county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
(Danish: ''
amt
Amt is a type of administrative division governing a group of municipalities, today only in Germany, but formerly also common in other countries of Northern Europe. Its size and functions differ by country and the term is roughly equivalent to ...
'') in central
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
, comprising the
island
An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
s of
Funen
Funen ( da, Fyn, ), with an area of , is the third-largest island of Denmark, after Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy. It is the 165th-largest island in the world. It is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 469,947 as of ...
,
Langeland
Langeland (, ) is a Danish island located between the Great Belt and Bay of Kiel. The island measures 285 km2 (c. 110 square miles) and, as of 1 January 2018, has a population of 12,446.
,
TÃ¥singe
TÃ¥singe () is a Danish island immediately south of Funen, opposite and facing Svendborg, divided from Funen by Svendborgsund.See detailed Denmark roadmap in References section. The island covers an area of circa . It is part of the South Funen A ...
,
Ærø
Ærø () is one of the Danish Baltic Sea islands, and part of the Southern Denmark Region.
Since 1 January 2006 the whole of Ærø has constituted a single municipality, known as Ærø Kommune. Before that date, there were two municipalities o ...
, and approximately 90 other islands, of which only 25 are inhabited. The county was formed on 1 April 1970, comprising the former counties of
Odense
Odense ( , , ) is the third largest city in Denmark (behind Copenhagen and Aarhus) and the largest city on the island of Funen. As of 1 January 2022, the city proper had a population of 180,863 while Odense Municipality had a population of 20 ...
and
Svendborg
Svendborg () is a town on the island of Funen in south-central Denmark, and the seat of Svendborg Municipality. With a population of 27,300 (1 January 2022), Svendborg is Funen's second largest city.Region of Southern Denmark
The Region of Southern Denmark ( da, Region Syddanmark, ; german: Region Süddänemark, ; frr, Regiuun Syddanmark) is an administrative Regions of Denmark, region of Denmark established on Monday 1 January 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Munici ...
(''Region Syddanmark'').
The county employed around 20,000 people working in more than 160 institutions located all over Funen.
Insignia
Funen County's
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
showed three connected gold
hop
A hop is a type of jump.
Hop or hops may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Hop'' (film), a 2011 film
* Hop! Channel, an Israeli TV channel
* ''House of Payne'', or ''HOP'', an American sitcom
* Lindy Hop, a swing dance of the 1920s and ...
leaves on a field of red, representing three former counties of Odense, Svendborg and Assens. The choice of hop leaves comes from Funen native
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales.
Andersen's fairy tales, consisti ...
's song "''I Danmark er jeg født''" ("In Denmark I was born"), where he refers to Funen as "''Æblegård og humlehave''" (Apple farm and hop garden).
For common daily usage, a more modern and IT-friendly version was used. In this version, the background was green and the hop leaves white and much less detailed. Alternate versions had a red or, on occasion, a black background.
The coat of arms was registered in 1976.
List of County Mayors
Municipalities (1970-2006)
Municipal reform in 2006/2007
On 1 January 2007, The Danish Municipal Reform replaced the traditional counties with five new regions and cut the number of municipalities to 98. Funen county is included in the new
Region Syddanmark
The Region of Southern Denmark ( da, Region Syddanmark, ; german: Region Süddänemark, ; frr, Regiuun Syddanmark) is an administrative region of Denmark established on Monday 1 January 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which ab ...
Faaborg
Faaborg or FÃ¥borg () is an old port town located on Faaborg Fjord in Faaborg-Midtfyn municipality on the island of Funen in Denmark. By road, Faaborg is located southwest of Odense, west-northwest of Svendborg, and roughly southeast of Midde ...
Langeskov
Langeskov is a town in central Denmark, with a population of 4,222 (1 January 2022),Munkebo
Munkebo is a town in central Denmark, located in Kerteminde Municipality in the Region of Southern Denmark on the island of Funen. It was also the site of the municipal council of the abolished Munkebo Municipality. The town had a population of 5 ...
Middelfart
Middelfart is a town in central Denmark, with a population of 16,277 . The town is the municipal seat of Middelfart Municipality on the island of Funen ( da, Fyn).
Etymology
The name Middelfart, first recorded as "Mæthælfar" in Valdemar's Cen ...
, and
Nørre Aaby
Nørre Aaby is a town in central Denmark, located in Middelfart Municipality on the island of Funen. Until ''Kommunalreformen'' ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007) it was the site of the municipal council of the now former Nørre Aaby Municip ...
Otterup
Otterup is a town in central Denmark, located in Nordfyn municipality on the island of Funen with a population of 5,269 (1 January 2022). Between 1889 and 1994 the Schultz & Larsen rifle factory was working from this small town.
Notable peop ...
, and
Søndersø
Søndersø is a town in central Denmark with a population of 3,319 (1 January 2022), located in Nordfyn municipality on the island of Funen.
Business
The town is home to the following companies:
* KiMs
* Heljan A/S
* Tinby A/S
* MT Miljøtekni ...
Ørbæk
Ørbæk is a town in central Denmark, located in Nyborg municipality on the island of Funen. Ørbæk was until 2007 the seat of Ørbæk Municipality.
History
Ørbæk was first mentioned in 1231 as 'Ørbæc', which was the name of the brook that ...
Gudme
Gudme is a town in central Denmark with a population of 907 (1 January 2022), located in Svendborg municipality on the island of Funen in Region of Southern Denmark. Until 1 January 2007, it was the site of the municipal council of the now form ...
, and
Svendborg
Svendborg () is a town on the island of Funen in south-central Denmark, and the seat of Svendborg Municipality. With a population of 27,300 (1 January 2022), Svendborg is Funen's second largest city.Ærø municipality
Ærø () is one of the Danish Baltic Sea islands, and part of the Southern Denmark Region.
Since 1 January 2006 the whole of Ærø has constituted a single municipality, known as Ærø Kommune. Before that date, there were two municipalities ...
Ærøskøbing
Ærøskøbing () is a town in central Denmark, located in Ærø Municipality on the island of Ærø. The suffix - købing means a trade town in the languages that derive from Old Norse.
Ærøskøbing's houses and streets are delicately restore ...
)
Important former municipalities
*
Marstal municipality Marstal municipality, is a former municipality (Danish, '' kommune'') in Funen County on the island of Ærø in southern Denmark. Since 1 January 2006 it has been part of Ærø municipality. Its territory included the islands of Birkholm and Halmà ...
(1970-2005)
*
Ærøskøbing municipality
Ærøskøbing Municipality ( da, Ærøskøbing Kommune, ) is a former municipality of Funen County on the island of Ærø. The municipality was formed in 1970 and disestablished in 2006 when it was integrated into Ærø Municipality.
The munici ...