  |  |
1954 | 32  | 2  | 13  | 1  | 6  | 1
1958 | 29  | 3  | 14  | 1  | 5  | 3  | Sigvard Munk (A)
1962 | 27  | 2  | 15  |  | 9  | 1  | 1  | Urban Hansen (A)
1966 | 23  | 2  | 15  | 13  | 1  | 1
1970 | 31  | 5  | 11  | 5  | 1  | 1  | 1
1974 | 22  | 3  | 6  | 1  | 1  | 7  | 7  | 1  | 1  | 2  | 3  | 1
1978 | 26  | 1  | 8  | 1  | 1  | 3  | 5  |  | 1  | 5  | 3  | 1 | Egon Weidekamp (A)
1981 | 22  | 3  | 8  | 1  |  | 7  | 2  | 2  | 8  | 2  |
1985 | 18  | 1  | 9  | 1  | 15  | 2  | 1  | 1  | 7  |
1989 | 20  | 1  | 6  | 2  | 13  | 2  | 1  | 2  | 2  | 4  | 2  | Jens Kramer Mikkelsen (A)
1993 | 18  | 3  | 6  |  | 10  | 1  |  | 1  | 8  |  | 3  | 4  | 1
1997 | 17  | 3  | 5  | 1  | 8  |  | 6  | 1  | 6  |  | 7  | 1
2001 | 16  | 5  | 4  | 1  | 9  | 4  |  | 11  | 5  |
2005 | 21  | 7  | 3  |  | 7  | 3  | 8  | 6  | Ritt Bjerregaard (A)
2009 | 17  | 5  | 4  | 13  | 4  | 6  | 6  | Frank Jensen (A)
2013 | 16  | 6  | 3  | 6  | 2  | 4  | 7  | 11
2017 | 15  | 5  | 3  | 5  | 2  | 3  | 5  | 11  | 6
2021 | 10  | 6  | 8  | 1  | 6  | 1  | 1  | 5  | 15  | 2  | Sophie Hæstorp Andersen (A)
Election  | A | B | C | D | D | E | F | G | I | K | K | N | O | P | V | Y | Z | Ø | Å | L | Total
seats  | Elected
mayor
Party
Data from Kmdvalg.dk, Dst.dk and Sa.dk

## Environmental Policy

[edit]

In 2009 the Copenhagen Municipal Council decided that Copenhagen will become the world's first carbon-neutral capital by 2025. In 2012 the European Commission announced that Copenhagen would be the 2014 European Green Capital.

## See also

[edit]

* List of cities and towns in Denmark

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "ARE207: Area by region". Statbank.dk. Statistics Denmark. January 2016. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
2. ^ "Population at the first day of the quarter by municipality, sex, age, marital status, ancestry, country of origin and citizenship". statbank.dk. Statistics Denmark. 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
3. ^ FOLK1: Population 24 February 2016 database from Statistics Denmark (in Danish)
4. ^ "Regioner, landsdele og kommuner. v 1.0: 2007-". Statistics Denmark. Retrieved 11 March 2018. See also: Provinces of Denmark.
5. ^ Danish National Archive at [1] the last annexations (Danish: "indlemmelser") were Brønshøj (1.January.1901) followed by Valby and Sundby (1.January.1902), see smaller headline "Bemærkninger"
6. ^ a b "Københavns bydele". Københavns Kommune. Archived from the original on 4 September 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
7. ^ Danmarks Statistik Retrieved 27 June 2023
8. ^ a b "Borgerrepræsentationen" (in Danish). Københavns Kommune. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
9. ^ "Indsatsområder og politikker" (in Danish). Københavns Kommune. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
10. ^ "Kommunalvalg d. 19. november 2013: København Kommune" (in Danish). KMD. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
11. ^ "Result of the municipal and regional election in Denmark 19th of November 2013". International Viewpoint. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
12. ^ a b "S står til dårligste valg i Kbh nogensinde". Ritzau. 18 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
13. ^ "Kontakt en forvaltning" (in Danish). Københavns Kommune. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
14. ^ "Regnskab og budget" (in Danish). Københavns Kommune. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Københavns Kommune.

* Official website
* CPH International Service - Citizen service for expats and students in Copenhagen[permanent dead link]
* Eniro map with named municipalities (in Danish)
* Krak searchable/printable map (in Danish)

Places adjacent to Copenhagen Municipality

| Herlev | Gladsaxe, Gentofte |

|
|

|  |
Rødovre
Hvidovre |

Copenhagen
(completely surrounds Frederiksberg)

| Øresund
|  |
| Tårnby |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities of Denmark

List

Hovedstaden|

* Albertslund
* Allerød
* Ballerup
* Bornholm
* Brøndby
* Copenhagen
* Dragør
* Egedal
* Fredensborg
* Frederiksberg
* Frederikssund
* Furesø
* Gentofte
* Gladsaxe
* Glostrup
* Gribskov
* Halsnæs
* Helsingør
* Herlev
* Hillerød
* Hvidovre
* Høje-Taastrup
* Hørsholm
* Ishøj
* Lyngby-Taarbæk
* Rudersdal
* Rødovre
* Tårnby
* Vallensbæk

