Langeland Municipality () is a kommune in the Region of Southern Denmark, located entirely on the island of Langeland and a number of smaller surrounding islands. The municipality covers an area of 290.30 km2, and has a total population of 11,841 (2026). Being an island, it has no land borders with any other municipality, though it connects to Svendborg Municipality through the Siøsund Bridge. There are connections by ferry to Ærø Municipality and Lolland Municipality. Its mayor is Tonni Hansen, a member of the Socialist People's Party. The main town and the site of its municipal council is the city of Rudkøbing.
Besides the island of Langeland, the municipality also consists of the inhabited islands of Strynø, Siø, Langø and Lindø as well as the uninhabited islands of Lille Græsholm, Bredholm, Grensholm, Strynø Kalv, Vogterholm, Bondeholm, Store Holm, Bukø, Kværnen, Eskilsø, Kuholm and Asholm.
History The town of Rudkøbing was granted market town rights in the 1200s, though struggled to compete with the numerous illegal trade ports around the island. During the Northern Wars in the middle of the 1600s, Rudkøbing was occupied by the Swedes. The occupation hurt the already struggling town, and the population dwindled. In the later parts of the 1700s the town began to recover, and during the industrialization the town and the island grew in population and activity. A new harbour was constructed in Rudkøbing in 1847, and the roads of the island were improved. Steamboat routes to Copenhagen, Svendborg and Ærø were established, and the population of Rudkøbing was tripled during the 1800s.
In the Middle Ages, when Denmark was divided into hundreds, Langeland was divided into two hundreds. These were Langeland's Northern Hundred (Danish: Langelands Nørre Herred) and Langeland's Southern Hundred (Danish: Langelands Sønder Herred), the latter also including the island of Siø. The island of Strynø was part of Sunds Hundred, which encompassed Svendborg and the town's surrounding area, as well as numerous islands in the South Funen Archipelago. The two hundreds on Langeland were part of the fief (Danish: len) of Tranekær Fief, which became Tranekær County in 1662. Sunds Hundred, with Strynø, meanwhile became a part of Nyborg County. In 1793 the two counties of Tranekær and Nyborg were merged to form Svendborg County, which was merged with Odense County in 1970 to form Funen County (Danish: Fyns Amt). This county was dissolved in 2007, and the entirety of Funen County became a part of the Region of Southern Denmark.
Historical divisions The table below shows the historical municipal subdivisions of Langeland Municipality. Historical municipal divisions of Langeland Municipality 2007 19701966184218381200TownsRudkøbingSimmerbølleGammel SkrøbelevSpodsbjergStrynø ByLindelseHumbleTryggelevBagenkopLohalsSnødeBøstrupTullebølle
Towns
Below are all settlements in the municipality with populations of at least 200 people (populations as of 2020). Rudkøbing 4,565 Tullebølle 784 Humble 639 Bagenkop 456 Lohals 446 Lindelse 307 Snøde 288 Spodsbjerg 214
Rudkøbing
Rudkøbing is located centrally on the island, and thus also the municipality. It is connected to Siø through the Langeland Bridge. South of the bridge, along the island's coast, is Rudkøbing Harbour. Along the harbour are numerous facilities. The southern and central parts of the town consist mainly of residential areas, while the eastern part of the town is home to a sizable industrial area.
South of Rudkøbing is Rudkøbing Forest, which covers approximately 3 acres.
Villages There is only one settlement on the islands of Strynø: Strynø By. This village is located centrally on the island, and houses the island's attractions and facilities. It connects to the ferry harbour through a short road. In Strynø By is Strynø Church.
East of the settlement of Søndenbro is the Langeland Fort (Danish: Langelandsfortet), a cold war museum and bunker.
In Tranekær is a botanical garden known as the Medicinal Gardens in Tranekær (Danish: Medicinhaverne i Tranekær). These gardens include herbs and plants, historically used for medicinal purposes. Also located in Tranekær is Tranekær Castle, a castle from the 1200s. The castle is fortified with moats and fortifications. The castle provide guided tours and most services provided by manor houses.
