The Kingdom of Denmark, including the Faroe Islands and Greenland, has roughly1,400 islands greater than 100 square metres (1,100 sq ft) in area; 443 have been named and 78 are inhabited.[14] Denmark's population is close to 6 million,[7] of which roughly 40% live inZealand, the largest and most populated island in Denmark proper;Copenhagen, the capital and largest city of the Danish Realm, is situated on Zealand and Amager.[15] Composed mostly of flat,arable land, Denmark is characterised by sandy coasts, low elevation, and atemperate climate. Denmark exerciseshegemonic influence in theDanish Realm,devolving powers to the other constituent entities to handle their internal affairs.Home rule was established in the Faroe Islands in 1948;Greenland achieved home rule in 1979 andfurther autonomy in 2009.[16]
The etymology of the name "Denmark", the relationship between "Danes" and "Denmark", and the emergence of Denmark as a unified kingdom are topics of continuous scholarly debate.[19][20] This is centred primarily on the morpheme"Dan" and whether it refers to theDani or a historical personDan and the exact meaning of the -"mark" ending.
Most etymological dictionaries and handbooks derive "Dan" from a word meaning "flat land",[21] related to GermanTenne "threshing floor", Englishden "cave".[21] The elementmark is believed to meanwoodland orborderland (seemarches), with probable references to the border forests in southSchleswig.[22]
During thePre-Roman Iron Age (500 BC – AD 1), native groups began migrating south, and the first tribalDanes came to the country between the Pre-Roman and theGermanic Iron Age,[26] in theRoman Iron Age (AD 1–400).[25] TheRoman provinces maintainedtrade routes and relations with native tribes in Denmark, andRoman coins have been found in Denmark. Evidence of strongCeltic cultural influence dates from this period in Denmark and much of North-West Europe and is among other things reflected in the finding of theGundestrup cauldron.
The tribal Danes came from the eastDanish islands (Zealand) andScania and spoke an early form ofNorth Germanic. Historians believe that before their arrival, most ofJutland and the nearest islands were settled by tribalJutes. Many Jutes migrated toGreat Britain, according to legend some as mercenaries ofBrythonic KingVortigern, and formed the south-eastern territories ofKent, theIsle of Wight and other areas, where they settled. They were later absorbed orethnically cleansed by the invadingAngles andSaxons, who formed theAnglo-Saxons. The remainingJutish population in Jutland assimilated in with the settlingDanes.
A short note about theDani inGetica by the historianJordanes is believed to be an early mention of the Danes, one of theethnic groups from whom modernDanes are descended.[27][28] TheDanevirke defence structures were built in phases from the 3rd century forward and the sheer size of the construction efforts in AD 737 are attributed to the emergence of a Danish king.[29] Anew runic alphabet was first used around the same time andRibe, the oldest town of Denmark, was founded about AD 700.
TheLadby ship, the largest ship burial found in Denmark
From the 8th to the 10th century the widerScandinavian region was the source ofVikings. They colonised, raided, and traded in all parts of Europe. The Danish Vikings were most active in the eastern and southernBritish Isles andWestern Europe. They settled in parts ofEngland (known as theDanelaw) under KingSweyn Forkbeard in 1013, and inFrance where Danes and Norwegians were allowed to settle in what would becomeNormandy in exchange of allegiance toRobert I of France withRollo as first ruler. SomeAnglo-Saxonpence of this period have been found in Denmark.[30]
Denmark was largely consolidated by the late 8th century and its rulers are consistently referred to inFrankish sources as kings (reges). Under the reign ofGudfred in 804 the Danish kingdom may have included all thelands of Jutland,Scania and the Danish islands, excluding Bornholm.[31]
The extant Danish monarchy traces its roots back toGorm the Old, who established his reign in the early 10th century.[2] As attested by theJelling stones, the Danes wereChristianised around 965 byHarald Bluetooth, the son ofGorm andThyra. It is believed that Denmark became Christian for political reasons so as not to get invaded by theHoly Roman Empire. A rising Christian power in Europe, the Holy Roman Empire was an important trading partner for the Danes. As a deterrent against this threat, Harald built sixfortresses around Denmark calledTrelleborg and built a furtherDanevirke. In the early 11th century,Canute the Great won and united Denmark, England, andNorway for almost 30 years with a Scandinavian army.[30]
In 1397, Denmark entered into apersonal union known as theKalmar Union withNorway andSweden, united under QueenMargaret I.[32] The three countries were to be treated as equals in the union. However, even from the start, Margaret may not have been so idealistic—treating Denmark as the clear "senior" partner of the union.[33] Thus, much of the next 125 years ofScandinavian history revolves around this union, with Sweden breaking off and being re-conquered repeatedly. The issue was for practical purposes resolved on 17 June 1523, asSwedish KingGustav Vasa conquered the city ofStockholm. TheProtestant Reformation spread to Scandinavia in the 1530s, and following theCount's Feud civil war,Denmark converted toLutheranism in 1536. Later that year, Denmark entered into a union with Norway.
After Sweden permanentlybroke away from the personal union, Denmark tried on several occasions to reassert control over its neighbour. KingChristian IV attacked Sweden in the 1611–1613Kalmar War but failed to accomplish his main objective of forcing it to return to the union. The war led to no territorial changes, but Sweden was forced to pay awar indemnity of 1 million silverriksdaler to Denmark, an amount known as theÄlvsborg ransom.[34] King Christian used this money to found several towns and fortresses, most notablyGlückstadt (founded as a rival toHamburg) andChristiania. Inspired by theDutch East India Company, he founded a similarDanish company and planned to claimCeylon as a colony, but the company only managed to acquireTranquebar on India'sCoromandel Coast. Denmark's large colonial aspirations included a few keytrading posts inAfrica andIndia. While Denmark's trading posts in India were of little note, it played an important role in the highly lucrativeAtlantic slave trade, through its trading outposts inFort Christiansborg inOsu,Ghana through which 1.5 million slaves were traded.[35] While the Danish colonial empire was sustained by trade with other major powers, andplantations – ultimately a lack of resources led to its stagnation.[36]
In theThirty Years' War, Christian tried to become the leader of theLutheran states in Germany but suffered a crushing defeat at theBattle of Lutter.[37] The result was that the Catholic army underAlbrecht von Wallenstein was able to invade, occupy, and pillage Jutland, forcing Denmarkto withdraw from the war.[38] Denmark managed to avoid territorial concessions, but KingGustavus Adolphus' intervention in Germany was seen as a sign that the military power of Sweden was on the rise while Denmark's influence in the region was declining. Swedish armiesinvaded Jutland in 1643 and claimed Scania in 1644. In the 1645Treaty of Brømsebro, Denmark surrendered Halland,Gotland, the last parts of Danish Estonia, and several provinces in Norway.
