Aabenraa Municipality

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aabenraa municipality (sometimes unofficially or in other contexts spelled Åbenrå (German: Apenrade) according to new spelling rules, is a municipality (Danish, kommune) in South Jutland County on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. The municipality, including the island of Barsø, covers an area of 129 km², and has a total population of 22,132 (2005). Its mayor is Poul Thomsen, a member of the Venstre (Liberal Party) political party.

The main town and the site of its municipal council is the city of Aabenraa.

Neighboring municipalities are Lundtoft to the south and east, and Rødekro and Tinglev to the west. Because the municipality lies partially on a peninsula, it is surrounded by water on three sides: at the southern side of the peninsula is Åbenrå Fjord opening up to the Little Belt east of the peninsula; at the northern side is Genner Bay (Genner Bugt).

The island of Barsø lies to the northwest of the municipality, and is connected by ferry service from the town of Løjt Kirkeby.

By January 1, 2007 Aabenraa municipality will cease to exist as the result of Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007). It will be merged with existing Bov, Lundtoft, Rødekro, and Tinglev municipalities to form the new Aabenraa municipality. This will create a municipality with an area of 951 km² and a total population of 60,151 (2005). The new municipality will belong to the new Region Syddanmark ("South Denmark Region").

From 1864 to 1920, it was a part of Prussia, in the province of Schleswig, and as such part of the North German Confederation and, from 1871 onwards, part of the German Empire.

A relatively great part of the German minority in Denmark lives in Aabenraa, where their German-language daily Der Nordschleswiger is published.