Lands of Denmark
The three lands of Denmark historically formed the Danish kingdom from its unification and consolidation in the 10th century until the 17th century:
- Zealand and the islands south of it, with Roskilde as a centre
- Jutland, the western peninsula, with Viborg as a centre and the island of Fyn.
- Scania on the Scandinavian Peninsula, with Lund as a centre
During the early 19th century, Zealand and Fyn became administratively united as Østifterne with a provincial assembly in Roskilde. Jutland, The Islands, and Bornholm remain an informal subdivision still used, notably in meteorology and public statistics. Bornholm is the only part to represent Skåneland after the rest of the region was lost to Sweden in 1658.
In recent decades, the less specific division between Eastern and Western Denmark has also become common, for example when describing logistic, economic and political patterns. Funen may be attributed to both the eastern and western parts of the country, the border line being either the Great Belt or the Little Belt.