Seeing an opportunity to tear up the Treaty of Brømsebro, KingFrederick III of Denmark, in 1657, declared war on Sweden, the latter being deeply involved in theSecond Northern War (1655–1660), and marched onBremen-Verden. This led to a massive Danish defeat as the armies of KingCharles X Gustav of Sweden conqueredJutland and, following theSwedish March across the frozenDanish straits, occupiedFunen and much ofZealand before signing thePeace of Roskilde in February 1658, which gave Sweden control of Scania,Blekinge,Bohuslän,Trøndelag, and the island ofBornholm. Charles X Gustav quickly regretted not having ruined Denmark and in August 1658, he launched asecond attack on Denmark, conquered most of the Danish islands, and began a two-year-long siege ofCopenhagen. King Frederick III actively led the defence of the city, rallying its citizens to take up arms, andrepelled the Swedish attacks.[39][40] The siege ended following the death of Charles X Gustav in 1660.[41] In the ensuingpeace settlement, Denmark managed to maintain its independence and regain control of Trøndelag and Bornholm.[42] Attaining great popularity following the war, Frederick III used this todisband the elective monarchy in favour ofabsolute monarchy, which lasted until 1848 in Denmark.[43]
Denmark tried but failed to regain control of Scania in theScanian War (1675–1679). After theGreat Northern War (1700–21), Denmark managed to regain control of the parts ofSchleswig andHolstein ruled by the house ofHolstein-Gottorp in the 1720Treaty of Frederiksborg and the 1773Treaty of Tsarskoye Selo, respectively. Denmark prospered greatly in the last decades of the 18th century due to itsneutral status allowing it to trade with both sides in the many contemporary wars. In theNapoleonic Wars, Denmark traded with bothFrance and theUnited Kingdom and joined theLeague of Armed Neutrality withRussia, Sweden, andPrussia.[44] British fears that Denmark-Norway would ally with France led to two attacks against Danish targets in Copenhagen in1801 and1807. These attacks resulted in the British capturing most of the Dano-Norwegian navy and led to the outbreak of theGunboat War. British control of the waterways between Denmark and Norway proved disastrous to the union's economy and in 1813 Denmark–Norway went bankrupt.[citation needed]
The union was dissolved by theTreaty of Kiel in 1814; the Danish monarchy "irrevocably and forever" renounced claims to the Kingdom of Norway in favour of the Swedish king.[45] Denmark kept the possessions ofIceland (which retained the Danish monarchy until 1944), theFaroe Islands andGreenland, all of which had been governed by Norway for centuries.[46] Apart from the Nordic colonies, Denmark continued to rule overDanish India from 1620 to 1869, theDanish Gold Coast (Ghana) from 1658 to 1850, and theDanish West Indies from 1671 to 1917.
A nascent Danish liberal and national movement gained momentum in the 1830s; after the EuropeanRevolutions of 1848, Denmark peacefully became aconstitutional monarchy on 5 June 1849. A new constitution established atwo-chamber parliament. Denmark faced war against bothPrussia and theAustrian Empire in what became known as theSecond Schleswig War, lasting from February to October 1864. Denmark was defeated and obliged tocedeSchleswig and Holstein toPrussia. This loss came as the latest in the long series of defeats andterritorial losses that had begun in the 17th century. After these events, Denmark pursued a policy of neutrality in Europe.
Industrialisation came to Denmark in the second half of the 19th century.[47] Thenation's first railways were constructed in the 1850s, and improved communications and overseas trade allowed industry to develop in spite of Denmark's lack of natural resources.Trade unions developed, starting in the 1870s. There was a considerable migration of people from the countryside to the cities, and Danish agriculture became centred on the export of dairy and meat products.
Denmarkmaintained its neutral stance duringWorld War I. After the defeat of Germany, theVersailles powers offered to return the region of Schleswig-Holstein to Denmark. Fearing Germanirredentism, Denmark refused to consider the return of the area without aplebiscite; the twoSchleswig Plebiscites took place on 10 February and 14 March 1920, respectively. On 10 July 1920, Northern Schleswig was recovered by Denmark, thereby adding some 163,600 inhabitants and 3,984 square kilometres (1,538 sq mi). The country's first social democratic government took office in 1924.[48]
Denmark became a member of the European Union in 1973 and signed theLisbon Treaty in 2007.
Denmark was a founding member of theEuropean Free Trade Association (EFTA). During the 1960s, the EFTA countries were often referred to as theOuter Seven, as opposed to theInner Six of what was then theEuropean Economic Community (EEC).[50] In 1973, along with Britain and Ireland, Denmark joined the European Economic Community (now theEuropean Union) after apublic referendum. TheMaastricht Treaty, which involved further European integration,was rejected by the Danish people in 1992; it was only accepted after asecond referendum in 1993, which provided forfour opt-outs from policies. The Danes rejected the euro as the national currency ina referendum in 2000. Greenland gained home rule in 1979 and was awardedself-determination in 2009. Neither theFaroe Islands norGreenland are members of the European Union, the Faroese having declined membership of the EEC in 1973 and Greenland in 1986, in both cases because of fisheries policies.
The metropolitan part occupies a total area of 42,943.9square kilometres (16,581 sq mi).[53] The area of inland water is 43 km2 (17 sq mi).[54] The size of the land area cannot be stated exactly since the ocean constantly erodes and adds material to the coastline, and because of humanland reclamation projects (to counter erosion).Post-glacial rebound raises the land by a bit less than 1 cm (0.4 in) per year in the north and east, extending the coast. A circle enclosing the same area as Denmark would be 234 kilometres (145 miles) indiameter with acircumference of 736 km (457 mi) (land area only: 232.33 km (144.36 mi) and 730 km (454 mi) respectively). It shares a border of 68 kilometres (42 mi) withGermany to the south and is otherwise surrounded by 8,750 km (5,437 mi) of tidalshoreline (including smallbays andinlets).[55] No location in Denmark is farther from the coast than 52 km (32 mi). On the south-west coast of Jutland, the tide is between 1 and 2 m (3.28 and 6.56 ft), and the tideline moves outward and inward on a 10 km (6.2 mi) stretch.[56] Denmark'sterritorial waters total 105,000 square kilometres (40,541 square miles).
Denmark's northernmost point isSkagen point (the north beach of the Skaw) at 57° 45' 7" northern latitude; the southernmost isGedser point (the southern tip ofFalster) at 54° 33' 35" northern latitude; the westernmost point isBlåvandshuk at 8° 4' 22" eastern longitude; and the easternmost point isØsterskær at 15° 11' 55" eastern longitude. This is in the smallErtholmene archipelago 18 kilometres (11 mi) north-east of Bornholm. The distance from east to west is 452 kilometres (281 mi), from north to south 368 kilometres (229 mi).
The metropolitan part is flat with little elevation, having an average heightabove sea level of 31 metres (102 ft). The highest natural point isMøllehøj, at 170.86 metres (560.56 ft).[57] Although this is by far the lowest high point in the Nordic countries and also less than half of the highest point inSouthern Sweden, Denmark's general elevation in its interior is generally at a safe level fromrising sea levels. A sizeable portion of Denmark'sterrain consists of rollingplains whilst the coastline is sandy, with largedunes in northern Jutland. Although once extensively forested, today Denmark largely consists ofarable land. It is drained by adozen or so rivers, and the most significant include theGudenå,Odense,Skjern,Suså andVidå—a river that flows along its southern border with Germany. The country has 1008 lakes, 16 have an area of more than 500 hectares (1,200 acres). LakeArresø, located northwest of Copenhagen, is the largest lake.[54]
The Kingdom of Denmark includes two overseas territories, both well to the west of Denmark: Greenland, theworld's largest island, and the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. These territories are self-governing under their own parliaments (theLøgting andInatsisartut) and form, together with continental Denmark, part of theDanish Realm, a country.
