Denmark

Denmarkis aNordic countryinNorthern Europe. It is themetropoleand most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,also known as theDanish Realm, aconstitutionallyunitary statethat includes theautonomous territoriesof theFaroe IslandsandGreenlandin the northAtlantic Ocean.Metropolitan Denmark,also called "continental Denmark" or "Denmark proper",consists of the northernJutlandpeninsulaand anarchipelagoof 406 islands.It is the southernmost of theScandinaviancountries, lying southwest ofSweden, south ofNorway, and north ofGermany, with which it shares a shortborder. Denmark proper is situated between theNorth Seato the west and theBaltic Seato the east.
The Kingdom of Denmark, including the Faroe Islands and Greenland, has roughly1,400 islandsgreater than 100 square metres (1,100 sq ft) in area; 443 have been named and 78 are inhabited.Denmark's population is close to 6 million,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.Composed mostly of flat,arable land, Denmark is characterised by sandy coasts, low elevation, and atemperate climate. Denmark exerciseshegemonicinfluence in theDanish Realm,devolvingpowers to the other constituent entities to handle their internal affairs.Home rulewas established in the Faroe Islands in 1948;Greenlandachieved home rule in 1979 andfurther autonomyin 2009.
Theunified Kingdom of Denmarkemerged in the eighth century AD as amaritime poweramid the struggle forcontrol of the Baltic Sea.In 1397, it formed theKalmar Unionwith Norway and Sweden. This union persisted untilSweden's secessionin 1523. The remaining Kingdom ofDenmark–Norwayendured aseries of warsin the 17th century that resulted in furtherterritorial cessions. A surge ofnationalist movementsin the 19th century were defeated in theFirst Schleswig Warof 1848. The adoption of theConstitution of Denmarkon 5 June 1849 ended theabsolute monarchyand introduced the current parliamentary system.
Denmark began industrialising in the mid 19th century, becoming a major agricultural exporter. It introducedsocial and labour market reformsin the early 20th century, forming the basis for the presentwelfare statemodeland advancedmixed economy.Denmark remained neutralduringWorld War I; Danish neutrality was violated inWorld War IIby a rapidGerman invasionin April 1940. During occupation, aresistance movementemerged in 1943, while Iceland declared independence in 1944; Denmark wasliberatedafter the end of the war in May 1945. In 1973, Denmark, together withGreenlandbut not theFaroe Islands, became a member of what is now theEuropean Union; however, it negotiatedcertain opt-outs, such as retaining its own currency, thekrone.
Denmark is adeveloped countrywith an advancedhigh-income economy, highstandard of living, and robustsocial welfare policies. Danish culture and society are broadly progressive egalitarian, andsocially liberal; Denmark was the first country to legally recognisesame-sex partnerships. It is a founding member ofNATO, theNordic Council, theOECD, theOSCE, theCouncil of Europeand theUnited Nations, and is part of theSchengen Area. Denmark maintains close political, cultural, and linguistic ties with its Scandinavian neighbours. TheDanish political system, which emphasizes broadconsensus, is used by Americanpolitical scientist,Francis Fukuyama, as a reference point for near-perfectgovernance; his phrase "getting to Denmark" refers to the country's status as a global model for social and political institutions.
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.This is centred primarily on the morpheme"Dan"and whether it refers to theDanior a historical personDanand the exact meaning of the -"mark"ending.
Most etymological dictionaries and handbooks derive "Dan" from a word meaning "flat land",related to GermanTenne"threshing floor", Englishden"cave".The elementmarkis believed to meanwoodlandorborderland(seemarches), with probable references to the border forests in southSchleswig.
The first recorded use of the wordDanmarkwithin Denmark itself is found on the twoJelling stones, which arerunestonesbelieved to have been erected byGorm the Old(c.955) andHarald Bluetooth(c.965). The larger of the two stones is popularly cited as the "baptismal certificate" (dåbsattest) of Denmark,though both use the word "Denmark", in theaccusativeᛏᛅᚾᛘᛅᚢᚱᚴtanmaurk([danmɒrk]) on the large stone, and thegenitiveᛏᛅᚾᛘᛅᚱᚴᛅᚱ"tanmarkar" (pronounced[danmarkaɽ]) on the small stone, while thedativeformtąnmarku(pronounced[danmarkʊ]) is found on the contemporaneous Skivum stone. The inhabitants of Denmark are there calledtani([danɪ]), or "Danes", in the accusative.
The earliestarchaeological finds in Denmarkdate back to theEem interglacial periodfrom 130,000 to 110,000BC.Denmark has been inhabited since around 12,500 BC and agriculture has been evident since 3900 BC.TheNordic Bronze Age(1800–600 BC) in Denmark was marked byburial mounds, which left an abundance of findings includinglursand theSun Chariot.
During thePre-Roman Iron Age(500 BC – AD 1), native groups began migrating south, and the first tribalDanescame to the country between the Pre-Roman and theGermanic Iron Age,in theRoman Iron Age(AD 1–400).TheRoman provincesmaintainedtrade routesand relations with native tribes in Denmark, andRoman coinshave been found in Denmark. Evidence of strongCelticcultural 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) andScaniaand spoke an early form ofNorth Germanic. Historians believe that before their arrival, most ofJutlandand the nearest islands were settled by tribalJutes. Many Jutes migrated toGreat Britain, according to legend some as mercenaries ofBrythonicKingVortigern, and formed the south-eastern territories ofKent, theIsle of Wightand other areas, where they settled. They were later absorbed orethnically cleansedby the invadingAnglesandSaxons, who formed theAnglo-Saxons. The remainingJutishpopulation in Jutland assimilated in with the settlingDanes.
A short note about theDaniinGeticaby the historianJordanesis believed to be an early mention of the Danes, one of theethnic groupsfrom whom modernDanesare descended.TheDanevirkedefence 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.Anew runic alphabetwas first used around the same time andRibe, the oldest town of Denmark, was founded about AD 700.
