Køge Municipality (Danish: Køge Kommune, Danish pronunciation:[ˈkʰøː(j)ə]) is a kommune in the Region Sjælland on the east coast of the island of Zealand approx. 40 km southwest of Copenhagen. The municipality covers an area of 255 km² (98 sq. miles), and has a total population of 62,848 (2024). Until January 2007, its mayor was Torben Hansen, a member of the Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterne) political party, who died while still in office. He was replaced by Marie Stærke, who at age 27 was Denmark's youngest mayor at that time. [1]