Climate
Denmark has atemperate climate, characterised by cool to cold winters, with mean temperatures in January of 1.5 °C (34.7 °F), and mild summers, with a mean temperature in August of 17.2 °C (63.0 °F).[58] The most extreme temperatures recorded in Denmark, since 1874 when recordings began, was 36.4 °C (97.5 °F) in 1975 and −31.2 °C (−24.2 °F) in 1982.[59] Denmark has an average of 179 days per year with precipitation, on average receiving a total of 765 millimetres (30 in) per year; autumn is the wettest season and spring the driest.[58] The position between a continent and an ocean means that the weather is often unstable.[60]
Because of Denmark's northern location, there are large seasonal variations in daylight: short days during the winter with sunrise around 8:45 am and sunset 3:45 pm (standard time), as well as long summer days with sunrise at 4:30 am and sunset at 10 pm (daylight saving time).[61]
Roe deer occupy the countryside in growing numbers, and large-antleredred deer can be found in the sparse woodlands of Jutland. Denmark is also home to smaller mammals, such aspolecats,hares andhedgehogs.[67] Approximately 400 bird species inhabit Denmark and about 160 of those breed in the country.[68] Large marine mammals include healthy populations ofharbour porpoises, growing numbers ofpinnipeds and occasional visits of whales, includingblue whales andorcas.Cod,herring andplaice are abundantculinary fish in Danish waters and form the basis fora large fishing industry.[69]
Denmark historically taken a progressive stance onenvironmental preservation: In 1971, it established aMinistry of Environment and was the first country in the world to implement anenvironmental law in 1973.[70] Land andwater pollution are two of Denmark's most significantenvironmental issues, although much of its household and industrial waste is now increasingly filtered and sometimes recycled. Denmark is a signatory to theClimate Change-Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.[71] However, its nationalecological footprint is 8.26 global hectares per person, which is very high compared to a world average of 1.7 in 2010.[72] Contributing factors are an exceptionally high value for cropland and grazing land,[73] possibly due to substantially high meat production (115.8 kilograms (255 lb) meat annually per capita) and economic size of the meat and dairy industries.[74]
Notwithstanding its relatively high emissions, Denmark topped the list of the 2015Climate Change Performance Index due to its implementation effective climate protection policies.[75] The country has consistently placed first since 2020.[76] Denmark ranked 10th in theEnvironmental Performance Index,[77] which measures progress at mitigatingclimate change, safeguardingecosystem vitality, and promotingenvironmental health.[78] In 2021, Denmark joined Costa Rica to launch the "Beyond Oil and Gas alliance" for stopping use fossil fuels.[79] The Danish government stopped issuing new licences for oil and gas extraction in December 2020.[80]
Denmark's territories, Greenland and theFaroe Islands, catch approximately 650 whales per year.[81][82] Greenland's quotas for the catch of whales are determined according to the advice of theInternational Whaling Commission (IWC), having quota decision-making powers.[83]
The Danish parliament isunicameral and called the Folketing (Danish:Folketinget). It is thelegislature of the Kingdom of Denmark, passingacts that apply in Denmark and, variably, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The Folketing is also responsible for adopting thestate's budgets, approving the state's accounts, appointing and exercising control of the Government, and taking part in international co-operation.Bills may be initiated by the Government or bymembers of parliament. All bills passed must be presented before the Council of State to receiveRoyal Assent within thirty days in order to become law.[90]
Denmark is arepresentative democracy withuniversal suffrage.[N 12] Membership of the Folketing is based onproportional representation of political parties,[92] with a 2% electoral threshold. Denmark elects 175 members to the Folketing, with Greenland and the Faroe Islands electing an additional two members each—179 members in total.[93] Parliamentary elections are held at least every four years, but it is within the powers of the prime minister to ask the monarch to call for an election before the term has elapsed. On avote of no confidence, the Folketing may force a single minister or an entire government to resign.[94]
The Government of Denmark operates as acabinet government, where executive authority is exercised—formally, on behalf of the monarch—by the prime minister and othercabinet ministers, who headministries. As the executive branch, the Cabinet is responsible for proposing bills and a budget, executing the laws, and guiding the foreign and internal policies of Denmark. The position of prime minister belongs to the person most likely to command theconfidence of a majority in the Folketing; this is often the current leader of the largestpolitical party or, more effectively, through acoalition of parties. A single party generally does not have sufficient political power in terms of the number of seats to form a cabinet on its own; Denmark has often been ruled bycoalition governments, themselves usuallyminority governments dependent on non-government parties.[95]
Denmark has acivil law system with some references toGermanic law. Denmark resembles Norway and Sweden in never having developed acase-law like that ofEngland and theUnited States nor comprehensivecodes like those of France and Germany. Much of its law iscustomary.[98]
The judicial system of Denmark is divided between courts with regular civil andcriminal jurisdiction and administrative courts with jurisdiction over litigation between individuals and the public administration. Articles sixty-two and sixty-four of the Constitution ensurejudicial independence from government and Parliament by providing that judges shall only be guided by the law, including acts, statutes and practice.[99] The Kingdom of Denmark does not have a single unified judicial system – Denmark has one system, Greenland another, and the Faroe Islands a third.[100] However, decisions by the highest courts in Greenland and the Faroe Islands may be appealed to the Danish High Courts. TheDanish Supreme Court is the highest civil and criminal court responsible for the administration of justice in the Kingdom.
The Kingdom of Denmark is aunitary state that comprises, in addition to metropolitan Denmark, twoautonomous territories[11] in theNorth Atlantic Ocean: theFaroe Islands andGreenland. They have been integrated parts of the Danish Realm since the 18th century; however, due to their separate historical and cultural identities, these parts of the Realm have extensive political powers and have assumedlegislative and administrative responsibility in a substantial number of fields.[101]Home rule was granted to the Faroe Islands in 1948 and to Greenland in 1979, each having previously had the status ofcounties.[102]
The Faroe Islands and Greenland have their own home governments and parliaments and are effectivelyself-governing in regards to domestic affairs apart from the judicial system and monetary policy.[102]High Commissioners (Rigsombudsmand) act as representatives of the Danish government in the FaroeseLøgting and in theGreenlandic Parliament, but they cannot vote.[102] The Faroese home government is defined to be an equal partner with the Danish national government,[103] while theGreenlandic people are defined as a separate people with the right toself-determination.[104]
Denmark, with a total area of 43,094square kilometres (16,639 sq mi), is divided into five administrative regions (Danish:regioner). The regions are further subdivided into98 municipalities (kommuner). The easternmost land in Denmark, theErtholmene archipelago, with an area of 39 hectares (0.16 sq mi), is neither part of a municipality nor a region but belongs to theMinistry of Defence.[107] Theprovinces of Denmark are statistical divisions of Denmark, positioned between theadministrative regions andmunicipalities. They are not administrative divisions, nor subject for any kind of political elections, but are mainly for statistical use.
The regions were created on1 January 2007 to replace the 16former counties. At the same time, smaller municipalities were merged into larger units, reducing the number from 270. Most municipalities have a population of at least 20,000 to give them financial and professional sustainability, although a few exceptions were made to this rule.[108] The administrative divisions are led by directly elected councils, elected proportionally every four years; the most recentDanish local elections were held on 16 November 2021. Other regional structures use the municipal boundaries as a layout, including thepolice districts, thecourt districts and theelectoral wards.