From the 8th to the 10th century the widerScandinavianregion 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 IslesandWestern Europe. They settled in parts ofEngland(known as theDanelaw) under KingSweyn Forkbeardin 1013, and inFrancewhere Danes and Norwegians were allowed to settle in what would becomeNormandyin exchange of allegiance toRobert I of FrancewithRolloas first ruler. SomeAnglo-Saxonpenceof this period have been found in Denmark.
Denmark was largely consolidated by the late 8th century and its rulers are consistently referred to inFrankishsources as kings (reges). Under the reign ofGudfredin 804 the Danish kingdom may have included all thelandsof Jutland,Scaniaand the Danish islands, excluding Bornholm.
The extant Danish monarchy traces its roots back toGorm the Old, who established his reign in the early 10th century.As attested by theJelling stones, the Danes wereChristianisedaround 965 byHarald Bluetooth, the son ofGormandThyra. 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 sixfortressesaround Denmark calledTrelleborgand built a furtherDanevirke. In the early 11th century,Canute the Greatwon and united Denmark, England, andNorwayfor almost 30 years with a Scandinavian army.
Throughout theHighandLate Middle Ages, Denmark also includedSkåneland(the areas of Scania,Halland, andBlekingein present-day south Sweden) and Danish kings ruledDanish Estonia, as well as theduchiesofSchleswigandHolstein. Most of the latter two now form the state ofSchleswig-Holsteinin northern Germany.
In 1397, Denmark entered into apersonal unionknown as theKalmar UnionwithNorwayandSweden, united under QueenMargaret I.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.Thus, much of the next 125 years ofScandinavian historyrevolves 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 Vasaconquered the city ofStockholm. TheProtestant Reformationspread to Scandinavia in the 1530s, and following theCount's Feudcivil war,Denmark convertedtoLutheranismin 1536. Later that year, Denmark entered into a union with Norway.
After Sweden permanentlybroke awayfrom the personal union, Denmark tried on several occasions to reassert control over its neighbour. KingChristian IVattacked Sweden in the 1611–1613Kalmar Warbut 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 indemnityof 1 million silverriksdalerto Denmark, an amount known as theÄlvsborg ransom.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 companyand planned to claimCeylonas a colony, but the company only managed to acquireTranquebaron India'sCoromandel Coast. Denmark's large colonial aspirations included a few keytrading postsinAfricaandIndia. 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 ChristiansborginOsu,Ghanathrough which 1.5 million slaves were traded.While the Danish colonial empire was sustained by trade with other major powers, andplantations– ultimately a lack of resources led to its stagnation.
In theThirty Years' War, Christian tried to become the leader of theLutheranstates in Germany but suffered a crushing defeat at theBattle of Lutter.The result was that the Catholic army underAlbrecht von Wallensteinwas able to invade, occupy, and pillage Jutland, forcing Denmarkto withdraw from the war.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 Jutlandin 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 Gustavof Sweden conqueredJutlandand, following theSwedish March acrossthe frozenDanish straits, occupiedFunenand much ofZealandbefore signing thePeace of Roskildein 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.The siege ended following the death of Charles X Gustav in 1660.In the ensuingpeace settlement, Denmark managed to maintain its independence and regain control of Trøndelag and Bornholm.Attaining great popularity following the war, Frederick III used this todisband the elective monarchyin favour ofabsolute monarchy, which lasted until 1848 in Denmark.
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 ofSchleswigandHolsteinruled by the house ofHolstein-Gottorpin the 1720Treaty of Frederiksborgand the 1773Treaty of Tsarskoye Selo, respectively. Denmark prospered greatly in the last decades of the 18th century due to itsneutral statusallowing it to trade with both sides in the many contemporary wars. In theNapoleonic Wars, Denmark traded with bothFranceand theUnited Kingdomand joined theLeague of Armed NeutralitywithRussia, Sweden, andPrussia.British fears that Denmark-Norway would ally with France led to two attacks against Danish targets in Copenhagen in1801and1807. 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.
The union was dissolved by theTreaty of Kielin 1814; the Danish monarchy "irrevocably and forever" renounced claims to the Kingdom of Norway in favour of the Swedish king.Denmark kept the possessions ofIceland(which retained the Danish monarchy until 1944), theFaroe IslandsandGreenland, all of which had been governed by Norway for centuries.Apart from the Nordic colonies, Denmark continued to rule overDanish Indiafrom 1620 to 1869, theDanish Gold Coast(Ghana) from 1658 to 1850, and theDanish West Indiesfrom 1671 to 1917.
A nascent Danish liberal and national movement gained momentum in the 1830s; after the EuropeanRevolutions of 1848, Denmark peacefully became aconstitutional monarchyon 5 June 1849. A new constitution established atwo-chamber parliament. Denmark faced war against bothPrussiaand theAustrian Empirein what became known as theSecond Schleswig War, lasting from February to October 1864. Denmark was defeated and obliged tocedeSchleswig and HolsteintoPrussia. This loss came as the latest in the long series of defeats andterritoriallosses that had begun in the 17th century. After these events, Denmark pursued a policy of neutrality in Europe.
Industrialisationcame to Denmark in the second half of the 19th century.Thenation's first railwayswere constructed in the 1850s, and improved communications and overseas trade allowed industry to develop in spite of Denmark's lack of natural resources.Trade unionsdeveloped, 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 stanceduringWorld War I. After the defeat of Germany, theVersailles powersoffered to return the region of Schleswig-Holstein to Denmark. Fearing Germanirredentism, Denmark refused to consider the return of the area without aplebiscite; the twoSchleswig Plebiscitestook 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.
