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| The Region of Southern Denmark |
The Region of Southern Denmark (Danish: Region Syddanmark,
North Frisian: Regiuun Syddanmark) is one of Denmark’s five
administrative regions, established on Monday, 1 January 2007, as part of the
landmark 2007 Danish Municipal Reform. This reform abolished the traditional counties (amter) and replaced
them with five larger regions, while simultaneously consolidating
municipalities—reducing their number from 270 (271 before 2006) to just 98.
The reform
significantly shifted power away from the regional level in favor of local
municipalities and the central government in Copenhagen. Today, the Region of
Southern Denmark comprises 22 municipalities.
Although the
reform officially took effect on 1 January 2007, the merger of the Funen
municipalities Ærøskøbing and Marstal was implemented earlier—on Sunday, 1
January 2006—as a pilot step within the broader restructuring process.
Geographically,
the region borders Schleswig-Holstein (Germany) to the south and the Central
Denmark Region to the north. It is also connected to Region Zealand via the
Great Belt Fixed Link, one of Denmark’s most important infrastructure projects.
The regional
capital is Vejle, while Odense is the largest city and a major academic hub,
hosting the main campus of the University of Southern Denmark, with additional
campuses in Esbjerg, Kolding, and Sønderborg.
The regional
administration is primarily responsible for healthcare (hospitals) and regional
public transport. Transport services are divided between two operators:
Sydtrafik (serving mainland Jutland and Als) and Fynbus (covering Funen and
nearby islands). On the island municipalities of Ærø (since 2016) and Fanø
(since 2018), local authorities manage public transport themselves.
Billund Airport
serves as the region’s main aviation hub. It is Denmark’s second-busiest
airport after Copenhagen Airport and one of the country’s key air cargo
centers, handling more than three million passengers annually along with
substantial cargo volumes.
Region Syddanmark
is Denmark’s westernmost administrative region (while Region Zealand is the
southernmost). It consists of the former counties of Funen, Ribe, and South
Jutland, along with ten municipalities from the former Vejle County. In total,
78 municipalities were merged into 22 larger entities as part of the reform.
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| Map of the municipalities of the Southern Denmark |
An important cultural feature of the region is the presence of Denmark’s only officially recognized ethno-linguistic minority—the North Schleswig Germans. Concentrated in municipalities such as Aabenraa/Apenrade, Haderslev/Hadersleben, Sønderborg/Sonderburg, and Tønder/Tondern, this group represents around 6% of the local population and enjoys specific linguistic rights under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
Key Facts About Region Syddanmark
| Category | Data |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Region of Southern Denmark (Region Syddanmark) |
| Capital | Vejle |
| Largest city | Odense |
| Number of municipalities | 22 |
| Area | 12,191 km² |
| Population (1 January 2025) | 1,240,472 |
| Population density | 101.75/km² |
| GDP (2021) | €61.686 billion |
| GDP per capita (2021) | €50,500 |
| GDP (2018) | €57.3 billion (19% of Denmark’s economy) |
| GDP per capita PPS (2018) | €35,100 (116% of EU average) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| Summer time (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| ISO code | DK-83 |
| Main airport | Billund Airport |
| Public transport operators | Sydtrafik, Fynbus |
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