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The 'Oresund Region' (Danish: ''Øresundsregionen''; Swedish: ''Öresundsregionen'') is a transnational region in southern Scandinavia located by the shores of the Oresund strait and connected by the Oresund Bridge. The western part is constituted by the Danish islands of Zealand, Lolland, Falster, Møn and Bornholm. The eastern part is located in Scania (''Skåne''), Sweden. The region has a population of close to 3,6 millions and a population density of 171.3/km².^[1]
The Oresund Region was united under one flag, Denmark's, for a majority of the period 800 to 1658. Since the Treaty of Roskilde was signed in 1658, Scania has been part of Sweden, but the population has in recent years stressed Scania's regional identity again.^[2]

Contents

Cross-border activity

Problems

Statistics

Statistical areas

References

External links

Cross-border activity

The greater metropolitan region of the Oresund Region is the largest and most densely populated in Scandinavia,^[3] and a hub for economic activity in the Northern Europe.^[4] Each day, 14,000 people commute over the Oresund Bridge. Compared with 2005, the commuter traffic increased by 43 per cent in 2006. The growing number of Swedes commuting in order to take advantage of the need for labour on the job market in Copenhagen and the higher salaries offered in Denmark, as well as an increased immigration of Danes to the south of Sweden, were essential factors in the traffic increase.^[5] In 2006, 4,300 persons moved from the Danish part of the Oresund Region to Scania⁵, attracted by lower Scanian real estate prices. Since July 2000, 22,500 Danes have moved to Scania.^[6]
Apart from work related commuting, Swedes cross over to Copenhagen to enjoy shopping and nightlife, to attend cultural and educational institutions and to use Copenhagen Airport. The airport in Scania, Malmo Airport is located 47 km (29.2 mi) from Copenhagen Airport and has limited international air traffic.
After the opening of the bridge, an 'Oresund identity' has been promoted in the region in order to counter-act various barriers to cross-border cooperation caused by nationalistic sentiments on both sides.^[7] In 1997, a consortium of twelve universities (four Swedish and eight Danish) from both sides of the Sound has been established, opening up all courses, libraries and other facilities to all students, teachers and researchers from the region.^[8] The university has 150 000 students and more than 14,000 researchers. The secretariat is located at Lund University and at the University of Copenhagen.
The commercial interaction across the border has also significantly increased. Currently, an average of 15,800 vehicles cross the bridge each day.^[9]
The ports of Copenhagen and Malmö were merged in 2001 to form a single company, Copenhagen Malmö Port. This cross-border merger of two ports into one legal entity is the first in history, according to Copenhagen Malmö Port AB, the Swedish registered limited liability company operating the port, a company equally owned by Port of Copenhagen and Port of Malmö.^[10]

Problems

One deterrent to closer economic integration is the lack of a single currency, as both Sweden and Denmark maintain their own currencies, the Danish krone and Swedish krona, although both are accepted in some areas of the other country.
Another problem has been the lack of coordination of the rules for taxes and welfare etc. People commuting to work over the border risked paying double taxes, losing right to unemployment benefits because foreign employment did not contribute to entitlements in their home state, losing the right to kindergarten for their small children for the same reason etc. These problems have been mostly solved after years of political coordination between the countries.

Statistics

Region	Population	Area	Density
Danish Capital Region	1,823,109	2,864 km²	636.5/km²
Remainder	608,036	6,970 km²	87.2/km²
Total for Danish part:	2,431,145	9,834 km²	247.2/km²
align=left	683,886	2,680 km²	255.1/km²
align=left	305,982	2,730 km²	112.1/km²
align=left	162,829	3,705 km²	43.9/km²
Total for Swedish part:	1,125,697	11,035 km²	102.0/km²
Grand Total	3,583,842	20,869 km²	171.7/km²

Data as of January 1, 2004

Statistical areas

The region is divided into five statistical areas, two in Denmark and three in Sweden.
:#Danish Capital Region
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★ Metropolitan Copenhagen
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★ Copenhagen
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★ Frederiksborg County
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★ Roskilde County
:#Remainder of Danish Oresund
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★ West Zealand County
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★ Storstrøm County
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★ Bornholm
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★ South-Western Scania (metropolitan area)
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★ Malmö
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★ Lund
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★ Helsingborg
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★ Kristianstad

References

1. The Öresund Region. General facts. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
2. Peter, Laurence. "Bridge shapes new Nordic hub". BBC News, 14 September 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
3. Öresundskomiteen. The Oresund Region in 30 seconds. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
4. C.W.Matthiesen (1998). "A Cross Border Integration Project on the European Metropolitan Level: Copenhagen and Malmö-Lund united by the Oresund Bridge". Reproduced in The Creation of a Cross-border Region, published by Oresundregion. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
5. Commuter traffic cause of strong growth in traffic volume on the Øresund Bridge in 2006. Press release, 2 January 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
6.
"Stadig flere danskere flytter til Skåne". ''Politiken'', online version, 17 August 2007. In Danish. Retrieved 31 August 2007.
7. The Öresund Committee.Living in the Øresund Region. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
8. Øresund University. What is Øresund University?. 26 January 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
9. Øresundsbro Konsortiet. Traffic development on the Øresund Bridge. 2 January 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
10.
CM Port. History in brief. Retrieved 30 August 2007.

External links

★ Øresund Region - the official Web site of the Øresund Region

★ Öresundskomiteen - committee of political representatives from regional and local authorities from Denmark and Sweden

★ Oresund Statistics - ''hosted by Statistics Sweden''

★ Øresund Science Region - cross-border collaboration between business, universities and the public sector

★ Øresundsuniversitetet - a consortium of twelve universities and university colleges on both sides of the Sound

★ Oresund Innovation: High-Tech Regional Development Guide - developed by Øresund Science Region / Øresund University

★ Oresund Network - the official information- and marketing organisation of the Øresund Region

★ Oresunddirekt.com - public service information from the Swedish and Danish authorities

★ Øresundsbro Konsortsiet - the official Web site of the Øresund Bridge

★ Oresund News - newsletter in Swedish and Danish

★ Förening Øresund - a non-profit NGO