Esctoday.com, in collaboration with Malmö Turism, invites you to discover Malmö and experience the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest. Today we we will have a look at the facts and feats of the 2013 Eurovision host city Malmö.
Western Harbour(Photograph Werner Nystrand)
History
Malmö was first mentioned in writing in 1275, and was awarded official status as a Swedish town in 1658, when the peace settlement known as the Roskilde peace turned the previously Danish town over to Sweden. At this time, Malmö had approximately 3.000 inhabitants.
The Old Tower in Pildamsparken- (Photograph Linnea Svensson Arbab)
Sweden’s third largest city
Population (January 2012)
MALMÖ: 302.835 (51 % women and 49 % men), the wider Malmö region: 662.941, Skåne: around 1,3 million.
The Oresund region: around 3,8 million.
A growing city
In the course of 2011, Malmö’s population increased by 3.872, and since the year 2000 there has been a total increase of 45.000 inhabitants. In April the city 2011 passed the 300.000 inhabitant mark, and it is expected to have 334.000 inhabitants by 2020.
A young city
The average age of the Malmö population is 36 years. I Skåne in general the average is 40, and in the whole of Sweden it is 41. 22 % of the population is under 20 years, while 63 % are between 20 and 64 and 15 % are above 64.
A multicultural city
People of 175 different nationalities live in Malmö. 30 %, or 92.200, of Malmös inhabitants were born outside Sweden. The largest gropus are: Iraqi 10.000, Danish 9.000, Yugoslavian 8.000, Polish 7.000 and Bosnian 6.000. 59% of Malmö’s immigrants have Swedish citizenship.
Western Harbour- Photograph Oskar Falk
The Turning Torso
The Turning Torso, one of the most recognisable buildings of Malmö, was inaugurated in November 2005. It’s twisted shape was designed by Santiago Calatrava. The house is 190 m high and contains 54 floors and 147 flats. It is one of the highest residential buildings in Europe.
The Turning Torso by night
Employment
62 % of Malmös inhabitants between the ages of 20 and 64 are in employment (2010), and a further 11.000 work across the Danish border ( 2009). Unemployment in Malmö is at 7,9 %.
Education
In the age group 25-64, 46% of Malmö’s inhabitants have a degree education. The average for Sweden is 39 % (år 2011).
Close to continental Europe
An average of 28.500 people take the train between Malmö and Copenhagen every day, and 19.100 vehicles carrying about 40.600 passangers cross the Oresund strait via the Oresund bridge. In January 2012, more than 62 million vehicles had crossed the Oresund bridge since its inauguration in July of 2000.
A city of bikes
Cycling in Malmo- Photograph Werner Nystrand
From the centre of Malmö to the city limit, there is a maximum of 10 kilometres. Inside the city there is a total of 470 km of cycle path.
Source: Malmö Stad, Stadskontoret, Avdelningen för samhällsplanering.
More facts about Malmö can be found here: www.malmo.se/statistik
Cover Photograph: malmotown.se
