Central Denmark Region - Denmark's International Growth Region
Central Denmark Region covers the central part of Jutland from coast to coast. With approx. 1.2 million inhabitants, it is Denmark's second-largest region after the Capital Region. The region consists of 19 municipalities and several large cities, including Denmark's second-largest city, Aarhus, with approx. 300,000 inhabitants, as well as Randers, Horsens, Silkeborg and Herning.

The landscape of Central Denmark Region is very varied, from the North Sea and its dunes in the west and beautiful lakes in the lake highlands to attractive bays and idyllic inlets in the eastern part of the region. The region also offers a broad range of cultural attractions, from the internationally recognised art museum Aros in Aarhus to a medieval festival and large-scale concerts featuring international names in Horsens, living-history events at Hjerl Hede Open Air Museum and fantastic experiences at Aqua in Silkeborg, the Kattegat Centre in Grenaa and Randers Rainforest Tropical Zoo.

Attractive region for companies
Central Denmark Region has great growth and development potential. The region has a vibrant economic life, strong competencies in knowledge environments, research and education, and rapid population growth. The region thus accounts for almost a fourth of the total Danish workforce.

In the eastern part of the region, the growth zone Aarhus attracts manpower and investments, thanks partly to the numerous institutions of higher education, which include the university, business school and engineering academy. Aarhus also has Denmark's largest container port for overseas container transport. In the west, the growth centres around the cities of Holstebro and Herning are particular industrial strengths, with food processing, wood and furniture industries, textiles and clothing, metal and production technology.

Development of new positions of strength
Central Denmark Region is actively working to establish new positions of strength.

ICT is a constantly developing position of strength, and in particular the ICT research at the Alexandra Institute in Aarhus' IT city has attracted many companies. Most recently, Google has opened a development department there.

Within food, the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences' Research Centre Foulum is the centre of livestock and plant research in Denmark and collaborates closely with many companies.

Within health, an extension of Skejby University Hospital to become the largest hospital in Scandinavia with associated health technology industries will become an important driving force for the development of the health system in the region and in Denmark as a whole. A new hospital will also be built in the western part of the region.

Within energy, Central Denmark Region enjoys a particularly strong position, with some of the world's largest wind turbine manufacturers such as Vestas Wind Energy A/S, Siemens Wind Power A/S and Suzlon Wind Energy A/S located here. Since 1997, Samsø has been Denmark's sustainable energy island, while the latest hydrogen technology is being developed in Herning in the western part of the region.