Denmark: Difference between revisions

| other_symbol                = ''[[Der er et yndigt land]]''<br />({{Lang-en|"There is a lovely country"}})<br /><div style="display:inline-block;margin-top:0.4em;">[[File:United States Navy Band - Der er et yndigt land.ogg|center]]</div><br />''[[Kong Christian stod ved højen mast]]''{{refn|''Kong Christian'' has equal status as a [[national anthem]] but is generally used only on [[Honors music|royal]] and military occasions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Not one but two national anthems|url=http://denmark.dk/en/quick-facts/national-anthems/|publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Denmark)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark]]|access-date=18 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140515093426/http://denmark.dk/en/quick-facts/national-anthems|archive-date=15 May 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>|group="N"}}<br />({{Lang-en|"King Christian stood by the lofty mast"}})<br /><div style="display:inline-block;margin-top:0.4em;">[[File:United States Navy Band - Kong Kristian stod ved højen mast.ogg|center]]</div>

| map_caption2                = {{map caption |location_color=dark green |country=Denmark proper<ref name="proper" group="N" /> |region=Europe |region_color=dark grey |subregion=the European Union |subregion_color=green}}

* [[North Schleswig Germans|German]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://um.dk/da/udenrigspolitik/lande-og-regioner/den-dansk-tyske-mindretalsordning/|title=Den dansk-tyske mindretalsordning|website=UM.dk}}</ref>

| area_footnote              = <ref name=area />

| population_estimate        = {{IncreaseNeutral}} 5,843,347<ref>{{cite web|title=Population and population projections|url=https://www.dst.dk/en/Statistik/emner/befolkning-og-valg/befolkning-og-befolkningsfremskrivning|publisher=Statistics Denmark|access-date=12 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030090527/https://www.dst.dk/en/Statistik/emner/befolkning-og-valg/befolkning-og-befolkningsfremskrivning|archive-date=30 October 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref group="N">The kingdom has a total population of 5,952,959.</ref> ([[List of countries by population|114th]])

| population_estimate_year    = Q2 2021

| GDP_PPP                    = $299&nbsp;billion<ref name=imf2>{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2018/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=70&pr.y=7&sy=2018&ey=2018&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=193,946,122,137,124,546,156,181,423,138,935,196,128,142,939,182,172,359,132,135,134,576,174,936,532,961,176,184,178,144,436,146,136,528,158,112,542,111,941&s=NGDPD,PPPGDP,NGDPDPC,PPPPC&grp=0&a= |title=Denmark |publisher=International Monetary Fund |access-date=27 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018175031/https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2018/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=70&pr.y=7&sy=2018&ey=2018&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=193%2C946%2C122%2C137%2C124%2C546%2C156%2C181%2C423%2C138%2C935%2C196%2C128%2C142%2C939%2C182%2C172%2C359%2C132%2C135%2C134%2C576%2C174%2C936%2C532%2C961%2C176%2C184%2C178%2C144%2C436%2C146%2C136%2C528%2C158%2C112%2C542%2C111%2C941&s=NGDPD%2CPPPGDP%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a= |archive-date=18 October 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref group="N" name="denonly group=N" />

| GDP_nominal                = $370&nbsp;billion<ref name=imf2 /><ref group="N" name="denonly group=N" />

| Gini_ref                    = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/tgm/table.do?tab=table&init=1&language=en&pcode=tessi190&plugin=1 |title=Gini coefficient of equivalised disposable income – EU-SILC survey |publisher=[[Eurostat]] |website=ec.europa.eu |access-date=20 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320064533/https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/tgm/table.do?tab=table&init=1&language=en&pcode=tessi190&plugin=1 |archive-date=20 March 2019 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

  |titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:left;font-weight:normal;

  |title = 3 calling codes

  | [[Telephone numbers in Denmark|+45]]{{nbsp|6}}{{small|(Denmark)}}

  | [[Telephone numbers in the Faroe Islands|+298]]{{nbsp|4}}{{small|(Faroe Islands)}}

  | [[Telephone numbers in Greenland|+299]]{{nbsp|4}}{{small|(Greenland)}}

}}

  |titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:left;font-weight:normal;

  |title = 3 TLDs

  | [[.dk]]{{nbsp|1}}{{small|(Denmark)}}<ref group="N">The [[Top-level domain|TLD]] [[.eu]] is shared with other [[European Union]] countries. Greenland ([[.gl]]) and the Faroe Islands ([[.fo]]) have their own TLDs.</ref>

