Class 5 Grade 8 Lei Shiqi No.11 Copenhagen Class 5 Grade 8 Lei Shiqi No.11

Overview Copenhagen (/ˈkoʊpənheɪɡən/ ) is the capital of Denmark and its most populous city, with an urban population of 1,230,728 and a metropolitan population of 1,954,411 (as of 1 April 2013). Copenhagen is situated on the eastern coast of Zealand and stretches across part of Amager. A number of bridges and tunnels connect the parts of the city together, and the cityscape is characterized by promenades and waterfronts.

Cityscape The city's appearance today is shaped by the key role it has played as a regional centre for centuries. Copenhagen has a multitude of districts, each representing its time and with its own distinctive character, making up a dense urban fabric. Other distinctive features of Copenhagen include the abundance of water, the many parks, and the bicycle paths that line most streets.

Economy Copenhagen is the economic and financial center of Denmark and also a strong business and economic center in the Scandinavian-Baltic region. Around 3.5 million inhabitants live within a 50 km (31 mi) radius of Copenhagen, making the city center one of the most dense and populated area in Northern Europe. The region generates approximately 25 per cent of both Sweden's and Denmark's GDP. In 2008, Copenhagen was ranked 4th by Financial Times-owned FDi magazine on their list of Top 50 European Cities of the Future after London, Paris and Berlin.

Culture and contemporary life Apart from being the national capital, Copenhagen also serves as the cultural hub of Denmark and wider Scandinavia. Since the late 1990s, Copenhagen has undergone a transformation from a small Scandinavian capital to a metropolitan city of international scope in the league of cities like Barcelona and Amsterdam. This is due to massive investments in infrastructure as well as culture and a wave of new successful Danish architects, designers and chefs. As with the rest of Denmark the inhabitants of Copenhagen tend to be happy.

Transport-cycling Copenhagen is known as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world. Every day 1.1 million km are bicycled in Copenhagen. 36% of all citizens commute to work, school or university by bicycle and it is municipal policy that this number should have gone up to 40% by 2012 and to 50% in 2015. The city's bicycle paths are extensive and well used. Bicycle paths are often separated from the main traffic lanes and sometimes have their own signal systems, giving the cyclists a lead of a couple of seconds to accelerate.

Christiansborg Palace Marble Church Tivoli Gardens City Hall Square

Snowy Copenhagen scene Nyhavn, the seventeenth century waterfront, with its colourful buildings The Copenhagen Concert Hall, designed by Jean Nouvel, opened in 2009 as a part of the development of the Ørestad.

The Black Diamond building, opened in 1999, houses The Royal Library The University of Copenhagen main building

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