Hamburg in figures
International City of over a million inhabitants. Green City. Port. City of Media & Culture.
A total of 1.8 million people live in Germany’s second largest city over an area of more than 750km². Of the residents, 550,000 have an immigration background, representing 183 nationalities. They all live in 7 Districts (Hamburg-Mitte, Altona, Eimsbüttel, Hamburg-Nord, Wandsbek, Bergedorf and Harburg) and a total of 104 urban quarters.
Green Hamburg
Despite being an industrial port, Hamburg is one of the greenest big cities in Europe: Almost one fifth of the surface area is covered by meadows, forests, parks and water and around half of these areas are protected. In over 100 years of history of the Hamburg parks, green areas have increased more than tenfold, from 200 to 3000 hectares.
Today Hamburg links its leading role in sustainable city development with contemporary concepts. In 2011 the city was awarded the title “Environment Capital of Europe”. Hamburg is working on the ambitious goal to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 80% by the year 2050. The strategy provides for resource-saving internal growth: Brownfields and industrial lands are to be reclaimed for the residents. One example: Hamburg‘s Port City is one of the biggest inner-city construction projects in Europe. In the middle of the city, Hamburg is utilizing 157 hectares of the former port district for urban development. By 2015 12,000 apartments and offices for a total 45,000 people were built here. Numerous buildings have won awards for sustainable architecture.
A further major project is the climate-neutral rebuilding and new development of the Wilhelmsburg district under the framework of the International Building Exhibition (IBA) 2013. In the course of the International Garten Show (igs) the Wilhelmsburg Island Park was built, with sunbathing lawns, barbeque sites, playgrounds and sports areas, a canoe canal and high rope park. This is the location of the WÄLDERHAUS. The Island Park links Hamburg’s green parks north and south of the River Elbe and with 100 hectares is one of the biggest parks built in Germany during the last few years.
Transport Junction & Port City
The Hanseatic City of Hamburg is an important traffic junction not only for north Germany but also for northern Europe. Some 60 airlines connect Hamburg directly with 115 national and international destinations. 700 long-distance trains depart from here every day from four rail stations.
Although Hamburg is not on the coast, the Port of Hamburg is the biggest and most important seaport in Germany and a place for foreign trade and transit.
Around 9 million containers are moved every year in the port of Hamburg. About one third of these stay in the metropolitan region, and the rest transported to other German states or to neighboring European countries. The port is of major economic importance.
Media and Culture City
In terms of media and culture Hamburg is a city of superlatives: Here are the head offices of Germany’s journal publishing houses, the German Press Agency (dpa) and a number of TV and radio stations.
Classical composers such as Händel and Brahms or the authors Lessing and Matthias Claudius are closely linked with the history of the city.
Today after New York and London, Hamburg is the third largest Musical Metropolis. Up to 2 million visitors every year enjoy visiting musicals such as “The Lion King”.
A new star in the culture sky is without a doubt the “Elbphilharmonie” that the people of Hamburg lovingly call “Elphi”. After some years of delay, the construction of the concert hall was completed in 2016. The 110 meter high building in the Port City district is on the right bank of the northern Elbe. The building plinth incorporates the shell of the former imperial storage warehouse A (built in 1963). Above it rises a modern construction with a glass facade reminiscent of sails, waves, icebergs or crystal quartz.
Hamburg and the SDGs
A multi-disciplinary, politically independent council has analyzed the SDGs and identified areas where action needs to be taken as these are of particular importance for Hamburg. This gave rise to four thematic areas that are at the focus of further procedures and therefore to be worked on more intensively: 1) Environment and city, 2) Sustainable economic and financial policies, 3) Participation and social solidarity and 4) Education and science. The next step (status: March 2019) comprises setting up and putting into practice an effective control and monitoring system for the individual part goals.
Source: www.hamburg.de, the official Hamburg website