  | [[.fo]]{{nbsp|2}}{{small|(Faroe Islands)}}

  | [[.gl]]{{nbsp|2}}{{small|(Greenland)}}

}}

| religion                    = 75.8% [[Christianity in Denmark|Christianity]]<br />—74.3% [[Church of Denmark]]{{refn|group="N"|The [[Church of Greenland]] is a diocese of the Church of Denmark that is the state church in [[Greenland]], and the [[Church of the Faroe Islands]] is an independent but also Lutheran Church that is the state church in the Faroe Islands}}<br />—1.5% Other [[Christians|Christian]]<br />19.1% [[Irreligion|No religion]]<br />4.4% [[Islam in Denmark|Islam]]<br />0.7% [[Religion in Denmark|Others]]

'''Denmark''' ({{lang-da|Danmark}}, {{IPA-da|ˈtænmɑk|pron|DA-Danmark.ogg}}), officially the '''Kingdom of Denmark''',<ref group="N">{{lang-da|Kongeriget Danmark}}, {{IPA-da|ˈkʰɔŋəʁiːð̩ ˈtænmɑk|pron|Kongeriget Danmark.ogg}}. See also: [[The unity of the Realm]]</ref> is a [[Nordic countries|Nordic country]] in [[Northern Europe]]. Denmark proper,<ref name="proper" group="N" /> which is the southernmost of the [[Scandinavia]]n countries, consists of a peninsula, [[Jutland]], and an [[archipelago]] of [[List of islands of Denmark|443 named islands]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Denmark in numbers 2010|url=http://www.dst.dk/pukora/epub/upload/14847/dkital.pdf|publisher=Statistics Denmark|access-date=2 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130418081728/http://www.dst.dk/pukora/epub/upload/14847/dkital.pdf|archive-date=18 April 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> with the largest being [[Zealand]], [[Funen]] and the [[North Jutlandic Island]]. The islands are characterised by flat, [[arable land]] and sandy coasts, low elevation and a [[temperate climate]]. Denmark lies southwest of [[Sweden]] and south of [[Norway]],<ref group="N">The island of [[Bornholm]] is offset to the east of the rest of the country, in the Baltic Sea.</ref> and is bordered to the south by [[Germany]]. The Kingdom of Denmark is constitutionally a [[unitary state]] comprising Denmark proper and the two [[Autonomous administrative division|autonomous territories]]<ref name="territory">* {{Cite web|url=http://www.gfbv.it/3dossier/eu-min/autonomy.html|title=The working autonomies in Europe|last=Benedikter|first=Thomas|date=19 June 2006|publisher=[[Society for Threatened Peoples]]|quote=Denmark has established very specific territorial autonomies with its two island territories}}

 

 

The [[Constitution of Denmark]] was signed on 5 June 1849, ending the [[absolute monarchy]], which had begun in 1660. It establishes a [[constitutional monarchy]] organised as a [[Parliamentary system|parliamentary]] democracy. The [[Politics of Denmark|government]] and [[Folketing|national parliament]] are seated in [[Copenhagen]], the nation's [[Capital city|capital]], [[List of cities and towns in Denmark|largest city]], and main commercial centre. Denmark exercises [[Hegemony|hegemonic]] influence in the [[Danish Realm]], [[Devolution|devolving]] powers to handle internal affairs. [[Home rule]] was established in the Faroe Islands

in 1948; in [[Greenland]] home rule was established in 1979 and [[2008 Greenlandic self-government referendum|further autonomy]] in 2009. Denmark became a member of the [[European Economic Community]] (now the [[European Union|EU]]) in 1973, but negotiated [[Opt-outs in the European Union|certain opt-outs]]; it retains its own currency, the [[Danish krone|krone]].