Regions
The governing bodies of the regions are theregional councils, each with forty-one councillors elected for four-year terms. The councils are headed by regional district chairmen (regionsrådsformand), who are elected by the council.[109]The areas of responsibility for the regional councils are thenational health service,social services andregional development.[109][110] Unlike the counties they replaced, the regions are not allowed to levy taxes and the health service is partly financed by a national health care contribution until 2018 (sundhedsbidrag), partly by funds from both government and municipalities.[111] From 1 January 2019 this contribution will be abolished, as it is being replaced by higher income tax instead.
Thearea and populations of the regions vary widely; for example, theCapital Region has a population three times larger than that ofNorth Denmark Region. Under the county system certain densely populated municipalities, such asCopenhagen Municipality andFrederiksberg, had been given a status equivalent to that of counties, making them first-level administrative divisions. Thesesui generis municipalities were incorporated into the new regions under the 2007 reforms.
Danish prime ministerMette Frederiksen (second from left) with foreign counterparts at theNordic Council in Copenhagen, 2021
Denmark wields considerable influence in Northern Europe and is amiddle power in international affairs.[112] In recent years, Greenland and the Faroe Islands have been guaranteed a say in foreign policy issues such as fishing,whaling, and geopolitical concerns. The foreign policy of Denmark is substantially influenced byits membership of theEuropean Union (EU); Denmark including Greenland joined theEuropean Economic Community (EEC), the EU's predecessor, in 1973.[N 13] Denmark held thePresidency of the Council of the European Union on seven occasions, most recently from January to June 2012.[113] Following World War II, Denmark ended its two-hundred-year-long policy ofneutrality. It has been a founding member of theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) since 1949, and membership remains highly popular.[114]
As a member ofDevelopment Assistance Committee (DAC), Denmark has for a long time been among the countries of the world contributing the largest percentage of gross national income todevelopment aid. In 2015, Denmark contributed 0.85% of itsgross national income (GNI) toforeign aid and was one of only six countries meeting the longstanding UN target of 0.7% of GNI.[N 14][115] The country participates in both bilateral and multilateral aid, with the aid usually administered by theMinistry of Foreign Affairs. The organisational name ofDanish International Development Agency (DANIDA) is often used, in particular when operating bilateral aid. According to the 2024Global Peace Index, Denmark is the 8th most peaceful country in the world.[116]
Denmark is a long-time supporter of internationalpeacekeeping, but since theNATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 and theWar in Afghanistan in 2001, Denmark has also found a new role as a warring nation, participating actively in several wars and invasions. This relatively new situation has stirred some internal critique, but the Danish population has generally been very supportive, in particular of the War in Afghanistan.[118][119] The Danish Defence has around 1,400[120] staff in international missions, not including standing contributions toNATO SNMCMG1. Danish forces were heavily engaged in the former Yugoslavia in the UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR), withIFOR,[121] and nowSFOR.[122] Between 2003 and 2007, there were approximately 450 Danish soldiers inIraq.[123] Denmark also strongly supportedAmerican operations inAfghanistan and has contributed both monetarily and materially to theISAF.[124] These initiatives are often described by the authorities as part of a new "active foreign policy" of Denmark.
Denmark has the fourth highest ratio oftertiary degree holders in the world.[130] The country ranks highest in the world forworkers' rights.[131] GDP per hour worked was the 13th highest in 2009. The country has a market income inequality close to theOECD average,[132][133] but after taxes and public cash transfers the income inequality isconsiderably lower. According toEurostat, Denmark'sGini coefficient for disposable income was the 7th-lowest among EU countries in 2017.[134]According to theInternational Monetary Fund, Denmark hasthe world's highest minimum wage.[135] As Denmark has no minimum wage legislation, the high wage floor has been attributed to the power oftrade unions. For example, as the result of a collective bargaining agreement between the3F trade union and the employers groupHoresta, workers atMcDonald's and otherfast food chains make the equivalent ofUS$20 an hour, which is more than double what their counterparts earn in the United States, and have access to paid vacation,parental leave and a pension plan.[136] Union density in 2015 was 68%.[137]
Once a predominantlyagricultural country on account of itsarable landscape, since 1945 Denmark has greatly expanded itsindustrial base andservice sector. By 2017 services contributed circa 75% of GDP, manufacturing about 15% and agriculture less than 2%.[138] Major industries includewind turbines,pharmaceuticals,medical equipment,machinery and transportation equipment,food processing, andconstruction.[139] Circa 60% of the total export value is due to export of goods, and the remaining 40% is from service exports, mainly sea transport. The country's main export goods are: wind turbines, pharmaceuticals, machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, furniture and design.[139] Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and has for a number of years had abalance of payments surplus which has transformed the country from a net debitor to a net creditor country. By 1 July 2018, thenet international investment position (ornet foreign assets) of Denmark was equal to 64.6% of GDP.[140]
Denmark is a major producer and exporter ofpork products.
Denmark is part of theEuropean Union'sinternal market, which represents more than 508 million consumers. Several domestic commercial policies are determined by agreements among European Union (EU) members and by EU legislation. Support forfree trade is high among the Danish public; in a 2016 poll 57% responded saw globalisation as an opportunity whereas 18% viewed it as a threat.[141] 70% of trade flows are inside the European Union. As of 2017[update], Denmark's largest export partners are Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.[71]
Denmark's currency, thekrone (DKK), ispegged at approximately 7.46 kroner per euro through theERM II. Although aSeptember 2000 referendum rejected adopting theeuro,[142] the country follows the policies set forth in theEconomic and Monetary Union of the European Union (EMU) and meets the economicconvergence criteria needed to adopt the euro. The majority of the political parties in the Folketing support joining the EMU, but since 2010 opinion polls have consistently shown a clear majority against adopting the euro. In March 2018, 29% of respondents from Denmark in aEurobarometer opinion poll stated that they were in favour of the EMU and the euro, whereas 65% were against it.[143] The exact same poll conducted in November 2023, was almost unchanged with 31% in favour and 63% against.[144]
Danes enjoy a high standard of living and the Danish economy is characterised by extensive governmentwelfare provisions. Denmark has acorporate tax rate of 22% and a special time-limited tax regime for expatriates.[147] The Danish taxation system is broad based, with a 25%value-added tax, in addition to excise taxes, income taxes and other fees. The overall level of taxation (sum of all taxes, as a percentage of GDP) was 46% in 2017.[148] The tax structure of Denmark (the relative weight of different taxes) differs from the OECD average, as the Danish tax system in 2015 was characterised by substantially higher revenues from taxes on personal income and a lower proportion of revenues from taxes on corporate income and gains and property taxes than in OECD generally, whereas no revenues at all derive from social security contributions. The proportion deriving from payroll taxes, VAT, and other taxes on goods and services correspond to the OECD average[149]
As of 2014[update], 6% of the population was reported to live below thepoverty line, when adjusted for taxes and transfers. Denmark had the 2nd lowest relative poverty rate in theOECD, below the 11.3% OECD average.[150] The 6% of the population reporting that they could not afford to buy sufficient food was less than half of the OECD average.[150]
Labour market
Like other Nordic countries, Denmark has adopted theNordic Model, which combinesfree market capitalism with a comprehensivewelfare state and strongworker protection.[151] As a result of its acclaimed "flexicurity" model, Denmark has the freestlabour market in Europe, according to the World Bank. Employers can hire and fire whenever they want (flexibility), and between jobs,unemployment compensation is relatively high (security). According to OECD, initial as well as long-term net replacement rates for unemployed persons were 65% of previous net income in 2016, against an OECD average of 53%.[152] No restrictions apply regarding overtime work, which allows companies to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.[153] With an employment rate in 2017 of 74.2% for people aged 15–64-years, Denmark ranks 9th highest among the OECD countries, and above the OECD average of 67.8%.[154] The unemployment rate was 5.7% in 2017,[155] which is considered close to or below its structural level.[156]
The level ofunemployment benefits is dependent on former employment and normally on membership of an unemployment fund, which is usually closely connected to a trade union, and previous payment of contributions. Circa 65% of the financing comes from earmarked member contributions, whereas the remaining third originates from the central government and hence from general taxation.[157]
Business
Establishing a business in Denmark can be undertaken in a matter of hours and at very low costs.[158] The Danish government operates a "Danish Business Authority", and launched a series of initiatives in 2012 aiming to simplify business rules, making it easier to run a business without jeopardising the intended goals of relevant legislation.[159]
With an investment of 8.5 million euros over the ten-year construction period, Denmark confirms participation inE-ELT[160]
Denmark has a long tradition of scientific and technological invention and engagement, and has been involved internationally from the very start of thescientific revolution. In current times, Denmark is participating in many high-profile international science and technology projects, includingCERN,ITER,ESA,ISS andE-ELT. Denmark was ranked 10th in theGlobal Innovation Index in 2024, down from 6th in 2020 and from 7th in 2019.[161][162][163][164]
In the 20th century, Danes have also been innovative in several fields of the technology sector. Danish companies have been influential in the shipping industry with the design of the largest and most energy efficient container ships in the world, theMaersk Triple E class, and Danish engineers have contributed to the design ofMAN Diesel engines. In the software and electronic field, Denmark contributed to design and manufacturing ofNordic Mobile Telephones, and the now-defunct Danish companyDanCall was among the first to developGSM mobile phones.