In 1939, Denmark signed a 10-year nonaggression pact withNazi Germany. However,Germany invaded Denmarkon 9 April 1940, and the Danish government quickly surrendered.World War II in Denmarkwas characterised by economic co-operation with Germany until 1943, when the Danish government refused further co-operation andits navyscuttled most of its shipsand sent many of its officers to Sweden, which was neutral. TheDanish resistanceperformed arescue operationthat managed to evacuate several thousandJewsand their families to safety in Sweden before the Germans could send them to death camps. Some Danes supportedNazismby joining theDanish Nazi Partyor volunteering to fight with Germany as part of theFrikorps Danmark.Iceland severed ties with Denmark andbecame an independent republicin 1944;Germany surrenderedin May 1945. In 1948, the Faroe Islands gainedhome rule. In 1949, Denmark became a founding member ofNATO.
Denmark was a founding member ofEuropean Free Trade Association(EFTA). During the 1960s, the EFTA countries were often referred to as theOuter Seven, as opposed to theInner Sixof what was then theEuropean Economic Community(EEC).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 rejectedby the Danish people in 1992; it was only accepted after asecond referendumin 1993, which provided forfour opt-outsfrom policies. The Danes rejected the euro as the national currency ina referendum in 2000. Greenland gained home rule in 1979 and was awardedself-determinationin 2009. Neither theFaroe IslandsnorGreenlandare 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.
Constitutional change in 1953 led to asingle-chamberparliament elected by proportional representation, female accession to the Danish throne, and Greenland becoming an integral part of Denmark. Thecentre-leftSocial Democratsled a string of coalition governments for most of the second half of the 20th century, introducing theNordic welfare model. TheLiberal Partyand theConservative People's Partyhave also ledcentre-rightgovernments.
Located inNorthern Europe, Denmarkconsists of the northern part of theJutlandpeninsula and anarchipelagoof406 islands.Of these, the largest island isZealand, on which the capitalCopenhagenis situated, followed by theNorth Jutlandic Island,Funen, andLolland.The island ofBornholmis located some 150 km east of the rest of the country, in theBaltic Sea. Many of the larger islands are connected by bridges; abridge-tunnelacross theØresundconnects Zealand with Sweden; theGreat Belt Fixed Linkconnects Funen with Zealand; and theLittle Belt Bridgeconnects Jutland with Funen.Ferriesorsmall aircraftconnect to the smaller islands. The fourcities with populations over 100,000are the capitalCopenhagenon Zealand;AarhusandAalborgin Jutland; andOdenseon Funen.
The metropolitan part occupies a total area of 42,943.9square kilometres(16,581 sq mi).The area of inland water is 43 km(17 sq mi).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 reclamationprojects (to counter erosion).Post-glacial reboundraises 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) indiameterwith acircumferenceof 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) withGermanyto the south and is otherwise surrounded by 8,750 km (5,437 mi) of tidalshoreline(including smallbaysandinlets).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.Denmark'sterritorial waterstotal 105,000 square kilometres (40,541 square miles).
Denmark's northernmost point isSkagenpoint (the north beach of the Skaw) at 57° 45' 7" northern latitude; the southernmost isGedserpoint (the southern tip ofFalster) at 54° 33' 35" northern latitude; the westernmost point isBlåvandshukat 8° 4' 22" eastern longitude; and the easternmost point isØsterskærat 15° 11' 55" eastern longitude. This is in the smallErtholmenearchipelago 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 levelof 31 metres (102 ft). The highest natural point isMøllehøj, at 170.86 metres (560.56 ft).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'sterrainconsists of rollingplainswhilst the coastline is sandy, with largedunesin 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,SusåandVidå—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.
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 (theLøgtingandInatsisartut) and form, together with continental Denmark, part of theDanish Realm, a country.
Denmark has atemperateclimate, 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).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.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.The position between a continent and an ocean means that the weather is often unstable.
Because of Denmark's northern location, there are large seasonal variations in daylight: short days during the winter with sunrise coming 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).
Denmark belongs to theBoreal Kingdomand can be subdivided into twoecoregions: theAtlantic mixed forestsandBaltic mixed forests.Almost all of Denmark'sprimeval temperate forestshave been destroyed or fragmented, chiefly for agricultural purposes during the last millennia.The deforestation has created large swaths ofheathlandand devastatingsand drifts.In spite of this, there are several largersecond growth woodlandsin the country and, in total, 12.9% of the land is now forested.Norway spruceis the most widespread tree (2017); an important tree in theChristmas tree production. Denmark holds aForest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 0.5/10, ranking it 171st globally out of 172 countries—behind onlySan Marino.
Roe deeroccupy the countryside in growing numbers, and large-antleredred deercan be found in the sparse woodlands of Jutland. Denmark is also home to smaller mammals, such aspolecats,haresandhedgehogs.Approximately 400 bird species inhabit Denmark and about 160 of those breed in the country.Large marine mammals include healthy populations ofharbour porpoises, growing numbers ofpinnipedsand occasional visits of whales, includingblue whalesandorcas.Cod,herringandplaiceare abundantculinary fishin Danish waters and form the basis fora large fishing industry.
Denmark historically taken a progressive stance onenvironmental preservation: In 1971, it established aMinistry of Environmentand was the first country in the world to implement anenvironmental lawin 1973.Land andwater pollutionare 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 Protocolto reduce greenhouse gas emissions.However, its nationalecological footprintis 8.26 global hectares per person, which is very high compared to a world average of 1.7 in 2010.Contributing factors are an exceptionally high value for cropland and grazing land,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.
Notwithstanding its relatively high emissions, Denmark topped the list of the 2015Climate Change Performance Indexdue to its implementation effective climate protection policies.The country has consistently placed first since 2020.Denmark ranked 10th in theEnvironmental Performance Index,which measures progress at mitigatingclimate change, safeguardingecosystem vitality, and promotingenvironmental health.In 2021, Denmark joined Costa Rica to launch the "Beyond Oil and Gas alliance" for stopping use fossil fuels.The Danish government stopped issuing new licences for oil and gas extraction in December 2020.
Denmark's territories, Greenland and theFaroe Islands, catch approximately 650 whales per year.Greenland's quotas for the catch of whales are determined according to the advice of theInternational Whaling Commission(IWC), having quota decision-making powers.