 

A [[developed country]], [[Danes]] enjoy a high [[standard of living]] and the country ranks highly in some metrics of national performance, including [[Education Index|education]], [[Healthcare in Denmark|health care]], protection of [[Freedom in the World|civil liberties]], [[Democracy Index|democratic governance]] and  [[LGBT rights in Denmark|LGBT equality]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/22/denmark-happiest-country_n_4070761.html|title=Denmark Is Considered The Happiest Country. You'll Never Guess Why.|first=Meredith|last=Melnick|date=22 October 2013|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=23 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023134428/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/22/denmark-happiest-country_n_4070761.html|archive-date=23 October 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Democracy_Index" /><ref>[http://www.legatum.com/article/Legatum-Prosperity-Index-Global-prosperity-rising-while-US-and-UK-economies-decline 2013 Legatum Prosperity Index™: Global prosperity rising while US and UK economies decline]. ''[[Legatum Institute]]'', 29 October 2013. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140806123613/http://www.legatum.com/article/Legatum-Prosperity-Index-Global-prosperity-rising-while-US-and-UK-economies-decline |date=6 August 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Denmark Country Profile: Human Development Indicators |url=http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/DNK.html |publisher=United Nations Development Programme |access-date=19 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328232058/http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/DNK.html |archive-date=28 March 2013  }}</ref> It is among the founding members of [[NATO]], the [[Nordic Council]], the [[OECD]], [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]], and the [[United Nations]]; it is also part of the [[Schengen Area]]. Denmark also has close ties to its Scandinavian neighbours linguistically, with the [[Danish language]] being partially [[Mutual intelligibility|mutually intelligible]] with both [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] and [[Swedish language|Swedish]].

 

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.<ref>Kristian Andersen Nyrup, Middelalderstudier [http://www.nyrups.dk/Historie/MiddelalderIndex.htm Bog IX. Kong Gorms Saga] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109141345/http://www.nyrups.dk/Historie/MiddelalderIndex.htm |date=9 January 2010 }}</ref><ref>''Indvandrerne i Danmarks historie'', Bent Østergaard, Syddansk Universitetsforlag 2007, {{ISBN|978-87-7674-204-1}}, pp. 19–24</ref> This is centered primarily on the prefix ''"Dan"'' and whether it refers to the [[Danes (Germanic tribe)|Dani]] or a historical person [[Dan (king)|Dan]] and the exact meaning of the -''"mark"'' ending.

Most etymological dictionaries and handbooks derive "Dan" from a word meaning "flat land",<ref name="et1" /> related to German {{lang|de|Tenne}} "threshing floor", English ''den'' "cave".<ref name="et1">[[Jan de Vries (philologist)|J. de Vries]], ''Altnordisches etymologisches Wörterbuch'', 1962, 73; [[:da:Niels Åge Nielsen|N. Å. Nielsen]], ''Dansk etymologisk ordbog'', 1989, 85–96.</ref> The element ''mark'' is believed to mean [[woodland]] or [[border]]land (see [[March (territory)|marches]]), with probable references to the border forests in south [[Duchy of Schleswig|Schleswig]].<ref>Navneforskning, Københavns Universitet{{cite web|url=http://navneforskning.ku.dk/stednavne.doc/betydninger.doc |title=Udvalgte stednavnes betydning |access-date=27 January 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060716144406/http://navneforskning.ku.dk/stednavne.doc/betydninger.doc |archive-date=16 July 2006  }}</ref>

The first recorded use of the word ''Danmark'' within Denmark itself is found on the two [[Jelling stones]], which are [[runestone]]s believed to have been erected by [[Gorm the Old]] ({{circa|955}}) and [[Harald Bluetooth]] ({{circa|965}}). The larger of the two stones is popularly cited as the "baptismal certificate" ({{lang|da|dåbsattest}}) of Denmark,<ref>{{cite book |last=O'Donoghue |first=Heather |title=Old Norse-Icelandic Literature: A Short Introduction |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lY-g2MTFh9gC&pg=PT27 |year=2008 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-470-77683-4 |page=27 |access-date=21 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412172508/https://books.google.com/books?id=lY-g2MTFh9gC&pg=PT27 |archive-date=12 April 2016 |url-status=live  }}</ref> though both use the word "Denmark", in the [[Accusative case|accusative]] {{runic|ᛏᛅᚾᛘᛅᚢᚱᚴ}} {{lang|non|tanmaurk}} ({{IPA|[danmɒrk]}}) on the large stone, and the [[Genitive case|genitive]] {{runic|ᛏᛅᚾᛘᛅᚱᚴᛅᚱ}} "tanmarkar" (pronounced {{IPA|[danmarkaɽ]}}) on the small stone, while the [[Dative case|dative]] form ''tąnmarku'' (pronounced {{IPA|[danmarkʊ]}}) is found on the contemporaneous Skivum stone. The inhabitants of Denmark are there called {{lang|da|tani}} ({{IPA|[danɪ]}}), or "Danes", in the accusative.

