Aalborg Municipality
Encyclopedia
Aalborg Municipality is a municipality (Danish
, kommune) in Region Nordjylland
on the Jutland
peninsula in northern Denmark
. The municipality straddles the Limfjord
, the waterway which connects the North Sea
and the Kattegat
east-to-west, and which separates the main body of the Jutland peninsula from the island of Vendsyssel-Thy
north-to-south. It has a land area of 1,143.99 km², population 197,426 (2010) and belongs to Region Nordjylland
("North Jutland Region").
It is also the name of the municipality's main city Aalborg
and the site of its municipal council, as well as the name of a seaport.
The municipality and the town have chosen to retain the traditional spelling of the name as Aalborg, although the new spelling Ålborg is used in other contexts, such as Ålborg Bight
(Ålborg Bugt), the body of water which lies to the east of the Jutland peninsula.
, Nibe
, and Sejlflod
to form a new Aalborg municipality. The former Aalborg municipality, including the island of Egholm
, covered an area of 560 km² (216.2 sq mi), with a total population of 192,353 (2005). Its last mayor was Henning G. Jensen, a member of the Social Democrats
(Socialdemokraterne) political party
. The former municipality was bordered by Sejlflod and Hals to the east, Dronninglund
and Brønderslev
to the north, Aabybro
and Nibe to the west, and Støvring
and Skørping
to the south. It belonged to North Jutland County
.
splitting the municipality are called Langerak
to the east and Gjøl Bredning to the west. The island of Egholm
is located in Gjøl Bredning, and is connected by ferry
to the city of Aalborg at its southern shore.
The area is typical for the north of Jutland. To the west the Limfjord broadens into an irregular lake (salt water), with low, marshy shores and many islands. Northwest is Store Vildmose ("Greater Wild bog"), a swamp where a mirage is sometimes seen in summer. Southeast lies the similar Lille Vildmose ("Lesser Wild bog"). Store Vildmose was drained and farmed in the beginning of the 20th century, and Lille Vildmose is now the largest moor
in Denmark.
City has a total population at 123,432. The metropolitan area
is a conurbation
of the Aalborg urban area
in Himmerland
(102,312) and the Nørresundby
urban area in Vendsyssel
(21,120).
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
, kommune) in Region Nordjylland
Region Nordjylland
North Denmark Region or North Jutland Region is an administrative region of Denmark established on January 1, 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which replaced the traditional counties with five larger regions. At the same time, smaller municipalities were merged into larger...
on the Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
peninsula in northern Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. The municipality straddles the Limfjord
Limfjord
The Limfjord is a shallow sound in Denmark that separates the island of Vendsyssel-Thy from the rest of the Jutland Peninsula. It extends from Thyborøn Channel on the North Sea to Hals on the Kattegat. It is approximately 180 kilometres long and of an irregular shape with several bays, narrowings,...
, the waterway which connects the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
and the Kattegat
Kattegat
The Kattegat , or Kattegatt is a sea area bounded by the Jutland peninsula and the Straits islands of Denmark on the west and south, and the provinces of Västergötland, Scania, Halland and Bohuslän in Sweden on the east. The Baltic Sea drains into the Kattegat through the Øresund and the Danish...
east-to-west, and which separates the main body of the Jutland peninsula from the island of Vendsyssel-Thy
Vendsyssel-Thy
The North Jutlandic Island , Vendsyssel-Thy, or simply Jutland north of the Limfjord are lesser-used names for the northernmost part of Denmark and of Jutland. It is more common to refer to the three traditional districts Vendsyssel, Hanherred and Thy...
north-to-south. It has a land area of 1,143.99 km², population 197,426 (2010) and belongs to Region Nordjylland
Region Nordjylland
North Denmark Region or North Jutland Region is an administrative region of Denmark established on January 1, 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which replaced the traditional counties with five larger regions. At the same time, smaller municipalities were merged into larger...
("North Jutland Region").
It is also the name of the municipality's main city Aalborg
Aalborg
-Transport:On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen....
and the site of its municipal council, as well as the name of a seaport.
The municipality and the town have chosen to retain the traditional spelling of the name as Aalborg, although the new spelling Ålborg is used in other contexts, such as Ålborg Bight
Bight (geography)
In geography, bight has two meanings. A bight can be simply a bend or curve in any geographical feature—usually a bend or curve in the line between land and water....
(Ålborg Bugt), the body of water which lies to the east of the Jutland peninsula.
Municipal reform of 2007
As of 1 January 2007 Aalborg municipality joined with the municipalities of HalsHals Municipality
Hals Municipality ceased to exist on January 1, 2007, due to Kommunalreformen It was located in North Jutland County. The municipality covered an area of 191 km², and had a total population of 11,448 . Its last mayor was Bent Sørensen, a member of the Social Democrats political party...
, Nibe
Nibe
Nibe is a town with a population of 4,987 , located in Region Nordjylland on the Jutland Peninsula in northern Denmark. The town is located in a geographic region known as Himmerland. Nibe was the site of the municipal council of Nibe Municipality.-References:* Municipal statistics: , delivered...
, and Sejlflod
Sejlflod
Sejlflod Municipality was a municipality in the former North Jutland County on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 208 km², and had a total population of 9,394 . Its last mayor was Kristian Schnoor, a member of the Social Democrats...
to form a new Aalborg municipality. The former Aalborg municipality, including the island of Egholm
Egholm
Egholm is a Danish island in the Limfjord close to Aalborg. The island covers an area of 6.05 km² and has 50 inhabitants. Egholm can be reached by ferry from Aalborg within 5 minutes.-External links:* http://www.sitecenter.dk/oesammenslutningen/egholm/...