Politics in Denmark operate under a framework laid out in theConstitution of Denmark.First written in 1849, it establishes a sovereign state in the form of aconstitutional monarchy, with a representativeunicameralparliamentary system. Themonarchofficially retainsexecutive powerand presides over theCouncil of State(privy council).In practice, the duties of the monarch are strictly representative andceremonial,such as the formal appointment and dismissal of thePrime Ministerand other Government ministers. The Monarch is not answerable for his or her actions, and theirpersonissacrosanct.Hereditary monarchKing Frederik Xhas been head of state since 14 January 2024.
The Danish parliament isunicameraland called the Folketing (Danish:Folketinget). It is thelegislatureof the Kingdom of Denmark, passingactsthat 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.Billsmay be initiated by the Government or bymembers of parliament. All bills passed must be presented before the Council of State to receiveRoyal Assentwithin thirty days in order to become law.
Denmark is arepresentative democracywithuniversal suffrage.Membership of the Folketing is based onproportional representationof political parties,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.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.
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 theconfidenceof a majority in the Folketing; this is often the current leader of the largestpolitical partyor, 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 governmentsdependent on non-government parties.
Following the2022 Danish general electionin November 2022, incumbent prime minister andSocial Democratic leaderMette Frederiksenin December 2022 formed the currentFrederiksen II Cabinet, a coalition government  with the until then leading opposition partyVenstreand the recently foundedModerate party.
Denmark has acivil lawsystem with some references toGermanic law. Denmark resembles Norway and Sweden in never having developed acase-lawlike that ofEnglandand theUnited Statesnor comprehensivecodeslike those of France and Germany. Much of its law iscustomary.
The judicial system of Denmark is divided between courts with regular civil andcriminaljurisdiction and administrative courts with jurisdiction over litigation between individuals and the public administration. Articles sixty-two and sixty-four of the Constitution ensurejudicial independencefrom government and Parliament by providing that judges shall only be guided by the law, including acts, statutes and practice.The Kingdom of Denmark does not have a single unified judicial system – Denmark has one system, Greenland another, and the Faroe Islands a third.However, decisions by the highest courts in Greenland and the Faroe Islands may be appealed to the Danish High Courts. TheDanish Supreme Courtis the highest civil and criminal court responsible for the administration of justice in the Kingdom.
The Kingdom of Denmark is aunitary statethat comprises, in addition to metropolitan Denmark, twoautonomous territoriesin theNorth Atlantic Ocean: theFaroe IslandsandGreenland. 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 assumedlegislativeand administrative responsibility in a substantial number of fields.Home rulewas granted to the Faroe Islands in 1948 and to Greenland in 1979, each having previously had the status ofcounties.
The Faroe Islands and Greenland have their own home governments and parliaments and are effectivelyself-governingin regards to domestic affairs apart from the judicial system and monetary policy.High Commissioners(Rigsombudsmand) act as representatives of the Danish government in the FaroeseLøgtingand in theGreenlandic Parliament, but they cannot vote.The Faroese home government is defined to be an equal partner with the Danish national government,while theGreenlandic peopleare defined as a separate people with the right toself-determination.
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, theErtholmenearchipelago, 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.Theprovinces of Denmarkare statistical divisions of Denmark, positioned between theadministrative regionsandmunicipalities. 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 2007to 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.The administrative divisions are led by directly elected councils, elected proportionally every four years; the most recentDanish local electionswere held on 16 November 2021. Other regional structures use the municipal boundaries as a layout, including thepolice districts, thecourt districtsand theelectoral wards.
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.The areas of responsibility for the regional councils are thenational health service,social servicesandregional development.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.From 1 January 2019 this contribution will be abolished, as it is being replaced by higher income tax instead.
Theareaand populations of the regions vary widely; for example, theCapital Regionhas a population three times larger than that ofNorth Denmark Region. Under the county system certain densely populated municipalities, such asCopenhagen MunicipalityandFrederiksberg, had been given a status equivalent to that of counties, making them first-level administrative divisions. Thesesui generismunicipalities were incorporated into the new regions under the 2007 reforms.
Denmark wields considerable influence in Northern Europe and is amiddle powerin international affairs.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 membershipof theEuropean Union(EU); Denmark including Greenland joined theEuropean Economic Community(EEC), the EU's predecessor, in 1973.Denmark held thePresidency of the Council of the European Unionon seven occasions, most recently from January to June 2012.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.
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 aidand was one of only six countries meeting the longstanding UN target of 0.7% of GNI.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.
Denmark'sarmed forcesare known as theDanish Defence(Danish:Forsvaret). The Minister of Defence iscommander-in-chiefof the Danish Defence, and serves as chiefdiplomaticofficial abroad. During peacetime, theMinistry of Defenceemploys around 33,000 in total. The main military branches employ almost 27,000: 15,460 in theRoyal Danish Army, 5,300 in theRoyal Danish Navyand 6,050 in theRoyal Danish Air Force(all including conscripts).TheDanish Emergency Management Agencyemploys 2,000 (including conscripts), and about 4,000 are in non-branch-specific services like theDanish Defence Commandand theDanish Defence Intelligence Service. Furthermore, around 44,500 serve as volunteers in theDanish Home Guard.
Denmark is a long-time supporter of internationalpeacekeeping, but since theNATO bombing of Yugoslaviain 1999 and theWar in Afghanistanin 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.The Danish Defence has around 1,400staff 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,and nowSFOR.Between 2003 and 2007, there were approximately 450 Danish soldiers inIraq.Denmark also strongly supportedAmerican operationsinAfghanistanand has contributed both monetarily and materially to theISAF.These initiatives are often described by the authorities as part of a new "active foreign policy" of Denmark.
Denmark has adevelopedmixed economythat is classed as ahigh-income economyby theWorld Bank.In 2017, it ranked 16th in the world in terms ofgross national income (PPP) per capitaand 10th innominal GNI per capita.Denmark's economy stands out as one of the most free in theIndex of Economic Freedomand theEconomic Freedom of the World.It is the 10th most competitive economy in the world, and 6th in Europe, according to theWorld Economic Forumin itsGlobal Competitiveness Report 2018.