Life science is a key sector with extensive research and development activities. Danish engineers are world-leading in providingdiabetes care equipment and medication products from Novo Nordisk and, since 2000, the Danishbiotech companyNovozymes, the world market leader in enzymes for first generation starch-basedbioethanol, has pioneered development of enzymes for converting waste tocellulosic ethanol.[165]Medicon Valley, spanning theØresund Region between Zealand and Sweden, is one of Europe's largest life scienceclusters.
Middelgrunden, an offshore wind farm near Copenhagen
Denmark has considerably large deposits of oil and natural gas in theNorth Sea and ranks as number 32 in the world among net exporters ofcrude oil[166] and was producing 259,980 barrels of crude oil a day in 2009.[167] Denmark is a long-time leader inwind power: In 2015wind turbines provided 42.1% of the total electricity consumption.[168] In May 2011[update] Denmark derived 3.1% of its gross domestic product from renewable (clean) energy technology and energy efficiency, or around €6.5 billion ($9.4 billion).[169] Denmark is connected byelectric transmission lines to other European countries.
Significant investment has been made in building road and rail links between regions in Denmark, most notably theGreat Belt Fixed Link, which connectsZealand andFunen. It is now possible to drive fromFrederikshavn in northernJutland toCopenhagen on eastern Zealand without leaving the motorway. The main railway operator isDSB for passenger services andDB Cargo for freight trains. The railway tracks are maintained byBanedanmark. The North Sea and the Baltic Sea are intertwined by various, international ferry links. Construction of theFehmarn Belt Fixed Link, connecting Denmark and Germany with a second link, Started in 2021.[174] Copenhagen has arapid transit system, theCopenhagen Metro, and an extensive electrified suburban railway network, theS-train. In the four largest cities –Copenhagen,Aarhus,Odense,Aalborg –light rail systems are planned to be in operation around 2020.[175]
Private vehicles are increasingly used as a means of transport. Because of thehigh registration tax (150%),VAT (25%), and one of the world's highest income tax rates, new cars are very expensive. The purpose of the tax is to discourage car ownership.In 2007, an attempt was made by the government to favour environmentally friendly cars by slightly reducing taxes on high mileage vehicles. However, this has had little effect, and in 2008 Denmark experienced an increase in the import of fuel inefficient old cars,[178] as the cost for older cars—including taxes—keeps them within the budget of many Danes.As of 2011[update], the average car age is 9.2 years.[179]
People of Danish origin (includingFaroese andGreenlandic) 86.11 (86.1%)
Immigrant 10.56 (10.6%)
Descendant of an immigrant 3.34 (3.34%)
Population
In April 2020, the population of Denmark, as registered byStatistics Denmark, was 5.825 million.[180] Denmark has one of the oldest populations in the world, with theaverage age of 41.9 years,[181] with 0.97 males per female. Despite a lowbirth rate, the population is growing at an average annual rate of 0.59%[139] because of net immigration and increasinglongevity. TheWorld Happiness Report frequently ranks Denmark's population as the happiest in the world.[182][183][184] This has been attributed to the country's highly regarded education andhealth care systems,[185] and its low level ofincome inequality.[186] People in Denmark feel responsible forsocial welfare. The rate of taxation is among the world's highest and can be half a Dane's income but they get most healthcare free, university tuition is also free and students get grants, there is subsidizedchild care andold people get pensions and care helpers.[187]
Denmark is a historicallyhomogeneous nation.[188] However, as with its Scandinavian neighbours, Denmark has recently transformed from a nation ofnet emigration, up until World War II, to a nation of net immigration. Today,residence permits are issued mostly to immigrants from other EU countries (54% of all non-Scandinavian immigrants in 2017). Another 31% of residence permits were study- or work-related, 4% were issued toasylum seekers and 10% to persons who arrive as family dependants.[189] Overall, the net migration rate in 2017 was 2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population, somewhat lower than the United Kingdom and the other Nordic countries.[139][190][191]
TheInuit are Indigenous to Greenland in the Kingdom and have traditionally inhabited Greenland and the northern parts of Canada and Alaska in theArctic. From the 18th century up to the 1970s, the Danish government (Dano-Norwegian until 1814) tried to assimilate the Greenlandic Inuit, encouraging them to adopt the majority language and culture. Because of this "Danization process", some persons of Inuit ancestry now identify their mother tongue as Danish.
Largest cities in Denmark (as of 1 January 2016[update])[193]
A large majority (86%) of Danes speakEnglish as a second language,[196] generally with a high level ofproficiency. German is the second-most spoken foreign language, with 47% reporting a conversational level of proficiency.[194] Denmark had 25,900native speakers of German in 2007 (mostly in the South Jutland area).[194]
Christianity is the dominant religion in Denmark. As of 2024, 71.2%[197] of the population of Denmark were members of theChurch of Denmark (Den Danske Folkekirke), theofficially established church, which isProtestant in classification andLutheran in orientation.[198][N 15] The membership percentage has been in steady decline since the 1970s, mainly as fewer newborns are beingbaptised into it.[199] Only 3% of the population regularly attend Sunday services[200][201] and only 19% of Danes consider religion to be an important part of their life.[202]
TheConstitution states that the sovereign must have theLutheran faith, though the rest of the population isfree to adhere to other faiths.[203][204][205] In 1682 the state granted limited recognition to three religious groups dissenting from the Established Church:Roman Catholicism,the Reformed Church andJudaism,[205] although conversion to these groups from the Church of Denmark remained illegal initially. Until the 1970s, the state formally recognised "religious societies" byroyal decree. Today, religious groups do not need official government recognition, they can be granted the right to perform weddings and other ceremonies without this recognition.[205]Denmark's Muslims make up approximately 4.4% of the population[206] and form the country's second largest religious community and largestminority religion.[207] TheDanish Foreign Ministry estimates that otherreligious groups comprise less than 1% of the population individually and approximately 2% when taken all together.[208] Just under 20% of the Danish population identifies asatheist.[209]
According to a 2010Eurobarometer poll,[210] 28% of Danish nationals polled responded that they "believe there is aGod", 47% responded that they "believe there is some sort ofspirit or life force" and 24% responded that they "do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force". Another poll, carried out in 2009, found that 25% of Danes believeJesus is theson of God, and 18% believe he is thesaviour of the world.[211]
All educational programmes in Denmark are regulated by theMinistry of Education and administered by local municipalities.Folkeskole covers the entire period of compulsory education, encompassingprimary and lowersecondary education.[213] Most children attendfolkeskole for 10 years, from the ages of 6 to 16. There are no final examinations, but pupils can choose to sit an exam when finishingninth grade (14–15 years old). The test is obligatory if further education is to be attended. Alternatively pupils can attend anindependent school (friskole), or a private school (privatskole), such asChristian schools orWaldorf schools.