{{Main|History of Denmark}}

{{Hatnote|Also related: [[History of the Faroe Islands]] and [[History of Greenland]]}}

 

[[File:Solvognen-00100.jpg|thumb|left|The gilded side of the [[Trundholm sun chariot]] dating from the Nordic Bronze Age]]

The earliest [[Archaeology of Denmark|archaeological finds in Denmark]] date back to the [[Eemian|Eem interglacial period]] from 130,000 to 110,000 [[Anno Domini|BC]].<ref>Michaelsen (2002), p. 19.</ref> Denmark has been inhabited since around 12,500 BC and agriculture has been evident since 3900 BC.<ref name="foreign ministry">{{cite web|last=Nielsen|first=Poul Otto|date=May 2003|url=http://www.um.dk/Publikationer/UM/English/Denmark/kap6/6-1.asp|title=Denmark: History, Prehistory|publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Denmark)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark]]|access-date=1 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051122020555/http://www.um.dk/Publikationer/UM/English/Denmark/kap6/6-1.asp |archive-date=22 November 2005}}</ref> The [[Nordic Bronze Age]] (1800–600 BC) in Denmark was marked by [[Tumulus|burial mounds]], which left an abundance of findings including [[lur]]s and the [[Trundholm sun chariot|Sun Chariot]].

 

During the [[Pre-Roman Iron Age]] (500 BC&nbsp;– AD 1), native groups began migrating south, and the first tribal [[Danes (Germanic tribe)|Danes]] came to the country between the Pre-Roman and the [[Germanic Iron Age]],<ref>Busck and Poulsen (ed.) (2002), p. 20.</ref> in the [[Roman Iron Age]] (AD 1–400).<ref name="foreign ministry" /> The [[Roman province]]s maintained [[trade route]]s and relations with native tribes in Denmark, and [[Roman currency|Roman coins]] have been found in Denmark. Evidence of strong [[Celtic nations|Celtic]] cultural influence dates from this period in Denmark and much of North-West Europe and is among other things reflected in the finding of the [[Gundestrup cauldron]].

 

The tribal Danes came from the east [[List of islands of Denmark|Danish islands]] ([[Zealand]]) and [[Scania]] and spoke an early form of [[North Germanic languages|North Germanic]]. Historians believe that before their arrival, most of [[Jutland]] and the nearest islands were settled by tribal [[Jutes]]. The Jutes migrated to [[Great Britain]] eventually, some as mercenaries of [[Brythonic languages|Brythonic]] King [[Vortigern]], and were granted the south-eastern territories of [[Kent]], the [[Isle of Wight]] and other areas, where they settled. They were later absorbed or [[ethnic cleansing|ethnically cleansed]] by the invading [[Angles]] and [[Saxons]], who formed the [[Anglo-Saxons]]. The remaining [[Jutes|Jutish]] population in Jutland assimilated in with the settling [[Danes (Germanic tribe)|Danes]].

 

A short note about the ''Dani'' in ''[[Getica]]'' by the historian [[Jordanes]] is believed to be an early mention of the Danes, one of the [[ethnic group]]s from whom modern [[Danes]] are descended.<ref>{{cite web |author=Jordanes |others=[[Charles C. Mierow]] (trans.) |date=22 April 1997 |url=http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~vandersp/Courses/texts/jordgeti.html#III |title=The Origin and Deeds of the Goths, chapter III |access-date=1 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060424044148/http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~vandersp/Courses/texts/jordgeti.html#III |archive-date=24 April 2006 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref>Busck and Poulsen (ed.) (2002), p. 19.</ref> The [[Danevirke]] defence 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.<ref name="danevirke">Michaelsen (2002), pp. 122–23.</ref> A [[Younger Futhark|new runic alphabet]] was first used around the same time and [[Ribe]], the oldest town of Denmark, was founded about AD 700.

