Denmark

Overview

Located in northern Europe , Denmark is bordered by the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and Germany, which is its only connection to the European mainland. Most of its landmass is occupied by the Jutland peninsula while the remaining 500 islands, of which only a hundred are occupied, comprise the rest of the country. The Skagerrak and Kattegat straits separate it from Norway and Sweden .

The present-day Denmark owes its cultural and linguist origins to the Danes who migrated here from Sweden in around AD 500. Denmark's history, till the medieval period. The Thirty Years War with Sweden followed by the Napoleonic Wars inflicted damages on the economy of the country. Although Denmark remained neutral in both the World Wars, it surrendered to Germany in 1940 following the large build-up of German forces along its borders.

Denmark's prime attraction is its capital Copenhagen , one of the liveliest cities Europe, which also has an active nightlife. Most of the city's attractions are concentrated in a small area, while the parks, gardens, squares, and fountains are interspersed all over.  One of the most interesting attractions downtown Copenhagen has to offer is Tivoli.  Tivoli is a small amusement park located in the center of town and offers many gardens, rides, concerts, and weekly fireworks displays in the summer.  There are a few eating establishments within and on the outskirts of the park (including a Hard Rock Cafe), which can you make a trip to Tivoli a fantastic date.  The walking street is one of Copenhaen's best known landmarks and...more

History

The Danes a homogenous Gothic-Germanic people have inhabited Denmark since prehistoric times. Danish is the principal language. A small German-speaking minority lives in southern Jutland; a mostly Inuit population inhabits Greenland; and the Faroe Islands have a Nordic population with its own language. Education is compulsory from ages seven to 16 and is free through the university level.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church is state supported and accounts for about 97% of Denmark's religious affiliation. Denmark has religious freedom however and several other Protestant denominations and other religions exist.

During the Viking period (9th-11th centuries) Denmark was a great power based on the Jutland Peninsula the Island of Zealand and the southern part of what is now Sweden. In the early 11th century King Canute united Denmark and England for almost 30 years.

Viking raids brought Denmark into contact with Christianity and in the 12th century crown and church influence increased. By the late 13th century royal power had waned and the nobility forced the king to grant a charter considered Denmark's first constitution. Although the struggle between crown and nobility continued into the 14th century Queen Margrethe I succeeded in uniting Denmark Norway Sweden Finland the Faroe Islands Iceland and Greenland under the Danish crown. Sweden and Finland left the union in 1520; however Norway remained until 1814. Iceland in a "personal union" under the king of Denmark after 1918 became independent in 1944.

The Reformation was introduced in Denmark in 1536. Denmark's provinces in today's southwestern Sweden were lost in 1658 and Norway...more