Denmark has the fourth highest ratio oftertiary degreeholders in the world.The country ranks highest in the world forworkers' rights.GDP per hour worked was the 13th highest in 2009. The country has a market income inequality close to theOECDaverage,but after taxes and public cash transfers the income inequality isconsiderably lower. According toEurostat, Denmark'sGini coefficientfor disposable income was the 7th-lowest among EU countries in 2017.According to theInternational Monetary Fund, Denmark hasthe world's highest minimum wage.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 unionand the employers groupHoresta, workers atMcDonald'sand otherfast food chainsmake 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 leaveand a pension plan.Union density in 2015 was 68%.
Once a predominantlyagriculturalcountry on account of itsarablelandscape, since 1945 Denmark has greatly expanded itsindustrial baseandservice sector. By 2017 services contributed circa 75% of GDP, manufacturing about 15% and agriculture less than 2%.Major industries includewind turbines,pharmaceuticals,medical equipment,machineryand transportation equipment,food processing, andconstruction.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.Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and has for a number of years had abalance of paymentssurplus 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.
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 tradeis high among the Danish public; in a 2016 poll 57% responded saw globalisation as an opportunity whereas 18% viewed it as a threat.70% of trade flows are inside the European Union. As of 2017, Denmark's largest export partners are Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Denmark's currency, thekrone(DKK), ispeggedat approximately 7.46 kroner per euro through theERM II. Although aSeptember 2000 referendumrejected adopting theeuro,the country follows the policies set forth in theEconomic and Monetary Union of the European Union(EMU) and meets the economicconvergence criterianeeded 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 aEurobarometeropinion poll stated that they were in favour of the EMU and the euro, whereas 65% were against it.The exact same poll conducted in November 2023, was almost unchanged with 31% in favour and 63% against.
Ranked by turnover in Denmark, the largest Danish companies are:A.P. Møller-Mærsk(international shipping),Novo Nordisk(pharmaceuticals),ISS A/S(facility services),Vestas(wind turbines),Arla Foods(dairy),DSV(transport),Carlsberg Group(beer),Salling Group(retail),Ørsted A/S(power),Danske Bank.
The Danish government focused into methods to increasetaxesonenergydealers in 2023.
Danes enjoy a high standard of living and the Danish economy is characterised by extensive governmentwelfare provisions. Denmark has acorporate taxrate of 22% and a special time-limited tax regime for expatriates.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.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
As of 2014, 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.The 6% of the population reporting that they could not afford to buy sufficient food was less than half of the OECD average.
Like other Nordic countries, Denmark has adopted theNordic Model, which combinesfree marketcapitalism with a comprehensivewelfare stateand strongworker protection.As a result of its acclaimed "flexicurity" model, Denmark has the freestlabour marketin Europe, according to the World Bank. Employers can hire and fire whenever they want (flexibility), and between jobs,unemploymentcompensation 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%.No restrictions apply regarding overtime work, which allows companies to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.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%.The unemployment rate was 5.7% in 2017,which is considered close to or below its structural level.
The level ofunemployment benefitsis 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.
Establishing a business in Denmark can be undertaken in a matter of hours and at very low costs.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.
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,ISSandE-ELT. Denmark was ranked 10th in theGlobal Innovation Indexin 2024, down from 6th in 2020 and from 7th in 2019.
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 Dieselengines. In the software and electronic field, Denmark contributed to design and manufacturing ofNordic Mobile Telephones, and the now-defunct Danish companyDanCallwas among the first to developGSMmobile phones.
Life scienceis a key sector with extensive research and development activities. Danish engineers are world-leading in providingdiabetescare equipment and medication products from Novo Nordisk and, since 2000, the DanishbiotechcompanyNovozymes, the world market leader in enzymes for first generation starch-basedbioethanol, has pioneered development of enzymes for converting waste tocellulosic ethanol.Medicon Valley, spanning theØresund Regionbetween Zealand and Sweden, is one of Europe's largest life scienceclusters.
Danish-born computer scientists and software engineers have taken leading roles in some of the world's programming languages:Anders Hejlsberg(Turbo Pascal,Delphi,C#);Rasmus Lerdorf(PHP);Bjarne Stroustrup(C++);David Heinemeier Hansson(Ruby on Rails);Lars Bak, a pioneer in virtual machines (V8,Java VM,Dart). PhysicistLene Vestergaard Hauis the first person to stop light, leading to advances inquantum computing,nanoscale engineering, andlinear optics.
Denmark has considerably large deposits of oil and natural gas in theNorth Seaand ranks as number 32 in the world among net exporters ofcrude oiland was producing 259,980 barrels of crude oil a day in 2009.Denmark is a long-time leader inwind power: In 2015wind turbinesprovided 42.1% of the total electricity consumption.In May 2011Denmark derived 3.1% of its gross domestic product from renewable (clean) energy technology and energy efficiency, or around €6.5 billion ($9.4 billion).Denmark is connected byelectric transmission linesto other European countries.
Denmark's electricity sectorhas integrated energy sources such as wind power into the national grid. Denmark now aims to focus on intelligent battery systems (V2G) andplug-in vehiclesin the transport sector.The country is a member nation of theInternational Renewable Energy Agency(IRENA).
Denmark exported roughly 460 millionGJof energy in 2018.
Significant investment has been made in building road and rail links between regions in Denmark, most notably theGreat Belt Fixed Link, which connectsZealandandFunen. It is now possible to drive fromFrederikshavnin northernJutlandtoCopenhagenon eastern Zealand without leaving the motorway. The main railway operator isDSBfor passenger services andDB Cargofor 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.Copenhagen has arapid transitsystem, theCopenhagen Metro, and an extensive electrified suburban railway network, theS-train. In the four largest cities –Copenhagen,Aarhus,Odense,Aalborg–light railsystems are planned to be in operation around 2020.
