Finger Plan facts for kids

An aerial image showing the metropolitan area of Copenhagen, following the Finger Plan.

The Finger Plan (Danish: Fingerplanen) is an urban plan from 1947 which provides a strategy for the development of the Copenhagen metropolitan area in Denmark. According to the plan, all future development of Copenhagen would be along five 'fingers'. These grouped business areas would be near S-train commuter rail lines. The finger-line areas extend from the 'palm' which represents the dense urban area of central Copenhagen. Between the 'fingers', is land for agriculture and recreational use.

By the definition used in the Finger Plan, the metropolitan area has a population of 1,930,260 (1 October 2011). It has an area of 3,030 km² (1,170 sq mi) over 34 municipalities.

In 2007 the Finger Plan was updated to the "Finger Plan 2007". This plan is written into the laws and is legally binding over Greater Copenhagen. The Finger Plan for 2007 does share the metropolitan area like this:

• Inner metropolitan area (the palm)
• Outer metropolitan area (the fingers)
• the green areas (the space between the fingers)
• The other metropolitan area (as are for the end of the fingers)