The “tiny” Kingdom of Denmark, which stands in for Germany on the continent, is actually a very huge country, ranking 12th in the globe. It is geographically larger than the combined areas of Germany, Turkey, and France.

In contrast to popular belief, Greenland is a semiautonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark rather than a separate state. The 57,000 inhabitants of Greenland lack a defence force, a UN seat, and floating currency. Denmark is the basis for all of these.

Denmark, a Nordic nation in the south-central region of Northern Europe, is pronounced [ˈtaenmɑk]. It refers to the most populous region and the metropolitan portion of the legally unitary Kingdom of Denmark, which also includes the autonomous regions of Greenland and the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Situated to the south-west and south of Sweden, south of Norway and north of Germany, with which it shares a short border, Metropolitan Denmark is the southernmost of the Scandinavian countries.

There were 1,419 islands larger than 100 square meters (1,100 square feet) in the Kingdom of Denmark as of 2013, including the Faroe Islands and Greenland; 443 of these had names, and 78 of them were inhabited.

Metropolitan Denmark is made up of an archipelago of 406 islands and the northern portion of the Jutland peninsula, with an area of 42,943 km2 (16,580 sq mi) of them, the most populous island is Zealand, home to Denmark, the capital and largest city; Funen, the North Jutlandic Island, and Amager are the next most populous islands.

Denmark, a developed nation with a good level of living, was the first to approve same-sex unions officially. It is a part of the Schengen Area and a founding member of the United Nations, the OECD, the NATO, the OSCE, and the Nordic Council.

With the Danish language being somewhat mutually intelligible with both Norwegian and Swedish, Denmark maintains tight political, cultural, and linguistic links with its Scandinavian neighbours. The phrase “getting to Denmark” refers to how other nations might enhance their governments, and the Danish political system is cited in political science as a model for almost ideal governance.

ETYMOLOGY

Scholarly discussion has never stopped over the origins of the word “Denmark,” the connection between “Danes” and “Denmark,” and the formation of Denmark as a single nation. The main focus of this is the morpheme “Dan,” specifically the significance of the -“mark” ending and whether it refers to the Dani or a historical figure named Dan.

The majority of etymological dictionaries and manuals define “Dan” as “flat land,” a word that is connected to the German words Tenne (“threshing floor”) and den (“cave”) in English. It is thought that the element mark refers to borderland or woodland (see marches), most likely referring to the border woodlands in south Schleswig.

HISTORY

By the late eighth century, Denmark had largely solidified, and Frankish sources constantly refer to its rulers as kings (reges). With the exception of Bornholm, the Danish kingdom may have comprised all of the regions of Jutland, Scania, and the Danish islands under Gudfred’s rule in 804. Of the 1008 lakes in the nation, 16 cover an area greater than 500 hectares (1,200 acres). The largest lake is Lake Arresø, which is situated northwest of Copenhagen.

The largest island in the world, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean are two of the overseas territories that make up the Kingdom of Denmark. Both territories are located far to the west of Denmark. Together with the Danish mainland, these territories form the Danish Realm, a nation, and are self-governing under their own parliaments, the Løgting and Inatsisartut.

CLIMATE

Denmark experiences pleasant summers with an average temperature of 17.2 °C (63.0 °F) in August and chilly to cold winters with mean temperatures in January of 1.5 °C (34.7 °F). Since records began in 1874, the two most extreme temperatures ever recorded in Denmark were −31.2 °C (−24.2 °F) in 1982 and 36.4 °C (97.5 °F) in 1975.

Denmark receives 765 millimetres (30 in) of precipitation on average every year on 179 days; autumn is the wettest season, while spring is the driest. Denmark’s northern location causes significant seasonal fluctuations in daylight: long summer days with sunrise at 4:30 am and sunset at 10 pm (daylight saving time) and short winter days with sunrise coming at 8:45 am and sunset at 3:45 pm (regular time).

ENVIRONMENT

In December 2020, Denmark ceased to issue new permits for the extraction of oil and gas. Denmark’s main environmental problems are water and land pollution, even though the majority of its industrial and domestic waste is now filtered and occasionally recycled.

Denmark has always had a progressive approach to environmental conservation; it was the first nation in the world to enact an environmental law in 1973 and established a Ministry of the Environment in 1971. The Copenhagen Climate Change Protocol was signed by the Danish government in an effort to slow down environmental deterioration and global warming.

GOVERNMENT

Denmark’s Constitution provides a framework for the country’s political system. It was draughted for the first time in 1849 and creates a constitutional monarchy with a unicameral legislative system of representation. Officially, the king is still in charge of the executive branch and is the head of the Council of State (privy council).

In actuality, the monarch’s responsibilities are purely ceremonial and representative including the official nomination and removal of the Prime Minister and other Cabinet members. The Monarch is unaccountable for their deeds and their person is sacred. Since January 14, 2024, King Frederik X, an heir apparent, has served as the head of state.

ECONOMY

The World Bank categorises Denmark’s sophisticated mixed economy as high-income. In terms of nominal GNI per capita and gross national product (PPP) per capita, it was placed 10th and 16th respectively in the world in 2017.

According to both the Economic Freedom of the World and the Index of Economic Freedom, Denmark’s economy is notably among the most open. Also, in line with the World Economic Forum’s 2018 Global Competitiveness Report, it is the sixth most competitive economy in Europe and the tenth most competitive economy globally.

