Founded as a fishing village in the 10th century and with a metropolitan population of nearly 2 million, Copenhagen is not only Denmark’s largest and most illustrious city, but it’s also the capital of a country that the 2013’s World Happiness Report called the globe’s happiest. What accounts for such happiness to emanate from so unassuming a Scandinavian country? In a word, Copenhagen is livable. It’s why the city received the World Smart City award in 2014 for its efforts to create a greener, city higher quality of life and a healthy business climate.
Download: Fall 2015 issue of Knowledge Leader
But as it turns out, there are a whole host of reasons to explain Copenhagen’s growing stature as a global leader in quality of life – from its stable economy and pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly city planning to its culture and food scene.
Also: Have the courage to challenge yourself | The Fed should rip off the Band-Aid already!
Here now are some facts and figures that help shine a spotlight on the capital city of the happiest country in the world.
- Knowledgeable workforce: Copenhagen has the greatest concentration of highly qualified label in Northern Europe
- 71% of Copenhagen’s 21,000 hotel rooms hold an eco-certification — the highest percentage of any capital city
- 12 Michelin-starred restaurants in the city
- 55% of all Copenhageners commute by bicycle
- 1.9 million inhabitants in Copenhagen
- Most Livable City according to Monocle’s 2013 Quality of Life Survey
- 86% of Copenhagen’s workforce speaks English
- Second oldest amusement park in the world, Tivoli Gardens, is located in Copenhagen (the oldest, Bakken, is 10 km north)
- 1 (Denmark) business-friendly climate in Europe, according to the World Bank Grou’s report, “Doing Business 2015”
- 2025: The year by which Copenhagen is working to become CO2-neutral
- 134 global flight connections
- Largest cargo airport in Northern Europe
For commercial real estate information, contact Jeppe Schønfeld, CEO of Colliers International in Denmark.
This article was first published in the Fall 2015 Knowledge Leader magazine. Download a digital copy today.