From Spodsbjerg is a ferry connection to Tårs on Lolland.
In addition to these villages, there are a number of smaller settlements in the municipality. These are all the settlements with populations of less than 200 people: Assemose Bammeskov Barager Bastemose Bedehaver Blandebjerg Blangshave Bogø Botofte Brandsby Broholm Bukkemose Bøsseløkke Bøstrup Dageløkke Emmerbølle EnnebølleEstre Huse Fakkemose Fodslette Fredmose Fredskoven Frellesvig FuglsbølleFuglsbølle Sønderskov FåbækGammel SkrøbelevGulstavHannebjerg HuseHarnbjergHarsmarkHavbølleHavbølle MoseHedenHelletofteHellevedHelsnedHelsned Møllevænge HennetvedHenningeHerslevHesselbjergHestehaveHouHovgårdeHumble KohaveHumble ÅlemoseHylletofteIllebølle JydevængeKarskov HuseKassebølleKeldsnorKinderballeKlavsebølleKlæsøKokkestræde Korsebølle KohaveKragholmKragholm HuseKrogsbjergKumlehøjeKurvemoseKædebyKædeby HaverKædebybroKædebyhasLejbølleLismoseLongelse SønderskovLungehaveLøkkebyMaglebyMileskovMunkegårdeMøllemose Huse NordenbroNordenbro VesteregnNy SkrøbelevNybyNygårds HjørneNæbbehuseNæstebølleNørre LongelseNørreballeOreOrmstrupPederstrupPolleskov HusePræstemarkenPusseløkkePåøRatRavnerydRenehuse RifbjergRistingeRistinge HaleRødbyRørsløkkeSandetSimmerbølleSkattebølleSkebjergSkovhaveSkovhuseSkræddervængetSletøSlåvængetSnaremoseSnøde HesselbjergStat-eneStat-harstrædeStengade StrandbyStrandhuseStrynø ByStrynø KalvSvalebølleSædballeSøndenbroSønder LongelseSønderbro ØsteregnTorpeTranekærTressebølleTroldebjerg GårdeTryggelevTvillinghuseTøvelsø HuseUglebjergVesterbyVesterhuse ViehuseneVindebyVindeltorpVinkælderhuseVognsbjergØenØrkenbjergØsterbyØsterhuseØsterskovØstrigÅsø
Nature
The southernmost tip of Langeland has been protected since 1961. 25 acres are protected. Exmoor ponies have been released in the area, left on their own as wild horses and only fed in emergencies. Plants in the area include the common toothwort and stemless thistle. Breeding birds in the area include water rail, waterhen, little grebe and red-backed shrike.
65 acres of bog west of Fredmose has been protected since 1981. The bog is known as Sædballe Fredmose, named after the two settlements surrounding it, with Sædballe to the west and Fredmose to the east. It is rich in bird activity, and the nightingale can be found breeding in the bog.
South of Nyby and Hesselbjerg is an area of bogs, lakes and coast known as Tryggelev Nor. 122 acres of it has been protected since 1987, in order to protect the birds of the area. Also protected is 10.5 acres of forest, known as Næs Skov, directly adjacent to Tryggelev Nor. Around 70 species are known to breed in the area, including reed warbler, marsh warbler, bearded reedling and nightingale. Birds of prey in the area include the marsh harrier.
Cliffs and beaches around Ristinge are home to a number of rare beetles and butterflies. Found here are a vulnerable oil beetle, and it is also the only place in Scandinavia to have a registered sighting of the tawny mining bee.