 

From the 8th to the 10th century the wider [[History of Scandinavia|Scandinavian]] region was the source of [[Vikings]]. They colonised, raided, and traded in all parts of Europe. The Danish Vikings were most active in the eastern and southern [[British Isles]] and [[Western Europe]]. They conquered and settled parts of [[England]] (known as the [[Danelaw]]) under King [[Sweyn Forkbeard]] in 1013, and [[France]] where Danes and Norwegians founded [[Normandy]] with [[Rollo]] as head of state. More [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] [[pence]] of this period have been found in Denmark than in England.<ref name="Lund">*{{cite web|last=Lund |first=Niels |date=May 2003 |url=http://www.um.dk/Publikationer/UM/English/Denmark/kap6/6-2.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060510174200/http://www.um.dk/Publikationer/UM/English/Denmark/kap6/6-2.asp |archive-date=10 May 2006 |title=Denmark – History – The Viking Age |publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Denmark)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark]] |access-date=24 June 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

 

Denmark was largely consolidated by the late 8th century and its rulers are consistently referred to in [[Frankish language|Frankish]] sources as kings (''reges''). Under the reign of [[Gudfred]] in 804 the Danish kingdom may have included all the [[Lands of Denmark|lands]] of Jutland, [[Scania]] and the Danish islands, excluding Bornholm.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UmFrVUb5DSwC&pg=PA76|title=Christianization and the Rise of Christian Monarchy: Scandinavia, Central Europe and Rus' c.900–1200|first=Nora|last=Berend|date=22 November 2007|publisher=Cambridge University Press|via=Google Books|isbn=978-1-139-46836-7}}</ref>

The extant Danish monarchy traces its roots back to [[Gorm the Old]], who established his reign in the early 10th century.{{sfn|Stone|Bain|Booth|Parnell|2008|p=31}} As attested by the [[Jelling stones]], the Danes were [[Christianised]] around 965 by [[Harald Bluetooth]], the son of [[Gorm the Old|Gorm]]. It is believed that Denmark became Christian for political reasons so as not to get invaded by the rising [[Holy Roman Empire|Christian power]] in Europe, the [[Holy Roman Empire]], which was an important trading area for the Danes. In that case, Harald built six [[fortresses]] around Denmark called [[Viking ring fortress|Trelleborg]] and built a further [[Danevirke]]. In the early 11th century, [[Canute the Great]] won and united Denmark, England, and [[Norway]] for almost 30 years with a Scandinavian army.<ref name="Lund" />

 

Throughout the [[High Middle Ages|High]] and [[Late Middle Ages]], Denmark also included [[Skåneland]] (the areas of Scania, [[Halland]], and [[Blekinge]] in present-day south Sweden) and Danish kings ruled [[Danish Estonia]], as well as the [[duchy|duchies]] of [[Schleswig]] and [[Holstein]]. Most of the latter two now form the state of [[Schleswig-Holstein]] in northern Germany.

 

In 1397, Denmark entered into a [[personal union]] with [[Norway]] and [[Sweden–Finland|Sweden]], united under Queen [[Margaret I of Denmark|Margaret I]].{{sfn|Stone|Bain|Booth|Parnell|2008|p=33}} 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.<ref name="Lauring">Lauring, Palle (1960) ''A History of the Kingdom of Denmark'', Host & Son Co.: Copenhagen, p. 108.</ref> Thus, much of the next 125 years of [[History of Scandinavia|Scandinavian history]] revolves around this union, with Sweden breaking off and being re-conquered repeatedly. The issue was for practical purposes resolved on 17 June 1523, as [[List of Swedish monarchs|Swedish King]] [[Gustav I of Sweden|Gustav Vasa]] conquered the city of [[Stockholm]]. The [[Protestant Reformation]] spread to Scandinavia in the 1530s, and following the [[Count's Feud]] civil war, [[Reformation in Denmark–Norway and Holstein|Denmark converted]] to [[Lutheranism]] in 1536. Later that year, Denmark entered into a union with Norway.

[[File:Denmark-Norway in 1780.svg|thumb|Extent of the [[Denmark–Norway|Dano-Norwegian Realm]]. After the Napoleonic Wars, Norway was ceded to Sweden while Denmark kept the [[Faroe Islands]], [[Iceland]] and [[Greenland]].]]