The government records upper secondary school completion rates of 95% andtertiary enrollment and completion rates of 60%.[214] Alluniversity and college (tertiary) education in Denmark is free of charges; there are no tuition fees to enrol in courses. Students aged 18 or above may apply for state educational support grants, known asStatens Uddannelsesstøtte (SU), which provides fixed financial support, disbursed monthly.[215] Danish universities offer international students a range of opportunities for obtaining an internationally recognised qualification in Denmark. Many programmes may be taught in theEnglish language, the academiclingua franca, inbachelor's degrees,master's degrees,doctorates andstudent exchange programmes.[216]
Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, the most specialised hospital in Denmark, receiving over 350,000 unique patients a year[217]
As of 2015[update], Denmark has alife expectancy of 80.6 years at birth (78.6 for men, 82.5 for women), up from 76.9 years in 2000.[218] Thisranks it 27th among 193 nations, behind the otherNordic countries. TheNational Institute of Public Health of theUniversity of Southern Denmark has calculated 19 major risk factors among Danes that contribute to a lowering of the life expectancy; this includes smoking, alcohol,drug abuse andphysical inactivity.[219] Although theobesity rate is lower than in North America and most other European countries,[220] the large number ofoverweight Danes results in an annual additional consumption in the health care system ofDKK 1,625 million.[219] In a 2012 study, Denmark had the highestcancer rate of all countries listed by the World Cancer Research Fund International; researchers suggest the reasons are better reporting, but also lifestyle factors like heavyalcohol consumption,smoking andphysical inactivity.[221][222]
Denmark has auniversal health care system, characterised by being publicly financed through taxes and, for most of the services, run directly by the regional authorities. One of the sources of income was a national health care contribution (sundhedsbidrag) (2007–11:8%; '12:7%; '13:6%; '14:5%; '15:4%; '16:3%; '17:2%; '18:1%; '19:0%) but it was phased out from January 2019 in favour of income taxes.[111] This means that mosthealth care provision is free at the point of delivery for all residents. Additionally, roughly two in five have complementaryprivate insurance to cover services not fully covered by the state, such asphysiotherapy.[223] As of 2012[update], Denmark spends 11.2% of its GDP on health care; this is up from 9.8% in 2007 (US$3,512 per capita).[223] This places Denmark above theOECD average and above the other Nordic countries.[223][224]
Certainsocial housing districts in Denmark fulfilling specific statistical criteria of relatively low employment, school attendance, relatively low income, a relatively low educational level or relatively many convicted inhabitants are officially listed by the government asvulnerable residential areas. In some cases, the majority of the neighbourhoods consist of non-Western immigrants and their descendants. Over the years, several government initiatives have been taken to further integration and counterurban decay in these neighbourhoods. Major plans to this end were presented in 1994 and 2000 by the governments ofPoul Nyrup Rasmussen, in 2004 by theAnders Fogh Rasmussen I Cabinet, in 2010 by theLars Løkke Rasmussen I Cabinet, in 2013 by theHelle Thorning-Schmidt I Cabinet, in 2018 by theLars Løkke Rasmussen III Cabinet, and in 2021 by theMette Frederiksen I Cabinet.[225][226][227] Some of the policies have been criticised for undercutting 'equality before law' and for portraying immigrants, especially Muslim immigrants, in a bad light.[228][229]
During the years 2010–2021, the term "ghetto" was used officially to designate some or all of the vulnerable areas.[228] The term was considered controversial, however, and removed in 2021.[230][231][232] Denmark is the only country to have officially used the word 'ghetto' in the 21st century to denote certain residential areas.[233] From 2021, four different lists are published, depending on the residents' income levels, employment status, education levels, criminal convictions and origin (a statistical criterion based on parents' geographical birthplace and citizenship).[234][228][235] In 2023, there were 19 vulnerable residential areas in Denmark.[236]
A major feature of Danish culture isJul (DanishChristmas). The holiday is celebrated throughout December, starting either at the beginning of Advent or on 1 December with a variety of traditions, culminating with the Christmas Eve meal.
In 2009, a referendum on changing theDanish Act of Succession were held to grantabsolute primogeniture to the Danish throne, meaning that the eldest child, regardless of gender, takes precedence in the line of succession. As it was not retroactive, the current successor to the throne is the eldest son of the King, rather than his eldest child. The Danish constitution Article 2 states that "The monarchy is inherited by men and women".[246]
TheInuit have for decades been the subject ofdiscrimination andabuse by thedominant colonisers from Europe, those countries claiming possession of Inuit lands. The Inuit have never been a single community in a single region of Inuit.[247] From the 18th century up to the 1970s, the Danish government (Dano-Norwegian until 1814) tried to assimilate theIndigenous people of Greenland, theGreenlandic Inuit, encouraging them to adopt the majority language, culture and religion.[248][failed verification] Denmark has been greatly criticised by the Greenlandic community for the politics ofDanisation (1950s and 1960s) of and discrimination against the Indigenous population of the country.[249][250] Critical treatment paying non-Inuit workers higher wages than the local people, the relocation of entire families from their traditional lands into settlements, and separating children from their parents and sending them away to Denmark for schooling has been practised.[250][251][252][253] Nevertheless, Denmark ratified, in 1996, to recognise theILO-convention 169 onIndigenous people recommended by the UN.
DirectorLars von Trier, who co-created the Dogme 95 film movement with Thomas Vinterberg
Danish cinema dates back to 1897 and since the 1980s has maintained a steady stream of productions due largely to funding by the state-supportedDanish Film Institute. There have been three big internationally important waves of Danish cinema: erotic melodrama of thesilent era; the increasingly explicit sex films of the 1960s and 1970s; and lastly, theDogme 95 movement of the late 1990s, where directors often used hand-held cameras to dynamic effect in a conscious reaction against big-budget studios. Danish films have been noted for their realism, religious and moral themes, sexual frankness and technical innovation. The Danish filmmakerCarl Th. Dreyer is considered one of the greatest directors ofearly cinema.[259][260]
Danishmass media date back to the 1540s, when handwritten fly sheets reported on the news. In 1666,Anders Bording, the father of Danish journalism, began astate paper. In 1834, the first liberal, factual newspaper appeared, and the 1849 Constitution established lastingfreedom of the press in Denmark.
