Russians can generally give a very approximate answer to the question of where Denmark is located. And the details about life, culture, state structure are generally familiar to units. Meanwhile, Denmark is a state with a very interesting history, a developed economy and a special way of life.
Geographic location
So where is Denmark? In the very north of Europe, in Scandinavia. The country's borders are washed by the waters of the North and B altic Seas. By land it is adjacent to Germany, by water - with Norway and Sweden. The area of the country, together with water expanses, is 700 thousand square meters. km. The land occupies only 42 thousand square meters. km. The coastline of the country is 7300 km. This includes the numerous islands of Denmark. Greenland is formally part of the country, but it has its own administration, which makes it independent. The peculiarity of the state is that it owns a large number of islands (about 400), of which 80 are inhabited. The largest island is Zealand. Many island parts are so close to each other that they are connectedbridges between each other.
Denmark as a whole extends into flat areas, only in the center of the Jutland peninsula there are small ridges of hills. The highest point of the country is 170 meters above sea level (Mollehoy Hill), and the average height of the territories is about 30 meters. Denmark's coastline has an intricate, fjord-indented shape.
The country is very rich in water resources, about a dozen rivers flow here, the longest of which is Gudeno. 60% of Denmark's land is suitable for agriculture. During the period of rapid settlement of the country, natural forests were almost destroyed, and today the state spends a lot of resources to restore them. About 3 thousand hectares are planted here annually with oaks and beeches. The country is actively developing oil, limestone, natural gas, s alt, chalk, sand, and gravel deposits on its territory.
History of the country
In the places where Denmark is today, the first people appeared about 10 thousand years ago. They came from more southerly territories following the receding glacier. A stable culture of sufficiently high development was formed here in the 2nd millennium BC. At the beginning of a new era, the Danish tribes lived in the north of Europe, who actively conquered the lands south of Jutland and in England. The genes of the tribes that lived on the territory of modern Denmark became one of the significant components in the formation of the English ethnos. In the Middle Ages, the Danish Viking tribes became famous for their militancy. They successfully seized land in the Seine region and createdthere is the Duchy of Normandy. Success accompanied them in the conquest of English territories. In the 10th-11th century, England was almost completely subordinate to the Danish king Canute II and paid tribute to him. In the 11th century, the territory of Denmark was very large, including parts of modern Norway, Germany, Sweden. But later, serious internal disagreements began between the ruling forces and the clergy. The 13th century was a time of protracted civil wars, but the kings Valdemar the Fourth, Eric Copenhagen, Christian the First and Queen Margrethe actively suppressed internal resistance and led the conquest of new lands. Until the 15th century, Denmark strengthened its position in Europe, in the 16th century Protestantism penetrated the country and became the state religion. Danish culture flourished in the 16th century.
At the same time, the country throughout its history almost non-stop participated in various wars, in the North of Europe there was an active struggle for territories, various peoples that make up the state periodically raised uprisings, and conflicts between the people and the aristocracy also systematically arose. In the 18-19th century, serious social and political transformations were taking place in the country, the monarchs were trying to reduce the influence of the church and enable the people to live better. Strong external pressure does not stop either, there was especially a lot of friction with Sweden. At the beginning of the 19th century, Denmark becomes a constitutional monarchy, after which the "golden" age begins, many outstanding scientists, artists, and philosophers work here. However, in the second half of the 19th century, new times come, after the war with Prussia, Denmark loses a lotthe amount of land. The beginning of the 20th century was marked by an internal political struggle, a multi-party system was being established in the country, and socialist sentiments were growing. In 1936, Denmark concludes a non-aggression pact with Germany, but still in 1940 the Germans occupied the country. Liberation came with the British Army in 1945. For several decades, the country has been negotiating to join the European Union and in 1996 became a full member of the Schengen Agreement.
Climate
The climate zone where Denmark is located is dominated by the influence of the warm current of the Gulf Stream. The country has a temperate maritime climate with very high rainfall. On average, Denmark receives between 600 and 800 mm of precipitation per year. The rainiest time of the year is autumn. The country has short, cool summers and wet, mild winters. On average, the thermometer in summer rises to 18 degrees Celsius, and in winter it stays around zero. Snow cover in Denmark lasts no more than 3 weeks a year. The best time to visit Denmark is from May to September, but then you need to be prepared for the fact that it will rain at any time.
Administrative-territorial division
Since 2007, Denmark, on the map of which five territorial units are distinguished, has refused to divide its territory into communes, as it was before. Now the country is divided into five districts, in which, in turn, cities and communes are distinguished. Traditionally, the Danes themselves divide their country into 4 large parts: South, Central and NorthDenmark and Zealand, the capital region keeps apart. Each district and city has its own elected bodies - representative councils. Greenland and the Faroe Islands have a special status and are autonomous entities with their own laws and administration.
