Langeskov municipality

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Langeskov municipality is a municipality (Danish, kommune) in Funen County near the northeast coast of the island of Funen in central Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 43 km², and has a total population of 6,365 (2005). Its mayor is Ejvind Høyer Nielsen, a member of the Conservative People's Party (Det Konservative Folkeparti) political party.

The main town and the site of its municipal council is the town of Langeskov in Rønninge Parish. Other towns in the municipality are Birkende, Marslev, and Rønninge, which also lend their names to the parishes within the municipality.

Neighboring municipalities are Ullerslev and Kerteminde to the east, Munkebo and Odense to the north, Odense to the west and Årslev to the south.

Langeskov municipality is known locally for being good at attracting industry, and has a better economy than most, if not all, of the neighbouring municipalities. Langeskov is the home of a local newspaper, Nordøstfyns Avis (The North-East Funen Paper).

The municipality was created in 1970 as the result of a kommunalreform ("Municipality Reform") that merged three parishes: Birkende parish, Marslev parish, and Rønninge parish. The two former formed Marslev-Birkende municipality, while Rønninge was an independent municipality. The founders of Langeskov municipality had originally hoped that more parishes would join the new municipality, but Kølstrup chose Kerteminde municipality instead and Rolfsted joined Årslev municipality. As a result, Langeskov municipality became relatively small.

By January 1, 2007 Langeskov municipality will cease to exist as the result of Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007). It will be merged with existing Kerteminde and Munkebo municipalities to form an enlarged Kerteminde municipality. This will create a municipality with an area of 203 km² and a total population of 23,071 (2005). The municipality will belong to the new Region Syddanmark ("South Denmark Region").

[edit] Famous residents of the municipality

The best known citizen of the municipality was Hans Tausen, who in the sixteenth century was one of the leading figures in Denmark's Lutheran Reformation. He was born in the village of Birkende.