Lolland (; formerly spelled Laaland, literally "low land") is the fourth largest island of Denmark, with an area of . Located in the Kattegat, Belts and Sund area, it is part of Region Sjælland (Region Zealand). As of 1 January 2022, it has 57,618 inhabitants.statistikbanken.dk. People. Population. (Table) BEF4 (Islands). Danmarks Statistik. Retrieved 25 August 2022. Lolland is closely connected to the island of Falster to its east. The locality of Sundby forms a cross-island urban area with Nykøbing Falster, the largest conurbation partially on Lolland. The most populated settlement on Lolland proper is Nakskov.
Overview Lolland is also known as the "pancake island" because of its flatness: the highest point of the entire island is above sea level, just outside the village of Horslunde. The island has been an important communication highway, among others for Nazi Germany during World War II. Historically, sugar beet has been grown in Lolland. Sugar is still a major industry, visible from the large number of sugar beet fields.
The largest town of Lolland is Nakskov, with 12,600 residents. Other main towns are Maribo (6,000 residents), which hosts the seat of the Diocese of Lolland-Falster, Sakskøbing (3,500 residents) and Rødby (2,500 residents).
Since January 1, 2007, Lolland has been administered by two municipalities, Lolland covering the western two thirds, and Guldborgsund uniting the eastern third with the neighbouring island Falster.
Lolland has motor and railway links both to the island of Falster to the east and to Germany (the German island Fehmarn, linked to the mainland) via ferry. European route E47 links Copenhagen to Hamburg (Germany) via Lolland.
Transport Route E47 from Copenhagen crosses the Guldborgsund strait between Lolland and Falster via a modern tunnel, but the motorway currently terminates at Rødbyhavn where a ferry carries vehicles to Fehmarn. Trains formerly used this ferry as well as part of the Vogelfluglinie. During construction of the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link however, they currently take the longer way to the mainland via the Great Belt Bridge, then Funen and Jutland.
An immersed tunnel linking Lolland with Fehmarn, the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link, was approved for construction in 2020, and is currently expected to by completed in 2031.
Two older bridges also span the strait between Lolland and Falster, the Frederick IX Bridge and Guldborgsund Bridge at the northern end of the strait. Frederick IX bridge is the railway bridge to Falster.
Demography
Towns and villages +Populations at 1 January 2014 Nakskov 12,866 Maribo 5,933 Sakskøbing 4.539 Sundby 2.847 Rødby 2,092 Rødbyhavn 1,634 Søllested 1,458 Holeby 1,423 Nysted 1,336 Bandholm 678 Horslunde 671 Toreby 628 Guldborg 572 Kettinge 539 Nørreballe 532 Nagelsti 497 Stokkemarke 440 Dannemare 434 Hunseby 418 Sandby 386 Grænge 380 Langø, Lolland 319 Errindlev 298 Hillested 284 Ullerslev 276 Frejlev 264 Øster Ulslev 252 Branderslev 229 Radsted 215 Birket 214 Nordlunde 100
Attractions
Among the attractions of the island are the 19th century Fuglsang Manor, and the neighbouring Fuglsang Art Museum, which opened in 2008. Knuthenborg Safari Park north of Maribo is the largest safari park in Northern Europe and the holiday resort Lalandia is a giant indoor water park. Furthermore, Middelaldercentret is an open-air museum on the easternmost part of the island, just outside Nykøbing Falster. The Centre is an experimental living history museum and it contains a reconstructed part of a medieval town from around 1400. It is among the most authentic reconstructions of the medieval period in Europe, and holds both the largest and the oldest trebuchets in the world.
Lolland has many sandy beaches and areas with summer houses, which are primarily visited by German tourists.
See also List of Danish islands Nearby islands: Falster, Fejø, Femø, Askø, Vejrø. Lolland Hydrogen Community Hoby treasure
References
Tageo.com, "VESTSJAELLAND DENMARK Geography Population" (coordinates), 2007, webpage: Tageo-index. Denmark Postal codes, webpage: Postnumre-DK. Tele.dk Denmark detailed road map, webpage: Tele-DK-Danmark.
External links
Map of Lolland and Falster