, covered an area of 560 km² (216.2 sq mi), with a total population of 192,353 (2005). Its last mayor was Henning G. Jensen, a member of the Social Democrats
Social Democrats (Denmark)
The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark...
(Socialdemokraterne) political party
Politics of Denmark
The Politics of Denmark takes place in a framework of a parliamentary, representative democratic, constitutional monarchy, in which the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system...
. The former municipality was bordered by Sejlflod and Hals to the east, Dronninglund
Dronninglund
Dronninglund is a town with a population of 3,196 in Brønderslev Municipality, Region Nordjylland on the peninsula of Jutland's eastern coast in northern Denmark....
and Brønderslev
Brønderslev
Brønderslev is a town with a population of 11,840 . It is the municipal seat of Brønderslev municipality, Vendsyssel in Region Nordjylland, the northernmost part of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark....
to the north, Aabybro
Aabybro
Aabybro is a town in Jammerbugt municipality in Denmark. In 1953, its population was 1,188; by 1960 it had risen to 1,346 and by 2011 to 5,382....
and Nibe to the west, and Støvring
Støvring
Støvring is a town in Rebild municipality in Region Nordjylland in the geographic region of the Jutland peninsula known as Himmerland in northern Denmark...
and Skørping
Skørping
Skørping is a town and a former municipality in Rebild municipality in Region Nordjylland in the geographic region of the Jutland peninsula known as Himmerland in northern Denmark...
to the south. It belonged to North Jutland County
North Jutland County
North Jutland County is a former county in northern Denmark. It was located on the eastern half of Vendsyssel-Thy and the northernmost part of the Jutland peninsula. It was the largest county in Denmark, but with a relatively low population. The county seat was Aalborg, Denmark's fourth largest...
.
Surroundings
The waters in the LimfjordLimfjord
The Limfjord is a shallow sound in Denmark that separates the island of Vendsyssel-Thy from the rest of the Jutland Peninsula. It extends from Thyborøn Channel on the North Sea to Hals on the Kattegat. It is approximately 180 kilometres long and of an irregular shape with several bays, narrowings,...
splitting the municipality are called Langerak
Langerak
Langerak is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Liesveld, and lies about .The village of "Langerak" has a population of around 1730....
to the east and Gjøl Bredning to the west. The island of Egholm
Egholm
Egholm is a Danish island in the Limfjord close to Aalborg. The island covers an area of 6.05 km² and has 50 inhabitants. Egholm can be reached by ferry from Aalborg within 5 minutes.-External links:* http://www.sitecenter.dk/oesammenslutningen/egholm/...
is located in Gjøl Bredning, and is connected by ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
to the city of Aalborg at its southern shore.
The area is typical for the north of Jutland. To the west the Limfjord broadens into an irregular lake (salt water), with low, marshy shores and many islands. Northwest is Store Vildmose ("Greater Wild bog"), a swamp where a mirage is sometimes seen in summer. Southeast lies the similar Lille Vildmose ("Lesser Wild bog"). Store Vildmose was drained and farmed in the beginning of the 20th century, and Lille Vildmose is now the largest moor
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
in Denmark.
Urban areas in Aalborg Municipality
AalborgAalborg
-Transport:On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen....
City has a total population at 123,432. The metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
is a conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
of the Aalborg urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
in Himmerland
Himmerland
Himmerland is a peninsula in northeastern Jutland, Denmark. It is delimited to the north and the west by the Limfjord, to the east by the Kattegat, and to the south by the Mariager Fjord. The largest city is Aalborg; smaller towns include Hobro, Aars, Løgstør, Støvring and Nibe...
(102,312) and the Nørresundby
Nørresundby
Nørresundby, a part of Aalborg Municipality, is a northern neighbourhood in Aalborg, north of the Limfjord, in Vendsyssel, in Denmark. The urban area has a population of 21,376 ....
urban area in Vendsyssel
Vendsyssel
Vendsyssel is the northernmost traditional district of Denmark and of Jutland. Being divided from mainland Jutland by the Limfjord, it is technically a part of the North Jutlandic Island. Vendsyssel is part of the North Denmark Region....
(21,120).
| The largest urban areas in Aalborg Municipality | ||
| Nr | Urban area | Population (2011) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aalborg Aalborg -Transport:On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen.... |
103,545 |
| 2 | Nørresundby Nørresundby Nørresundby, a part of Aalborg Municipality, is a northern neighbourhood in Aalborg, north of the Limfjord, in Vendsyssel, in Denmark. The urban area has a population of 21,376 .... |
21,376 |
| 3 | Svenstrup | 6,751 |
| 4 | Nibe Nibe Nibe is a town with a population of 4,987 , located in Region Nordjylland on the Jutland Peninsula in northern Denmark. The town is located in a geographic region known as Himmerland. Nibe was the site of the municipal council of Nibe Municipality.-References:* Municipal statistics: , delivered... |
4,987 |
| 5 | Vodskov Vodskov Vodskov is a village near Aalborg in southern Vendsyssel with a population of 4,399 in Vodskov parish, Aalborg Municipality... |
4,399 |
| 6 | Klarup | 4,182 |
| 7 | Gistrup | 3,573 |
| 8 | Storvorde Storvorde Storvorde is a small town to the east of Aalborg in Denmark with a population of 3,243 .-References:... |
3,243 |
| 9 | Vestbjerg | 2,677 |
| 10 | Frejlev | 2,579 |