Capital of Denmark
The largest city in the country and its capital - Copenhagen - is located on the islands of Zeeland, Amager, Slotsholmen. The history of the settlement dates back to the 12th century. At that time, Denmark was a rather significant state on the map of Europe and over time only gained strength, like its capital. Today Copenhagen is the safest metropolis in Europe. The city is home to 569 thousand people, and if we count the entire agglomeration, then more than 1.1 million. The population density in the capital is very high - about 6.2 thousand people per sq. km. km. But this does not have a negative impact on the quality of life. The city is very comfortable for living, in its 10 districts and four suburban areas very favorable living conditions have been created. Copenhagen is rich in sights and museums, but most of all visitors are struck by the absolutely peaceful atmosphere of the city. It is pleasant to walk here, looking at architectural monuments and breathing in fresh air from the sea.
Government
Denmark is a constitutional monarchy. Officially, the head of Denmark is the king, today it is Queen Margarethe, she rules the country together with the parliament, government and prime minister. The queen is mainly responsible for representative functions, sheheads the armed forces, hosts parades, welcomes foreign guests. All the main tasks of the executive power lie with the prime minister; the heads of the country's districts are subordinate to him. Denmark has a multi-party system, trade unions represent a significant political force.
National currency
Despite the fact that Denmark is a member of the European Union, the country has its own currency - the Danish krone. There are 100 eras in one crown. Modern banknotes of 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 crowns began to be issued in 1997. Since 2009, banknotes of a new series have been put into circulation. Denmark's financial center is Copenhagen, where the country's mint puts into circulation all banknotes and coins. The largest stock exchange in northern Europe is also located here.
Population
Today there are 5.7 million in Denmark, the number of men and women is almost equal, the difference is 1 percent in favor of women. The population density of Denmark is 133 people per square kilometer. m. Prosperous economic situation and stability in the country contributes to the fact that annually the population increases by about 20 thousand people, the death rate is slightly behind the birth rate. About 65% of the country's inhabitants are of working age, which contributes to the economic well-being of the state. The average life expectancy in Denmark is 78.6 years, which is 7 years higher than the global average. The migration crisis that has engulfed Europe today has hardly affected Denmark, although the number of visitors is about 20 thousand people a year. But the government imposes serious requirements on migrants, so for now the flow has been contained.
Language and religion
The officially recognized state language of Denmark is Danish. It is spoken by about 96% of the population. The Danish language originated from the common Scandinavian language, but acquired unique features during autonomous development, so understanding between the inhabitants of different countries of northern Europe would be difficult if they did not communicate in English. Also in circulation among some of the inhabitants are German, Greenlandic and Faroese. In addition, 86% of the population speaks English, 58% German, and 12% French.
The official religion of the country is the Lutheran Church of the Danish people, according to the constitution, the monarch must profess this religion. And although the Danes are not very religious, 81% of the population says that they profess the state religion, that is, they are parishioners of the church. According to the constitution, freedom of religion is guaranteed in Denmark and there are Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish communities in the country.
Economy
Denmark is a country with a well-developed economy, inflation here is only 2.4%, the budget surplus is estimated at more than 400 billion dollars. The country's economy is one of the most stable in Europe. The presence of its own oil and gas fields allowed the country to avoid dependence on world energy prices. Denmark has a highly efficient and technologically advanced agriculture. The leading industry is meat and dairy production. But also developedgrowing potatoes, wheat, everyday vegetables, sugar beets. The cooperative form of management creates about 80% of all agricultural products in the country. Therefore, consumer prices in Denmark are low with a fairly large average wage. The country is distinguished by a high level of development of modern technologies, at one time the state made a breakthrough in industrialization, and today it is bearing fruit. Modern enterprises of the metallurgical, light, chemical and mechanical engineering industries create high-quality and competitive goods. Industry provides about 40% of the national income. The service market is also actively growing and developing.
Culture
Denmark is a country with a rich cultural heritage, which is carefully preserved and promoted here. At one time, the state language of Denmark became the unifying principle of the country, and literature played an important role in this. The most famous Danish writer is G.-H. Andersen, although there are many other significant authors here, for example, Peter Heg and his novel Smilla's Snow Feeling. Denmark is a country of castles and architectural monuments of different historical eras, there are only about 600 world-class monuments here. Denmark also contributed to the development of world cinema, director Lars von Trier forever entered her name into the history of cinema.
Quality and characteristics of life
The Danes are hardworking and calm people. Due to the fact that they always had to struggle for existence with nature and external forces, and also partly Protestantism, a special type of nation was formed.character. The Danes work hard and hard, they are accustomed to stable prosperity, but they do not tend to overconsume. They are very practical people. Therefore, life in Denmark is quite comfortable. There are no strong social unrest here, because the government pays a lot of attention to the social protection of the population. Denmark ranks fifth in the world in terms of the quality of life index. And that says a lot.
