The mayor has since 2014 been Marcel Meijer, a member of the Social Democrats (Danish: Socialdemokraterne) political party.

[2] The municipality is part of Business Region Aarhus and of the East Jutland metropolitan area, which had a total population of 1.378 million in 2016.

[5][6] Samsø never had any market towns (Danish: Købstader), but was granted special privileges as islanders.

The naval importance of Samsø became significant through the 1600s, but the Great Northern War in 1709-1720 halved the ships on the island.

Several fortifications and scones were constructed on Samsø and the surrounding islands, which increased its military importance.

The English Wars resulted in another halving of Samsø's ship, and another big hit to the island's economy and maritime significance.

[7] In 1962 there were five parish municipalities in Samsø Hundred: Besser, Kolby, Nordby, Onsbjerg and Tranebjerg.

[12] Nordby is the northernmost settlement on the island, and is the location of several restaurants and hotel, as well as the largest natural maze in the world, Samsø Labyrinten.

The ferry harbour to Hov and Aarhus is located in Sælvig, also on the western side of the island, but further north.

These are all the settlements with populations of less than 200 people:[20] Most of Samsø is used for agriculture, but the island is also home to several important Danish nature areas.

Up to a quarter of the heath is covered in the invasive moss campylopus introflexus, which suffocates the native erica.

Four isolated parts of the hills are also protected: Staderenden, Svinekilderne, Møgelskår and Asmindør Hage.

[27] Espedal, a valley in Møgelskår, is home to unusual Danish livestock, namely gute sheep and highland cattle.

The European green toad can be found in Nordby Hills, which makes it the northernmost habitat for the frog in Europe.

Rare Danish plants in the hills include anacamptis morio, potentilla neumanniana and medicago minima.

It covers an area of around 20 km2, and is surrounded by Samsø, with an opening between Lilleøre and the 5 km long isthmus Besser Rev to the north.

Many types of ducks, seaducks and seabirds also breed here, including one of the largest cormorant colonies in Denmark.

The yellow meadow ant is common on the beaches along the fjord, where swans and waders also breed.

[33] The islands of Stavns Fjord are: Bosserne, Brokold, Eskeholm, Hjortholm, Hundsholm, Karlskold, Kolderne, Kyholm, Lindholm, Mejlesholm, Sværm, Vejrø, Yderste Holm, Ægholm and Ørhage.

A plague house was constructed, and merchant ships had to dock at Kyholm in 40 days to prevent infection with the islanders.

A third of the voters in the municipality voted for the Socialist People's Party's candidate Ulla Holm.

Holm was a local candidate from Samsø, and received 881 of the 937 votes cast for her party in the municipality.

Samsø's windmills provide more electricity than the municipality need, and has since 1997 been named 'Denmark renewable energy island'.

There are ten windmills in the ocean south of Samsø and a large solar cell facility outside Nordby.

When Christian V gave the island of Samsø to Sophie Amalie Moth in 1676, Brattingsborg was included.

[63] The main building of the manor was built between 1870 and 1898 by Knud Christian Borring and Martin Borch.

This amounts to around a quarter of the land on Samsø, and also includes Vesborg Lighthouse and the harbour in Kolby Kås.

The islands of Kyholm, Lindholm, Vejrø, Bosserne, Hjortholm, Mejlesholm, Yderste Holm and Karlskold are all also owned by Brattingsborg.

Samsø Råvarefestival takes place in Tranebjerg and hosts many of the local food and drink companies.

The center has facilities for numerous sports, including badminton, basketball, table tennis, bridge, dart, fitness, association football, golf, gymnastics, dance, dog sports, handball, shooting, scouting, skateboarding, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, and volleyball.