Oslo is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. Founded in the year 1040, and established as a kaupstad or trading place in 1048 by Harald Hardrada, the city was elevated to a bishopric in 1070 and a capital under Haakon V of Norway around 1300. Personal unions with Denmark from 1397 to 1523 and again from 1536 to 1814 reduced its influence, but Norway remained one of the most prosperous countries in Europe. The city was destroyed by a fire in 1624. After the Danish-Norwegian union was dissolved in 1814, Oslo became the capital of the independent Kingdom of Norway. The city was bombed by Nazi Germany during World War II. In 1949, a fire destroyed much of the city center. Oslo is the economic and governmental centre of Norway. It is also the country's most populous municipality, with a population of 647,624 as of January 1, 2016. The city's metropolitan area had an estimated population of 1.71 million in 2016. The population of the city itself was 658,390 in 2015. The city is located in the eastern part of Norway. The municipality covers 465 square kilometres (180 sq mi) and had a population of 658,390 in 2015. The urban area extends beyond the boundaries of the municipality into the surrounding county of Akershus, the total population of this agglomeration is 942,084.