In the globe, Denmark has the fourth-highest percentage of people with postsecondary degrees. In terms of workers’ rights, the nation is ranked first in the world. In 2009, the GDP per hour worked ranked thirteenth highest. The nation’s market income disparity is about identical to the OECD average, however it is far less after taxes and government handouts.

Denmark had the seventh-lowest disposable income Gini coefficient among EU nations in 2017, according to Eurostat. The International Monetary Fund claims that Denmark has the highest minimum wage globally.

Denmark does not have a minimum wage law, thus trade union strength has been credited for the country’s high wage floor. For instance, as a result of the 3F trade union and the collective bargaining agreement. Wind turbines, medications, machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, fish, dairy products, furniture, and design among the nation’s top exports.

Denmark used to be a net debitor nation but is now a net creditor nation due to its net exports of food and energy and several years of balance of payments surplus. As of July 1, 2018, Denmark’s net foreign assets, also known as its net international investment position, accounted for 64.6% of its GDP.

RELIGION

In Denmark, Christianity is the most common religion. The legally recognised Church of Denmark (Den Danske Folkekirke), which is Lutheran in direction and Protestant in classification, was attended by 71.2% of Denmark’s populace as of 2024. Since the 1970s, the membership percentage has been steadily declining, primarily due to a decrease in the number of babies being baptised into it.193 Just 3% of people routinely go to church on Sundays while just 19% of Danes believe that religion plays a significant role in their daily lives.

EDUCATION

In Denmark, local municipalities oversee and are subject to regulation by the Ministry of Education on all educational programs. Folkeskole includes primary and lower secondary education during the whole mandatory schooling year.

The majority of kids go to folkeskole for ten years, from six to sixteen. Although there are no final exams, students have the option to take one after they graduate from ninth grade (around the age of 14 or 15). If you want to pursue higher education, you must pass the test.

Students also have the option of attending private schools, such as Waldorf or Christian schools, or independent schools, known as friskole or privatskole. After completing compulsory school, students have access to a variety of postsecondary educational options, such as the Higher Technical Examination Programme (HTX) and the Gymnasium (STX), which prioritises teaching a combination of science and humanities.

HEALTHCARE

The life expectancy at birth in Denmark is 80.6 years (82.5 for women and 78.6 for men) as of 2015, up from 76.9 years in 2000. This places it behind the other Nordic countries at 27th place out of 193 countries. The University of Southern Denmark’s National Institute of Public Health has identified 19 significant risk factors, such as alcohol and drug misuse, smoking, physical inactivity, and other lifestyle choices, that are associated with a decreased life expectancy among Danes.

Even though Denmark has a lower obesity rate than most other European nations and North America, the high number of overweight Danes means that the healthcare system must pay an additional DKK 1,625 million annually. Denmark has the highest cancer rate of all the countries evaluated in a 2012 survey.

FOOD

Like the other Nordic nations and Northern Germany, Denmark’s traditional diet consists primarily of meat, fish, and potatoes. Because of the country’s long, harsh winters, its topography, and its agricultural background, Danish cuisine is quite seasonal. Smørrebrød, or open sandwiches on rye bread, is something of a national dish.

Warm foods typically comprise ground meats like hakkebøf (minced beef patties) and frikadeller (veal and pig meatballs), or heavier meat and fish dishes like kogt torsk (poached cod) with mustard sauce and flaeskesteg (roast pork with crackling). Denmark is well-known for its akvavit, bitters, and beers like Tuborg and Carlsberg.

CULTURE

Denmark’s neighbours in Scandinavia, Sweden and Norway, have deep cultural and historical connections with Denmark. It has always been among the world’s most socially advanced cultures. Denmark was the first nation to legalise pornography in 1969. It also replaced its “registered partnership” laws in 1989 with gender-neutral marriage laws in 2012, allowing same-sex marriages to be performed in the Danish Church.

Social equality and modesty play significant roles in Danish society. Denmark scored fourth globally in a 2016 study comparing the empathy scores of 63 countries, with the highest empathy among the European nations examined.

Jul, or Danish Christmas, is a significant aspect of Danish culture. The celebration spans the entire month of December, with a range of customs leading up to the Christmas Eve dinner, which either begins at the start of Advent or on December 1. Christiansfeld, a Moravian Church Settlement; the Jelling Mounds (Runic Stones and Church);

Kronborg Castle; Roskilde Cathedral; and The Par Force Hunting Landscape in North Zealand are the seven heritage sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in Northern Europe. Three heritage sites—Ilulissat Icefjord, Aasivissuit—Nipisat, and Kujataa within the Kingdom of Denmark—are listed on the World Heritage list in North America.

Simple FunFacts to Know AS you travel to Denmark

• The Danes never cross the road against a red light and they never disobey traffic laws.
• They consume up to four cups of coffee and pastries every day.
• In Denmark, pigs and bicycles outnumber people.
• The well-known Tivoli amusement park in Copenhagen served as the model for American Disneyland.
• In Denmark, structures are typically no taller than six stories.
• Denmark’s tallest peak, Møllehøj, is barely 170 meters (560 feet) above sea level. Even in the Netherlands’ lowlands, there are higher peaks.
• The well-known LEGO construction toys are made by the family-run LEGO Group, a corporation based in Denmark. One of the most well-known attractions in Denmark is Legoland, which welcomes over 1.5 million people annually.
• Furthermore, Skype, the well-known internet chat program, was born in Denmark.
• In honour of Denmark’s King Harald I Bluetooth, Bluetooth was given its name.
• On your birthday in Denmark, if you are 25 years old and single, you will be showered in cinnamon.