Cycling in Denmarkis a very common form of transport, particularly for the young and for city dwellers. With a network of bicycle routes extending more than 12,000 kmand an estimated 7,000 kmofsegregated dedicated bicycle paths and lanes, Denmark has a solidbicycle infrastructure.
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,as the cost for older cars—including taxes—keeps them within the budget of many Danes.
As of 2011, the average car age is 9.2 years.
With Norway and Sweden, Denmark is part of theScandinavian Airlinesflag carrier.Copenhagen Airportis Scandinavia's busiest passenger airport, handling over 25 million passengers in 2014.Other notable airports areBillund Airport,Aalborg Airport, andAarhus Airport.
In April 2020, the population of Denmark, as registered byStatistics Denmark, was 5.825 million.Denmark has one of the oldest populations in the world, with theaverage age of 41.9 years,with 0.97 males per female. Despite a lowbirth rate, the population is growing at an average annual rate of 0.59%because of net immigration and increasinglongevity. TheWorld Happiness Reportfrequently ranks Denmark's population as the happiest in the world.This has been attributed to the country's highly regarded education andhealth caresystems,and its low level ofincome inequality.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 careandold people get pensionsand care helpers.
Denmark is a historicallyhomogeneousnation.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 permitsare 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 seekersand 10% to persons who arrive as family dependants.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.
There are no official statistics onethnic groups, but according to 2020 figures from Statistics Denmark, 86.1% of the population in Denmark was ofDanishdescent (includingFaroeseandGreenlandic), defined as having at least one parent who was born in theKingdom of Denmarkand holdsDanish nationality.The remaining 13.89% were of foreign background, defined as immigrants or descendants of recent immigrants. With the same definition, the most common countries of origin wereTurkey,Poland,Syria,Germany,Iraq,Romania,Lebanon,Pakistan,Bosnia and Herzegovina, andSomalia.Minorities in Denmark includeTurks,Poles,Syrians,Germans,Iraqis,Romaniansand people from formerYugoslavia. There are also other Asian and African populations in the country. Small numbers ofRomani peopleandHungarianslive in Denmark. There is also a smallJewishpopulation.
TheInuitare 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.
Danishis thede factonational languageof Denmark.FaroeseandGreenlandicare the official languages of the Faroe Islands and Greenland respectively.Germanis a recognisedminority languagein the area of the formerSouth Jutland County(now part of theRegion of Southern Denmark), which was part of the German Empire prior to theTreaty of Versailles.Danish and Faroese belong to theNorth Germanic(Nordic) branch of theIndo-European languages, along withIcelandic,Norwegian, andSwedish.There is some degree ofmutual intelligibility between Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish. Danish is more distantly related to German, which is aWest Germaniclanguage. Greenlandic or "Kalaallisut" is anInuit language, and is entirely unrelated to Danish,although it has adopted many Danishloanwordsincluding the words for numbers.
A large majority (86%) of Danes speakEnglishas a second language,generally with a high level ofproficiency. German is the second-most spoken foreign language, with 47% reporting a conversational level of proficiency.Denmark had 25,900native speakersof German in 2007 (mostly in the South Jutland area).
Christianityis the dominant religion in Denmark. As of 2024, 71.2%of the population of Denmark were members of theChurch of Denmark(Den Danske Folkekirke), theofficially establishedchurch, which isProtestantin classification andLutheranin orientation.The membership percentage has been in steady decline since the 1970s, mainly as fewer newborns are beingbaptisedinto it.Only 3% of the population regularly attend Sunday servicesand only 19% of Danes consider religion to be an important part of their life.
TheConstitutionstates that the sovereign must have theLutheran faith, though the rest of the population isfree to adhere to other faiths.In 1682 the state granted limited recognition to three religious groups dissenting from the Established Church:Roman Catholicism,the Reformed ChurchandJudaism,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.Denmark's Muslimsmake up approximately 4.4% of the populationand form the country's second largest religious community and largestminority religion.TheDanish Foreign Ministryestimates that otherreligious groupscomprise less than 1% of the population individually and approximately 2% when taken all together.Just under 20% of the Danish population identifies asatheist.
According to a 2010Eurobarometerpoll,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 believeJesusis theson of God, and 18% believe he is thesaviour of the world.
In its 2024Freedom in the Worldreport,Freedom Houserated the country 4 out of 4 forreligious freedom.
All educational programmes in Denmark are regulated by theMinistry of Educationand administered by local municipalities.Folkeskolecovers the entire period of compulsory education, encompassingprimaryand lowersecondary education.Most children attendfolkeskolefor 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 schoolsorWaldorf schools.
Following graduation from compulsory education, there are several continuing educational opportunities; theGymnasium (STX)attaches importance in teaching a mix of humanities and science,Higher Technical Examination Programme (HTX)focuses on scientific subjects and theHigher Commercial Examination Programmeemphasises on subjects in economics.Higher Preparatory Examination (HF)is similar toGymnasium (STX), but is one year shorter. For specific professions, there isvocational education, training young people for work in specifictradesby a combination of teaching andapprenticeship.
The government records upper secondary school completion rates of 95% andtertiaryenrollment and completion rates of 60%.Alluniversityand 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.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,doctoratesandstudent exchange programmes.
As of 2015, Denmark has alife expectancyof 80.6 years at birth (78.6 for men, 82.5 for women), up from 76.9 years in 2000.Thisranks it27th among 193 nations, behind the otherNordic countries. TheNational Institute of Public Healthof theUniversity of Southern Denmarkhas calculated 19 major risk factors among Danes that contribute to a lowering of the life expectancy; this includes smoking, alcohol,drug abuseandphysical inactivity.Although theobesity rateis lower than in North America and most other European countries,the large number ofoverweightDanes results in an annual additional consumption in the health care system ofDKK1,625 million.In a 2012 study, Denmark had the highestcancer rateof all countries listed by the World Cancer Research Fund International; researchers suggest the reasons are better reporting, but also lifestyle factors like heavyalcohol consumption,smokingandphysical inactivity.