Midtjylland|

* Aarhus
* Favrskov
* Hedensted
* Herning
* Holstebro
* Horsens
* Ikast-Brande
* Lemvig
* Norddjurs
* Odder
* Randers
* Ringkøbing-Skjern
* Samsø
* Silkeborg
* Skanderborg
* Skive
* Struer
* Syddjurs
* Viborg

Nordjylland|

* Aalborg
* Brønderslev
* Frederikshavn
* Hjørring
* Jammerbugt
* Læsø
* Mariagerfjord
* Morsø
* Rebild
* Thisted
* Vesthimmerland

Sjælland|

* Faxe
* Greve
* Guldborgsund
* Holbæk
* Kalundborg
* Køge
* Lejre
* Lolland
* Næstved
* Odsherred
* Ringsted
* Roskilde
* Slagelse
* Solrød
* Sorø
* Stevns
* Vordingborg

Syddanmark|

* Aabenraa
* Assens
* Billund
* Esbjerg
* Faaborg-Midtfyn
* Fanø
* Fredericia
* Haderslev
* Kerteminde
* Kolding
* Langeland
* Middelfart
* Nordfyn
* Nyborg
* Odense
* Svendborg
* Sønderborg
* Tønder
* Varde
* Vejen
* Vejle
* Ærø

* v
* t
* e

Copenhagen

See also: Urban area of Copenhagen

Official districts|

* Amager Vest
* Amager Øst
* Bispebjerg
* Brønshøj-Husum
* Indre By
* Nørrebro
* Østerbro
* Valby
* Vanløse
* Vesterbro/Kongens Enghave

Notable localities
and neighbourhoods|

* Indre By
* Bellahøj
* Carlsberg
* Christiania
* Christianshavn
* Frederiksberg
* Frederiksstaden
* Holmen
* Islands Brygge
* Kongens Nytorv
* Nyboder
* Nyhavn
* Slotsholmen

Parks and open spaces|

* Amager Strandpark
* Assistens Cemetery
* Frederiksberg Gardens
* Kastellet
* Kongens Have
* Superkilen

Churches|

* St. Alban's
* Alexander Nevsky Church
* St. Andrew's
* Anna Church
* St. Ansgar's Cathedral
* St. Augustine's
* Bernstorff Palace
* Bethlehem Church
* Brorson's Church
* Christian's Church
* Christ Church
* Elijah's Church
* Frederik's Church
* Frederiksberg Church
* Godthaab Church
* Grundtvig's Church
* Gustaf Church
* Hans Tausen's Church
* Holmen Church
* Holy Ghost Church
* Immanuel Church
* Isaiah Church
* St. James's
* Jerusalem's Church
* Jesus Church
* St. John's Church
* Kildevæld Church
* St. Luke's Church
* Mariendal Church
* St. Mark's
* St. Matthew's
* Nathanael's Church
* St. Paul's
* St. Peter's
* Philip's Church
* Reformed Church
* Church of Our Saviour
* Simon Peter's Church
* Solbjerg Church
* Sundby Church
* Trinitatis Church
* Zion's Church

Museums|

* Cisternerne
* Amber Museum
* Danish Design Centre
* Danish Museum of Art & Design
* Danish Revue Museum
* Fotografisk Center
* University of Copenhagen Geological Museum
* Hirschsprung Collection
* Jewish Museum
* Kastrupgård
* Kunsthal Charlottenborg
* Medical Museion
* Museum of Copenhagen
* National Museum of Denmark
* National Museum of Photography
* Natural History Museum of Denmark
* North Atlantic House
* Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
* Police Museum
* Revue Museum
* Royal Danish Naval Museum
* National Gallery of Denmark
* Storm P. Museum
* Tycho Brahe Planetarium
* War Museum

Landmarks|

* Amalienborg
* Børsen
* Charlottenborg Palace
* Christiansborg Palace
* Copenhagen City Hall
* Harbour Baths
* Fortifications
* Frederiksberg Palace
* Hotel Astoria
* Kongens Nytorv
* Lakes
* Langelinie
* The Little Mermaid
* Medicon Valley
* Nørreport Station
* Opera House
* Øresund Bridge
* Palace Hotel
* Radisson Blu Royal Hotel
* Rosenborg Castle
* Royal Danish Playhouse
* Royal Library
* Tivoli Gardens

Politics and administration|

* Capital Region
* Copenhagen Municipality
* Lord mayors of Copenhagen
* Frederiksberg Municipality

Education|

* Copenhagen Business School
* Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation
* Technical University of Denmark
* University of Copenhagen
* UCC

Transport|

* Copenhagen Airport
* Copenhagen Central Station
* Copenhagen Metro
* Port of Copenhagen
* S-train
* Cycling (Super Bikeways)

* Districts
* History
* Lists
* Transport

Category

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

Other|

* Yale LUX

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