Overview of Denmark

Denmark is a country made up by 443 islands, islets and a peninsula. It is the second largest country among the Nordic countries population wise with its 5.6 millions inhabitants but it is the smallest country in size.

Big cities

The capital Copenhagen is located on two islands on the east coast and has about 1.2 million inhabitants. Århus with its 300.000 inhabitants is located on the east coast of the peninsula and the second largest town in Denmark. On the island Fyn you will find the third largest town, Odense, with 187.000 inhabitants.

Climate

Since Denmark is made up of islands the climate is a typical temperate coastal climate with moist and changeable weather. The winters are mild and somewhat blowsy but cold winters can occur but are more of an exception than a regular happening, while the summers are cool.

Cultural society

Like Norway, 9% of the Danish population has immigrant background today. The largest immigrant groups since the 60´s is made up by Turks, Pakistanis and Arabs. A set of new immigration laws in 2001 has however made the immigration numbers drop drastically with up to 80% for persons from outside European Union. The resident permits for persons within European Union have however increased.

Religious Views

Denmark was christened in 965 and was so until the reformation in1536 which made Evangelic-Lutheran the religion. Today about 83% of the population belongs to the Danish state church and aaccording to §6 of the Danish constitution, the Royal family must belong to this Church. Due to immigration, Islam is the second biggest religion in Denmark with around 4%. Around half of the population believes there is a spirit or some sort of life force.

Languages in practice

Danish is the official language and is closely related to both Swedish and Norwegian. However on the autonomous Danish islands of Faroe Islands and Greenland the Faeroese and the Kalaallisut language are recognized as official languages along with the Danish. English and German are the two biggest foreign languages spoken in Denmark with the German being recognized as a official minority language due to Denmark’s border with Germany and the German population living in that area.

Political system

Norway is a constitutional monarchy since 1849 and has a parliamentary system of government. Queen Margrethe II is the Queen Regnant and head of state since 1972 and acts as a final check on executive power. She also has the power to decline Royal Assent. Since the beginning of the 20th century no single party have held an absolute majority making Denmark a country that uses a multi-party system. Government bills are rarely becoming laws before negotiations and compromises from all parties, both supporting and opposing parties has been made. This is reflected in the high level of the Danish people’s satisfaction.

Currency

Denmark has its own currency, Krone, which is dated back to 1873 when Denmark and Sweden formed a Scandinavian Monetary Union together, which Norway joined later. A referendum in 2000 rejected a transition to the Euro and a new referendum will take place in 2008 or 2009 at latest.