Modern Danish mass media and news programming are dominated by a few large corporations. In printed mediaJP/Politikens Hus andBerlingske Media, between them, control the largest newspapersPolitiken,Berlingske Tidende andJyllands-Posten and major tabloidsB.T. andEkstra Bladet.In television, publicly owned stationsDR andTV 2 have large shares of the viewers.[261] DR in particular is famous for its high quality TV-series often sold to foreign broadcasters and often with leading female characters like internationally known actressesSidse Babett Knudsen andSofie Gråbøl. In radio, DR has a near monopoly, currently broadcasting on all four nationally availableFM channels, competing only with local stations.[262]
Grundtvig's Church in Copenhagen, an example of expressionist architecture
Denmark's architecture became firmly established in theMiddle Ages when firstRomanesque, thenGothic churches and cathedrals sprang up throughout the country. From the 16th century, Dutch and Flemish designers were brought to Denmark, initially to improve the country's fortifications, but increasingly to build magnificent royal castles and palaces in theRenaissance style.During the 17th century, many impressive buildings were built in theBaroque style, both in the capital and the provinces.Neoclassicism from France was slowly adopted by native Danish architects who increasingly participated in defining architectural style. A productive period ofHistoricism ultimately merged into the 19th-centuryNational Romantic style.[266]
The 20th century brought along new architectural styles; includingexpressionism, best exemplified by the designs of architectPeder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint, which relied heavily on Scandinavian brick Gothic traditions; andNordic Classicism, which enjoyed brief popularity in the early decades of the century. It was in the 1960s that Danish architects such asArne Jacobsen entered the world scene with their highly successfulFunctionalist architecture. This, in turn, has evolved into more recent world-class masterpieces includingJørn Utzon'sSydney Opera House andJohan Otto von Spreckelsen'sGrande Arche in Paris, paving the way for a number of contemporary Danish designers such asBjarke Ingels to be rewarded for excellence both at home and abroad.[267]
Danish design is a term often used to describe a style offunctionalistic design and architecture that was developed in the mid-20th century, originating in Denmark. Danish design is typically applied to industrial design, furniture and household objects, which have won many international awards. TheRoyal Porcelain Factory is famous for the quality of its ceramics. Danish design is also a well-known brand, often associated with world-famous, 20th-century designers and architects such asBørge Mogensen,Finn Juhl,Hans Wegner,Arne Jacobsen,Poul Henningsen andVerner Panton.[268] Other designers of note includeKristian Solmer Vedel in the area of industrial design,Jens Quistgaard for kitchen furniture and implements andOle Wanscher who had a classical approach to furniture design.
Danish philosophy has a long tradition as part ofWestern philosophy. Perhaps the most influential Danish philosopher wasSøren Kierkegaard, the creator ofChristian existentialism. Kierkegaard had a few Danish followers, includingHarald Høffding, who later in his life moved on to join the movement ofpositivism. Another Danish philosopher of note isGrundtvig, whose philosophy gave rise to a new form of non-aggressive nationalism in Denmark, and who is also influential for his theological and historical works.
While Danish art was influenced over the centuries by trends in Germany and the Netherlands, the 15th and 16th centurychurch frescos, which can be seen in many of the country's older churches, are of particular interest as they were painted in a style typical of native Danish painters.[270]
Painting has continued to be a prominent form of artistic expression in Danish culture, inspired by and also influencing major international trends in this area. These includeimpressionism and the modernist styles ofexpressionism,abstract painting andsurrealism. While international co-operation and activity has almost always been essential to the Danish artistic community, influential art collectives with a firm Danish base includesDe Tretten (1909–1912),Linien (1930s and 1940s),COBRA (1948–1951),Fluxus (1960s and 1970s),De Unge Vilde (1980s) and more recentlySuperflex (founded in 1993). Notable Danish painters from modern times representing variousart movements includeTheodor Philipsen (impressionism and naturalism),Anna Klindt Sørensen (expressionism),Franciska Clausen (Neue Sachlichkeit, cubism, surrealism and others),Henry Heerup (naivism),Robert Jacobsen (abstract painting),Carl Henning Pedersen (abstract painting),Asger Jorn (Situationist, abstract painting),Bjørn Wiinblad (art deco, orientalism),Per Kirkeby (neo-expressionism, abstract painting),Per Arnoldi (pop art), andMichael Kvium (neo-surrealism).
Danish photography has developed from strong participation and interest in the very beginnings of theart of photography in 1839. Pioneers such asMads Alstrup andGeorg Emil Hansen paved the way for a rapidly growing profession during the last half of the 19th century. Today Danish photographers such asAstrid Kruse Jensen andJacob Aue Sobol are active in key exhibitions around the world.[274]
Smørrebrød, a variety of Danish open sandwiches piled high with delicacies
The traditionalcuisine of Denmark, like that of the other Nordic countries and ofNorthern Germany, consists mainly of meat, fish and potatoes. Danish dishes are highly seasonal, stemming from the country's agricultural past, its geography, and its climate of long, cold winters.
The open sandwiches on rye bread, known assmørrebrød, can be considered a national speciality. Hot meals traditionally consist ofground meats, such asfrikadeller (meat balls of veal and pork) andhakkebøf (minced beef patties), or of more substantial meat and fish dishes such asflæskesteg (roast pork with crackling) andkogt torsk (poached cod) with mustard sauce. Denmark is known for itsCarlsberg andTuborg beers and for itsakvavit andbitters.
Since around 1970, chefs and restaurants across Denmark have introducedgourmet cooking, largely influenced byFrench cuisine. Also inspired by continental practices, Danish chefs have recently developed a new innovative cuisine and a series of gourmet dishes based on high-quality local produce known asNew Danish cuisine.[275] As a result of these developments, Denmark now has a considerable number of internationally acclaimed restaurants of which several have been awardedMichelin stars. This includesGeranium andNoma in Copenhagen.
Michael Laudrup, named the best Danish football player of all time by the Danish Football Union
Sports are popular in Denmark, and its citizens participate in and watch a wide variety. Thenational sport isfootball, with over 320,000 players in more than 1600clubs.[276] Denmark qualified six times consecutively for theEuropean Championships between 1984 and 2004, and were crowned European champions in1992; other significant achievements include winning the Confederations Cup in 1995 and reaching the quarter-final of the 1998 World Cup.TheDenmark women's national handball team celebrated great successes during the 1990s and has won a total of 13 medals—seven gold (in 1994, 1996 (2), 1997, 2000, 2002 and 2004), four silver (in 1962, 1993, 1998 and 2004) and two bronze (in 1995 and 2013). On themen's side, Denmark has won 12 medals—four gold (in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2019), four silver (in 1967, 2011, 2013 and 2014) and four bronze (in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007)—the most that have been won by any team inEuropean Handball Championship history.[277] In 2019, the Danish men's national handball team won their firstWorld Championship title.[278][279]
In recent years, Denmark has made a mark as a strongcycling nation, withMichael Rasmussen reachingKing of the Mountains status in theTour de France in 2005 and 2006. Other popular sports include golf—which is mostly popular among those in the older demographic;[280]tennis—in which Denmark is successful on a professional level;basketball—Denmark joined the international governing bodyFIBA in 1951;[281] rugby—theDanish Rugby Union dates back to 1950;[282]ice hockey—often competing in the top division in the Men's World Championships; rowing—Denmark specialise in lightweight rowing and are particularly known for their lightweight coxless four, having won six gold and two silver World Championship medals and three gold and two bronzeOlympic medals; and several indoor sports—especiallybadminton,table tennis and gymnastics, in each of which Denmark holds World Championships andOlympic medals.