After Sweden permanently [[Foundation of modern Sweden|broke away]] from the personal union, Denmark tried on several occasions to reassert control over its neighbour. King [[Christian IV of Denmark|Christian IV]] attacked Sweden in the 1611–1613 [[Kalmar War]] but 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 a [[war reparations|war indemnity]] of 1 million [[silver]] [[riksdaler]] to Denmark, an amount known as the ''[[Treaty of Stettin (1570)|Älvsborg ransom]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smb.nu/svenskakrig/1611.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011111014/http://smb.nu/svenskakrig/1611.asp |archive-date=11 October 2007 |title=Kalmarkriget 1611–1613 |access-date=4 May 2007 |publisher=Svenskt Militärhistoriskt Bibliotek |url-status=dead  }}</ref> King Christian used this money to found several towns and fortresses, most notably [[Glückstadt]] (founded as a rival to [[Hamburg]]) and [[Oslo|Christiania]]. Inspired by the [[Dutch East India Company]], he founded a similar [[Danish East India Company|Danish company]] and planned to claim [[Sri Lanka|Ceylon]] as a colony, but the company only managed to acquire [[Tharangambadi|Tranquebar]] on India's [[Coromandel Coast]]. Denmark's large colonial aspirations included a few key [[trading posts]] in [[Africa]] and [[India]]. While Denmark's trading posts in India were of little note, it played an important role in the highly lucrative [[Transatlantic Slave Trade|transatlantic slave trade]], through its trading outposts in [[Osu Castle|Fort Christiansborg]] in [[Osu, Accra|Osu]], [[Ghana]] though which 1.5 million slaves were traded.<ref name="guardian6nov2018">{{cite news |last1=Rawlinson |first1=Kevin |title=Prince Charles says Britain's role in slave trade was an atrocity |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/nov/05/prince-charles-says-britains-part-in-transatlantic-slave-trade-was-atrocity |access-date=6 November 2018 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=5 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181105232718/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/nov/05/prince-charles-says-britains-part-in-transatlantic-slave-trade-was-atrocity |archive-date=5 November 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref> While the Danish colonial empire was sustained by trade with other major powers, and [[plantation]]s – ultimately a lack of resources led to its stagnation.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-first=James Stuart |editor1-last=Olson |editor2-first=Robert |editor2-last=Shadle |year=1991 |title=Historical Dictionary of European Imperialism |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uyqepNdgUWkC&pg=PA167|access-date=15 May 2014|isbn=978-0-313-26257-9 }}</ref>

In the [[Thirty Years' War]], Christian tried to become the leader of the [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] states in Germany but suffered a crushing defeat at the [[Battle of Lutter]].<ref>Parker, pp. 69–70.</ref> The result was that the Catholic army under [[Albrecht von Wallenstein]] was able to invade, occupy, and pillage Jutland, forcing Denmark [[Treaty of Lübeck|to withdraw from the war]].<ref>Parker, p. 70.</ref> Denmark managed to avoid territorial concessions, but King [[Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden|Gustavus 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 armies [[Torstenson War|invaded Jutland]] in 1643 and claimed Scania in 1644. In the 1645 [[Second Treaty of Brömsebro (1645)|Treaty of Brømsebro]], Denmark surrendered Halland, [[Gotland]], the last parts of Danish Estonia, and several provinces in Norway.

[[File:Stormen på København (F.C. Lund).jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|The [[Assault on Copenhagen (1659)|Assault]] on [[Copenhagen]] on 11 February 1659 during the [[Second Northern War]]. Danish defenders under King [[Frederick III of Denmark|Frederick III]] successfully repelled the forces of the [[Swedish Empire]]. Painting by [[Frederik Christian Lund]].]]

Seeing an opportunity to tear up the Treaty of Brømsebro, King [[Frederick III of Denmark]], in 1657, declared war on Sweden, the latter being deeply involved in the [[Second Northern War]] (1655–1660), and marched on [[Bremen-Verden]]. This led to a massive Danish defeat as the armies of King [[Charles X Gustav]] of Sweden conquered [[Jutland]] and, following the [[March Across the Belts|Swedish March across]] the frozen [[Danish straits]], occupied [[Funen]] and much of [[Zealand]] before signing the [[Treaty of Roskilde|Peace of Roskilde]] in February 1658, which gave Sweden control of Scania, [[Blekinge]], [[Bohuslän]], [[Trøndelag]], and the island of [[Bornholm]]. Charles X Gustav quickly regretted not having ruined Denmark and in August 1658, he launched a [[Dano-Swedish War (1658–1660)|second attack on Denmark]], conquered most of the Danish islands, and began a two-year-long siege of [[Copenhagen]]. King Frederick III actively led the defense of the city, rallying its citizens to take up arms, and [[Assault on Copenhagen (1659)|repelled the Swedish attacks]].<ref>Isacson, p. 229; Englund, p. 610</ref> The siege ended following the death of Charles X Gustav in 1660.{{sfn|Stone|Bain|Booth|Parnell|2008|p=35}} In the ensuing [[Treaty of Copenhagen (1660)|peace settlement]], Denmark managed to maintain its independence and regain control of Trøndelag and Bornholm.<ref>Frost, pp. 180-183</ref> Attaining great popularity following the war, Frederick III used this to [[King's Law|disband the elective monarchy]] in favour of [[absolute monarchy]], which lasted until 1848 in Denmark.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ekman|first=Ernst|date=1957|title=The Danish Royal Law of 1665|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/237987|journal=The Journal of Modern History|volume=29|issue=2|pages=102–107|doi=10.1086/237987|s2cid=145652129|issn=0022-2801|via=}}</ref>

