DENMARK

Physical geography

Denmark, 43,000km², is situated in the north of Europe. It is best known for its 440-plus low-lying little islands, each with many rivers. Temperatures are generally low.

An iconic place

The Little Mermaid is a bronze statue on a rock in the bay of Copenhagen, the capital. It is inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen story of 1837 and is world-famous.

An iconic object

Denmark has a rich intellectual and artistic heritage with many works of art and design, but the Carlsberg beer logo is perhaps the Danish object that is best known in the world!

Something the country has done for the world

Denmark is a precursor on social and ecological matters.

Famous historical figure

Hans Christian Andersen is a famous Danish writer; he was born in 1805 and is best known for his fairy tales and for his poetry.

Important living person

Lars Von Trier, famous Danish film director and screenwriter, is probably the most famous person in Denmark mainly because he inspired a new film movement. He was born in 1956.

History before 2000

The Vikings’ original homeland (circa 700) was Scandinavia (which includes Denmark). A constitutional monarchy with a democratic government was finally set up in the 19^th century. During WW2 Germany invaded Denmark; the country tried not to collaborate with the Nazis.

History after 2000

Recently, the government of Denmark has voted strict laws concerning immigration. The country is an active member of NATO and takes part in many humanitarian and military operations.

Human geography

The population is 5, 650 000. It has a low rate immigration rate. It has a high HDI and very good wealth distribution and welfare system (with very high taxes). It is one of the happiest countries in the world, but there are nonetheless problems: homelessness and sometimes inadequate hospital facilities.

Language(s) and culture(s)

Danish and Faroese are the official languages. Most people are members of the Lutheran Church but few are church-goers.

Politics, economy, place in the EU

Denmark joined the EEC (precursor of the EU) in 1973 (along with the UK and Ireland). Two political parties in the Danish parliament (Folketing) are Eurosceptic. The country recently sent more police and military to the German border to stop illegal immigrants (it has been warned by the EU not to do this as it goes against the Schengen Accords).

Youth

Denmark’s youth is characterized by the underage drinking… Alcohol is a real burden in this country. Cycling is an important part of the culture and there are numerous cycle paths that run thousands of kilometers. Moreover young people are educated to be active citizens; that’s why the government offers a lot of activities for them to be part of European democracy.

Blog post by Louis JANOT