^The island ofBornholm is offset to the east of the rest of the country, in theBaltic Sea.
^Denmark has acodified constitution. Changes to it require an absolute majority in two consecutive parliamentary terms and the approval of at least 40% of the electorate through a referendum.[84]
^The Constitution refers to "the King" (Danish:kongen), rather than the gender-neutral term "monarch". In light of the restriction of powers of the monarchy, this is best interpreted as referring to the government Cabinet.
^As measured inofficial development assistance (ODA). Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom exceeded the United Nations' ODA target of 0.7% of GNI.
^The Church of Denmark is the established church (or state religion) in Denmark and Greenland; theChurch of the Faroe Islands became an independent body in 2007.
Ackrén, Maria (November 2017)."Greenland". Autonomy Arrangements in the World. Archived fromthe original on 30 August 2019. Retrieved30 August 2019.Faroese and Greenlandic are seen as official regional languages in the self-governing territories belonging to Denmark.
"Greenland".International Cooperation and Development.European Commission. 3 June 2013.Archived from the original on 16 September 2014. Retrieved27 August 2019.Greenland [...] is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark
^Jenssen-Tusch, Georg Friedrich (1852).Zur Regierungsgeschichte Friedrich VI. Königs von Dänemark, Herzogs von Schleswig, Holstein und Lauenburg (in German). Verlag Schröder. p. 166.
^Dörr, Oliver (2004).Kompendium völkerrechtlicher Rechtsprechung : eine Auswahl für Studium und Praxis. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck. p. 101.ISBN978-3-16-148311-0.
^ab"Climate Normals for Denmark".Danish Meteorological Institute. Archived fromthe original on 3 January 2015. Retrieved2 January 2015. Figures, labelled in Danish: First plot is the whole country; Nedbør=Precipitation, Nedbørdage=Precipitation days (>1 mm), (Dag/Middel/Nat)temp.=(Daytime/Average/Nighttime) temperature, Solskinstimer=Hours of sunshine.
^Grantham, H. S.; Duncan, A.; Evans, T. D.; Jones, K. R.; Beyer, H. L.; Schuster, R.; Walston, J.; Ray, J. C.; Robinson, J. G.; Callow, M.; Clements, T.; Costa, H. M.; DeGemmis, A.; Elsen, P. R.; Ervin, J.; Franco, P.; Goldman, E.; Goetz, S.; Hansen, A.; Hofsvang, E.; Jantz, P.; Jupiter, S.; Kang, A.; Langhammer, P.; Laurance, W. F.; Lieberman, S.; Linkie, M.; Malhi, Y.; Maxwell, S.; Mendez, M.; Mittermeier, R.; Murray, N. J.; Possingham, H.; Radachowsky, J.; Saatchi, S.; Samper, C.; Silverman, J.; Shapiro, A.; Strassburg, B.; Stevens, T.; Stokes, E.; Taylor, R.; Tear, T.; Tizard, R.; Venter, O.; Visconti, P.; Wang, S.; Watson, J. E. M. (2020)."Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity – Supplementary Material".Nature Communications.11 (1): 5978.Bibcode:2020NatCo..11.5978G.doi:10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3.ISSN2041-1723.PMC7723057.PMID33293507.
^"Animals in Denmark".listofcountriesoftheworld.com. 2012.Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved31 May 2016.
^"Bird list of Denmark". Netfugl.dk.Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved26 August 2015.It involves all category A, B and C birds recorded in Denmark (according to SU/BOURC/AERC standard).
^"The body of Ministers shall form the Council of State, in which the Successor to the Throne shall have a seat when he is of age. The Council of State shall be presided over by the King..."The Constitution of Denmark – Section 17.Archived 10 July 2011 at theWayback Machine
^"Democracy Index 2014"(PDF). The Economist/Economist Intelligence Unit. 2015. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 1 February 2016. Retrieved23 August 2015.
^Lov om Grønlands SelvstyreArchived 6 November 2018 at theWayback Machine(in Danish). Retsinformation.dk. "I erkendelse af, at det grønlandske folk er et folk i henhold til folkeretten med ret til selvbestemmelse, bygger loven på et ønske om at fremme ligeværdighed og gensidig respekt i partnerskabet mellem Danmark og Grønland."
^Lavrsen, Lasse (19 June 2010)."Danmark er en krisnation" (in Danish). Information.Archived from the original on 25 February 2016. Retrieved1 January 2016.
^For comparisons and developments see:"Denmark – Migration Profiles"(PDF). UNICEF. 2013.Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved5 January 2016.
^Statistics on migration only includes people changing citizenship and does not always provide a realistic picture of migration pressure. In Denmark, 5% of the population were non-citizens in 2005, which is a relatively high figure. SeeCounting Immigrant and Expatriates in OECD Countries: A New Perspective(PDF) (Report). OECD. 21 October 2005. pp. 119–120.Archived(PDF) from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved5 January 2016. for example.
^Denmark – ConstitutionArchived 10 July 2011 at theWayback Machine – Part I – Section 4 [State Church]: "The Evangelical Lutheran Church shall be the Established Church of Denmark, and, as such, it shall be supported by the State."
^Denmark – ConstitutionArchived 10 July 2011 at theWayback Machine – Part VII – Section 70: "No person shall for reasons of his creed or descent be deprived of access to complete enjoyment of his civic and political rights, nor shall he for such reasons evade compliance with any common civic duty."
^Biotechnology(PDF) (Report). Eurobarometer 73.1. October 2010 [Fieldwork: Jan–Feb 2010]. p. 204. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 15 December 2010.
^Tobias Stern Johansen (23 December 2009)."Hver fjerde dansker tror på Jesus" [One in four Danes believe in Jesus].Kristeligt Dagblad (in Danish).Archived from the original on 25 December 2009.Poll performed in December 2009 among 1114 Danes between ages 18 and 74
^"Denmark – An Overview".Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 22 September 2007. Archived fromthe original on 22 January 2008. Retrieved22 September 2007.
^Chopik, William J.; O'Brien, Ed; Konrath, Sara H. (2017). "Differences in Empathic Concern and Perspective Taking Across 63 Countries".Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology.48 (1). Supplementary Table 1.doi:10.1177/0022022116673910.hdl:1805/14139.ISSN0022-0221.S2CID149314942.
^Ebert, Robert (16 February 1997)."The Passion of Joan of Arc".Chicago Sun Times.Archived from the original on 10 June 2013. Retrieved1 July 2013.Carl Theodor Dreyer (1889–1968), the Dane who was one of the greatest early directors.
^TNS-Gallup meterArchived 19 February 2014 at theWayback Machine; Television station viewer statistics, figures for July 2012 (week 28). Retrieved 20 July 2012.
^"Om DIF – Medlemstal". Archived fromthe original on 16 July 2007. Retrieved16 July 2007.(in Danish),The National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark
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Jensen, Lene (1999). "Current status and trends in inland fisheries in Denmark". In Lundqvist, Gunnar (ed.).Current Status and Trends in Inland Fisheries. Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers. pp. 10–18.ISBN978-9-28930-402-3.
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Denmark.dkArchived 11 December 2020 at theWayback Machine "The site is the official site of Denmark and is edited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark."
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