Denmark has auniversal health caresystem, 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.This means that mosthealth care provisionis free at the point of delivery for all residents. Additionally, roughly two in five have complementaryprivate insuranceto cover services not fully covered by the state, such asphysiotherapy.As of 2012, Denmark spends 11.2% of its GDP on health care; this is up from 9.8% in 2007 (US$3,512 per capita).This places Denmark above theOECDaverage and above the other Nordic countries.
Certainsocial housingdistricts 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 decayin 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.Some of the policies have been criticised for undercutting 'equality before law' and for portraying immigrants, especially Muslim immigrants, in a bad light.
During the years 2010–2021, the term "ghetto" was used officially to designate some or all of the vulnerable areas.The term was considered controversial, however, and removed in 2021.Denmark is the only country to have officially used the word 'ghetto' in the 21st century to denote certain residential areas.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).In 2023, there were 19 vulnerable residential areas in Denmark.
Denmark shares strong cultural andhistoric ties with its Scandinavian neighboursSwedenandNorway. It has historically been one of the most socially progressive cultures in the world. In 1969, Denmark was the first country to legalisepornography,and in 2012, Denmark replaced its "registered partnership" laws, which it had been the first country to introduce in 1989,withgender-neutralmarriage, andallowed same-sex marriagesto be performed in theChurch of Denmark.Modestyandsocial equalityare important parts of Danish culture.In a 2016 study comparingempathyscores of 63 countries, Denmark ranked 4th world-wide having the highest empathy among surveyed European countries.
The astronomical discoveries ofTycho Brahe,Ludwig A. Colding's neglected articulation of the principle ofconservation of energy, and the contributions to atomic physics ofNiels Bohrindicate the range of Danish scientific achievement. The fairy tales ofHans Christian Andersen, the philosophical essays ofSøren Kierkegaard, the short stories ofKaren Blixen(pennameIsak Dinesen), the plays ofLudvig Holberg, and the dense, aphoristic poetry ofPiet Hein, have earned international recognition, as have the symphonies ofCarl Nielsen. From the mid-1990s, Danish films have attracted international attention, especially those associated withDogme 95like those ofLars von TrierandThomas Vinterberg.
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.
There are seven heritage sites inscribed on the UNESCOWorld Heritage list in Northern Europe:Christiansfeld, a Moravian Church Settlement, theJelling Mounds (Runic Stones and Church),Kronborg Castle,Roskilde Cathedral, andThe par force hunting landscape in North Zealandand 3 in theWorld Heritage list in North America:Ilulissat Icefjord, Aasivissuit—Nipisat,Kujataawithin the Kingdom of Denmark.
Denmark is usually considered aprogressivecountry, which has adoptedlegislationandpoliciesto supportwomen's rights,minority rights, andLGBT rights. Human rights in Denmark are protected by the state's Constitution of theRealm(Danmarks Riges Grundlov); applying equally in Denmark proper,Greenlandand theFaroe Islands, and through theratificationofinternational human rights treaties.Denmark has held a significant role in the adoption of both theEuropean Convention on Human Rightsand in the establishment of theEuropean Court of Human Rights(ECHR). In 1987, theKingdom Parliament(Folketinget) established a national human rights institution, the Danish Centre of Human Rights, now theDanish Institute for Human Rights.
In 2009, a referendum on changing theDanish Act of Successionwere held to grantabsolute primogenitureto 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".
TheInuithave for decades been the subject ofdiscriminationandabuseby 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.From the 18th century up to the 1970s, the Danish government (Dano-Norwegian until 1814) tried to assimilate theIndigenous peopleof Greenland, theGreenlandic Inuit, encouraging them to adopt the majority language, culture and religion.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.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.Nevertheless, Denmark ratified, in 1996, to recognise theILO-convention 169onIndigenous peoplerecommended by the UN.
Denmark was thefirst country in the world to grant legal recognition to same-sex unionsin the form ofregistered partnershipsin 1989. On 7 June 2012, the law was replaced by a newsame-sex marriage law, which came into effect on 15 June 2012.Greenlandand theFaroe Islandslegalised same-sex marriage in April 2016,and in July 2017 respectively.In January 2016, a resolution was implemented by theDanish parliamentwhich preventedtransgenderidentity being classified as amental health condition. In doing so, Denmark became the first country inEuropeto go against theWorld Health Organization(WHO) standards, which classified transgender identity as being a mental health issue until June 2018.
In its 2024Freedom in the Worldreport,Freedom Houserated the country "free" with a score of 97 (out of 100).
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 95movement 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. Dreyeris considered one of the greatest directors ofearly cinema.
Other Danish filmmakers of note includeErik Balling, the creator of the popularOlsen-bandenfilms;Gabriel Axel, anOscar-winner forBabette's Feastin 1987; andBille August, theOscar-,Palme d'Or- andGolden Globe-winner forPelle the Conquerorin 1988. In the modern era, notable filmmakers in Denmark includeLars von Trier, who co-created the Dogme 95 movement withThomas Vinterberg, and multiple award-winnersSusanne BierandNicolas Winding Refn.Mads Mikkelsenis a world-renowned Danish actor, as isNikolaj Coster-Waldau.
Danishmass mediadate 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 HusandBerlingske Media, between them, control the largest newspapersPolitiken,Berlingske TidendeandJyllands-Postenand major tabloidsB.T.andEkstra Bladet.In television, publicly owned stationsDRandTV 2have large shares of the viewers.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 KnudsenandSofie Gråbøl. In radio, DR has a near monopoly, currently broadcasting on all four nationally availableFMchannels, competing only with local stations.
Denmark and its multiple outlying islands have awide range of folk traditions. The country's most famous classical composer isCarl Nielsen(1865–1931), especially remembered for his six symphonies and hisWind Quintet, while theRoyal Danish Balletspecialises in the work of the Danish choreographerAugust Bournonville. TheRoyal Danish Orchestrais among the world's oldest orchestras.Danes have distinguished themselves asjazzmusicians, and theCopenhagen Jazz Festivalhas acquired international recognition.