Longelse Farmer's Forest (Danish: Longelse Bondegårdsskov) is a forest located southwest of Nørre Longelse. 8.5 acres of the forest is protected and the forest is left untouched with little human interference. Despite the forest's small size of around 85,000 m2 it is the most diverse in species on Langeland. It is home to several types of windflowers and other plants, as well as a series of different types of trees. Being left untouched, the forest is also home to breeding birds that enjoy the rotting wood from dead trees. These include the stock dove and brown owl. The forest is also home to both the roe deer and fallow deer.
Also protected are a large number of dykes around the island. These have been protected since 1959. Also protected in the municipality is 4.6 acres of coast north of Bagenkop, protected since 1966, as well as 385 acres of the manor of Skovsgaard, protected since 1973. Another manor with protected area is Tranekær Castle (Danish: Tranekær Slot). 65 acres of Tranekær Castle's area is protected. 6 acres around a passage grave west of Tullebølle is also protected, having been protected in 1959.
Lindelse Nor
Lindelse Nor is a narrow bay located approximately 5 km south of Rudkøbing. The bay contains flooded sites from the stone Stone and Iron Ages. Information signs has been placed along an underwater trail, allowing divers to experience these sites and the underwater landscape.
There are a number of islands in Lindelse Nor. Of these, Lindø and Langø are inhabited. Both are connected to Langeland through a dam. The remaining islands are part of the South Funen Archipelago Nature Reserve (Danish: Sydfynske Øhav Vildtreservat). This means that the islands in Lindelse Nor, with the exception of the two inhabited islands, may not be visited from March to July. Birds known to breed in Lindelse Nor and on the islands include red-breasted merganser, northern lapwing, Eurasian oystercatcher and Mute swan.
Strynø
The area on Strynø is mostly used for agriculture, with only a small number of untouched nature areas. Approximately 190 people live on the island.
Breeding birds on Strynø include starling, Eurasian skylark, European goldfinch, eider and blackbird.
Strynø Kalv
Strynø Kalv is located west of Strynø, and is privately owned. It was previously inhabited, but is today uninhabited. Nature on the island is mostly left untouched since the 1960s, where the island was used to ship out agricultural products. Today only some animal grazing disrupts the nature. Plants on the island include caspia, pepperwort and sea aster.
3 acres around a small lake on the island is protected. This was done to protect the European fire-bellied toad, which used to be common in the South Funen Archipelago, but is today rare. It was protected in 1951.
Politics Langeland's municipal council consists of 15 members, elected every four years. The municipal council has six political committees.
Municipal council Below are the municipal councils elected since the Municipal Reform of 2007.
Election Party Totalseats Turnout Electedmayor20055211252576.0%Knud Gether (T)200931111531572.4%Bjarne Nielsen (V)20132245277.3%20173161475.2%Tonni Hansen (F)Data from Kmdvalg.dk and Statistikbanken.dk
Mayors Since the 2007 municipal reform, the mayors of Langeland Municipality have been: #MayorPartyTerm1 Knud Gether Local party2007–20102 Bjarne Nielsen Venstre2010–20183 Tonni Hansen Socialist People's Party2018-
Economy The largest industries in Langeland Municipality are social institutions, retail and agriculture.
Large companies in the municipality include Ø Pølser, whose sausages are named after the island of Langeland. GEVEKO, who manufacture road markers, have their headquarters in Sønder Longelse.
Demographics
There are 12,491 people living in Langeland Municipality (2020). 49.44% are women and 50.56% are men.
Below is the age distribution of the municipality.
Education The municipality has 3 ground schools (Nordskolen, Humble Skole and Ørstedskolen), 3 efterskoler (Langeland Efterskole, Musik Efterskolen i Humble and Magleby Efterskole), and 1 independent school (Kassebølle Friskole).
There is also a municipal school that goes up to 4th grade on the island of Strynø and a full-day school that goes up to 7th grade in Skrøbelev, both of which belong to Ørstedskolen.
There is 1 library in the municipality, in Rudkøbing. Associated with the library is a car (the "Book Car" – Danish: Bogbilen) that brings books to eight different towns across the municipality, including Strynø.
Transport