Hvidovre Municipality

Hvidovre Municipality

Hvidovre Kommune is a municipality (Danish, kommune) in Region Hovedstaden near Copenhagen on the island of Zealand (Sjælland) in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 22 km², and has a total population of 49,380 (2008). Its mayor is Milton Graff Pedersen, a member of the Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterne) political party.

The main town and the site of its municipal council is the town of Hvidovre. Other towns in the municipality are Avedøre and Friheden.

Neighboring municipalities are Copenhagen to the east, Rødovre to the north, and Brøndby to the west. Part of its eastern border are the waters of Kalveboderne, and to the south is Køge Bay (Køge Bugt). The southern-most section of the municipality, known as Avedøre Holme, juts out into Køge Bay and forms part of the entryway into Kalveboderne, the waters of which separate the island of Zealand from neighboring Amager. Avedøre Holm houses two harbours.

The municipality was created in 1970 due to a kommunalreform ("Municipal Reform") that combined a number of existing parishes:

• Avedøre Parish
• Hvidovre Parish
• Risbjerg Parish
• Strandmark Parish

Hvidovre municipality was not merged with other municipalities by January 1, 2007 as the result of nationwide Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007).