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The Kingdom of Denmark is a country in Scandinavia, northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula and a number of islands north of Germany and southwest of Sweden.

History

Main article: History of Denmark

Forming the centre of the Viking raids from the 9th to the 11th century, Danish kings ruled briefly over England. In the 1397, the Kalmar Union unified the country with Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands under a single crown.

The Union dissolved, with Sweden and Finland leaving the union in 1523. Denmark subsequently lost its provinces in southern Sweden. After the Napoleonic wars, Norway was ceded to Sweden, and Iceland became gradually independent during the 20th century.

On April 9, 1940, Denmark was invaded by Germany and remained occupied througout World War II. After the war, Denmark became a member of the European Union and NATO.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Denmark

Since 1849, Denmark is a constitutional monarchy, governed by the monarch, whose powers are largely symbolical. Denmark's parliament is unicameral, and named Folketing (179 seats). The party with the largest number of votes usually appoints a prime minister, who heads the executive branch of government, assisted by a cabinet of ministers.

Elections for parliament are held every four years.

Counties

Main article: Counties of Denmark

Denmark is divided into 14 counties (amter), and two municipalities (kommuner):

• Aarhus
• Bornholm
• Fredericksberg (kommune)
• Frederiksborg
• Funen
• Kobenhavn
• Kobenhavns (kommune)
• Nordjylland
• Ribe
• Ringkobing
• Roskilde
• Sonderjylland
• Storstrom
• Vejle
• Vestsjalland
• Viborg

Greenland and the Faroe Islands also belong to the Kingdom of Denmark, but have autonomous status and are largely self-governing, and are both represented by 2 seats in the parliament.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Denmark

Denmark consists of the Jutland peninsula and a large number of islands, of which the most important are Fyn and Zealand. The island of Bornholm is located somewhat east of the rest of the country, in the Baltic Sea. Many of the islands are connected by bridges; the Oresund Bridge connects Zealand with Sweden, and the Great Belt Bridge connects Fyn with Zealand.

The country is mostly flat with little elevation (highest point is Yding Skovhøj, at 173 m). The climate is temperate, with mild winters and cool summers. Main cities are the capital Copenhagen (on Zealand), Odense (on Fyn) and Aarhus (on Jutland).

Economy

Main article: Economy of Denmark

This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards, a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and has a comfortable balance of payments surplus. The government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase (a common European currency) of the European Monetary Union (EMU), but Denmark, in a September 2000 referendum, reconfirmed its decision not to join the 11 other EU members in the euro. Even so, the Danish currency remains pegged to the euro.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Denmark

The majority of the population is of Scandinavian descent, with small groups of Inuit (from Greenland), Faroese, and immigrants. Danish is spoken in the entire country, although a small group near the German border speaks German.

About 95% of the Danes are Lutherans; the rest are of other Christian denominations or muslims.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Denmark

The best known Dane is probably Hans Christian Andersen, a writer mostly famous for his fairy tales, such as The Emperor's New Clothes and The Ugly Duckling.

Other well known Danes are existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and physicist Niels Bohr.

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in Denmark
• Transportation in Denmark
• Military of Denmark
• Foreign relations of Denmark
• Danish colonization of the Americas
• List of notable Danish people
• Danish nation

External Links

• Government of Denmark

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