Kiel

Kiel
Aerial view o the ceety centre
Coat airms
Kiel
Coordinates: 54°19′31″N 10°8′26″E
Kintra	Germany
State	Schleswig-Holstein
Destrict	Urban destrict
Subdivisions	18 destricts
Govrenment
• Laird Mayor	Ulf Kämpfer (SPD)
• Governing parties	SPD / Greens
Area
• Total	118.6 km2 (45.8 sq mi)
Elevation	5 m (16 ft)
Population  (2021-12-31)
• Total	246,243
• Density	2,100/km2 (5,400/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	24103–24159
Diallin codes	0431
Vehicle registration	KI
Website	www.kiel.de

Kiel (German pronunciation: [ˈkiːl] ( listen)) is the caipital an maist populous ceety in the northren German state o Schleswig-Holstein, wi a population o ower 237,000 (2009).

Kiel is approximately 90 kilometre (56 mi) north o Hamburg. Due tae its geographic location in the north o Germany, the sootheast o the Jutland peninsula, an the soothwastren shore o the Baltic Sea, Kiel haes become ane o the major maritime centres o Germany. For instance, the ceety is kent for a variety o internaitional sailin events, includin the annual Kiel Week, which is the biggest sailin event in the warld. The Olympic sailin competitions o the 1936 an the 1972 Simmer Olympics wur held in Kiel.

Kiel haes an aa been ane o the traditional hames o the German Navy's Baltic fleet, an continues tae be a major heich-tech shipbiggin centre. Kiel is an important sea transport hub, thanks tae its location at the Kiel Fjord (Kieler Förde) an the busiest artificial waterway in the warld, Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostsee-Kanal). A nummer o passenger ferries tae Swaden, Norrowey an ither kintras operate frae here. Moreower, the day Kiel harbour is an important port o caw for cruise ships tourin the Baltic Sea.

In 2005 Kiel's GDP per capita wis €35,618, well abuin Germany's naitional average, an 159% o the European Union's average.

Athin Germany an pairts o Europe, the ceety is kent for its leadin handbaw team, THW Kiel. The ceety is hame tae the University o Kiel (established in 1665).

Sister touns

Kiel is twinned wi:

• Brest, Fraunce (1964)
• Coventry, Unitit Kinrick (1967)
• Vaasa, Finland (1967)
• Gdynia, Poland (1985)
• Tallinn, Estonie (1986)
• Stralsund, Germany (1987)
• Kaliningrad, Roushie (1992)
• Sovetsk, Roushie (1992)