The modernpopand rock scene has produced a few names of international fame, includingAqua,Alphabeat,D-A-D,King Diamond,Kashmir,Lukas Graham,Mew,Michael Learns to Rock,MØ,Oh Land,The RaveonettesandVolbeat, amongothers.Lars Ulrich, the drummer of the bandMetallica, has become the first Danish musician to be inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Roskilde Festivalnear Copenhagen is the largest music festival in Northern Europe since 1971 and Denmark has manyrecurring music festivalsof all genres throughout, includingAarhus International Jazz Festival,Skanderborg Festival, The Blue Festival in Aalborg, Esbjerg International Chamber Music Festival andSkagen Festivalamong many others.
Denmark has participated in theEurovision Song Contestsince 1957 and has won the contest three times, in1963,2000and2013.
Denmark's architecture became firmly established in theMiddle Ageswhen firstRomanesque, thenGothicchurches 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 theRenaissancestyle.
During the 17th century, many impressive buildings were built in theBaroquestyle, both in the capital and the provinces.Neoclassicismfrom France was slowly adopted by native Danish architects who increasingly participated in defining architectural style. A productive period ofHistoricismultimately merged into the 19th-centuryNational Romantic style.
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 Jacobsenentered the world scene with their highly successfulFunctionalist architecture. This, in turn, has evolved into more recent world-class masterpieces includingJørn Utzon'sSydney Opera HouseandJohan Otto von Spreckelsen'sGrande Archein Paris, paving the way for a number of contemporary Danish designers such asBjarke Ingelsto be rewarded for excellence both at home and abroad.
Danish design is a term often used to describe a style offunctionalisticdesign 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 Factoryis 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 HenningsenandVerner Panton.Other designers of note includeKristian Solmer Vedelin the area of industrial design,Jens Quistgaardfor kitchen furniture and implements andOle Wanscherwho had a classical approach to furniture design.
The first known Danish literature is myths andfolklorefrom the 10th and 11th century.Saxo Grammaticus, normally considered the first Danish writer, worked on a chronicle ofDanish history(Gesta Danorum). Very little is known of other Danish literature from theMiddle Ages. With theAge of EnlightenmentcameLudvig Holbergwhose comedy plays are still being performed.
In the late 19th century, literature was seen as a way to influence society. Known as theModern Breakthrough, this movement was championed byGeorg Brandes,Henrik Pontoppidan(awarded theNobel Prize in Literature) andJ. P. Jacobsen.Romanticisminfluenced the renowned writer and poetHans Christian Andersen, known for his stories andfairy tales, e.g.The Ugly Duckling,The Little MermaidandThe Snow Queen. In recent historyJohannes Vilhelm Jensenwas also awarded theNobel Prize for Literature.Karen Blixenis famous for her novels and short stories. Other Danish writers of importance areHerman Bang,Gustav Wied,William Heinesen,Martin Andersen Nexø,Piet Hein,Hans Scherfig,Klaus Rifbjerg,Dan Turèll,Tove Ditlevsen,Inger ChristensenandPeter Høeg.
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.
TheDanish Golden Age, which began in the first half of the 19th century, was inspired by a new feeling of nationalism and romanticism, typified in the later previous century byhistory painterNicolai Abildgaard.Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersbergwas not only a productive artist in his own right but taught at theRoyal Danish Academy of Fine Artswhere his students includedWilhelm Bendz,Christen Købke,Martinus Rørbye,Constantin Hansen, andWilhelm Marstrand.
In 1871,Holger DrachmannandKarl MadsenvisitedSkagenin the far north ofJutlandwhere they quickly built up one of Scandinavia's most successfulartists' coloniesspecialising inNaturalismandRealismrather than in the traditional approach favoured by the academy. Hosted byMichaeland his wifeAnna, they were soon joined byP.S. Krøyer,Carl LocherandLaurits Tuxen. All participated in painting the natural surroundings and local people.Similar trends developed on Funen with theFynboernewho includedJohannes Larsen,Fritz SybergandPeter Hansen,and on the island of Bornholm with theBornholm school of paintersincludingNiels Lergaard,Kræsten IversenandOluf Høst.
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 includeimpressionismand the modernist styles ofexpressionism,abstract paintingandsurrealism. 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 movementsincludeTheodor 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 photographyin 1839. Pioneers such asMads AlstrupandGeorg Emil Hansenpaved the way for a rapidly growing profession during the last half of the 19th century. Today Danish photographers such asAstrid Kruse JensenandJacob Aue Sobolare active in key exhibitions around the world.
The traditionalcuisineof 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 itsCarlsbergandTuborgbeers and for itsakvavitandbitters.
Since around 1970, chefs and restaurants across Denmark have introducedgourmetcooking, 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.As a result of these developments, Denmark now has a considerable number of internationally acclaimed restaurants of which several have been awardedMichelin stars. This includesGeraniumandNomain Copenhagen.
Sports are popular in Denmark, and its citizens participate in and watch a wide variety. Thenational sportisfootball, with over 320,000 players in more than 1600clubs.Denmark qualified six times consecutively for theEuropean Championshipsbetween 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 teamcelebrated 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 Championshiphistory.In 2019, the Danish men's national handball team won their firstWorld Championship title.
In recent years, Denmark has made a mark as a strongcyclingnation, withMichael RasmussenreachingKing of the Mountainsstatus in theTour de Francein 2005 and 2006. Other popular sports include golf—which is mostly popular among those in the older demographic;tennis—in which Denmark is successful on a professional level;basketball—Denmark joined the international governing bodyFIBAin 1951;rugby—theDanish Rugby Uniondates back to 1950;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 bronzeOlympicmedals; and several indoor sports—especiallybadminton,table tennisand gymnastics, in each of which Denmark holds World Championships andOlympic medals.
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