Denmark tried but failed to regain control of Scania in the [[Scanian War]] (1675–1679). After the [[Great Northern War]] (1700–21), Denmark managed to regain control of the parts of [[Schleswig]] and [[Holstein]] ruled by the house of [[Holstein-Gottorp]] in the 1720 [[Treaty of Frederiksborg]] and the 1773 [[Treaty of Tsarskoye Selo]], respectively. Denmark prospered greatly in the last decades of the 18th century due to its [[Country neutrality (international relations)|neutral status]] allowing it to trade with both sides in the many contemporary wars. In the [[Napoleonic Wars]], Denmark traded with both [[First French Empire|France]] and the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]] and joined the [[Second League of Armed Neutrality|League of Armed Neutrality]] with [[Russian Empire|Russia]], Sweden, and [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]].<ref>{{cite web|title=League of Armed Neutrality|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100056830|publisher=Oxford Reference|access-date=28 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924130430/http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100056830|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The British considered this a hostile act and attacked Copenhagen in [[Battle of Copenhagen (1801)|1801]] and [[Battle of Copenhagen (1807)|1807]], in one case carrying off the [[Royal Danish Navy|Danish fleet]], in the other, burning large parts of the Danish capital. This led to the so-called Danish-British [[Gunboat War]]. British control of the waterways between Denmark and Norway proved disastrous to the union's economy and in 1813 Denmark–Norway went [[bankruptcy|bankrupt]].

The union was dissolved by the [[Treaty of Kiel]] in 1814; the Danish monarchy "irrevocably and forever" renounced claims to the Kingdom of Norway in favour of the Swedish king.<ref>{{cite book|last=Jenssen-Tusch|first=Georg Friedrich|title=Zur Regierungsgeschichte Friedrich VI. Königs von Dänemark, Herzogs von Schleswig, Holstein und Lauenburg|page=166|year=1852|publisher=Verlag Schröder|language=de}}</ref> Denmark kept the possessions of [[Iceland]] (which retained the Danish monarchy until 1944), the [[Faroe Islands]] and [[Greenland]], all of which had been governed by Norway for centuries.<ref>{{cite book|last=Dörr|first=Oliver|title=Kompendium völkerrechtlicher Rechtsprechung : eine Auswahl für Studium und Praxis|date=2004|publisher=Mohr Siebeck|location=Tübingen|isbn=978-3-16-148311-0|page=101}}</ref> Apart from the Nordic colonies, Denmark continued to rule over [[Danish India]] from 1620 to 1869, the [[Danish Gold Coast]] (Ghana) from 1658 to 1850, and the [[Danish West Indies]] from 1671 to 1917.

A nascent Danish liberal and national movement gained momentum in the 1830s; after the European [[Revolutions of 1848]], Denmark peacefully became a [[constitutional monarchy]] on 5 June 1849. A new constitution established a [[Rigsdagen|two-chamber parliament]]. Denmark faced war against both [[Prussia]] and [[Austrian Empire]] in what became known as the [[Second Schleswig War]], lasting from February to October 1864. Denmark was defeated and obliged to [[cession|cede]] [[Province of Schleswig-Holstein|Schleswig and Holstein]] to [[Prussia]]. This loss came as the latest in the long series of defeats and [[Danish Royal Enclaves|territorial]] losses that had begun in the 17th century. After these events, Denmark pursued a policy of neutrality in Europe.

[[Industrialization|Industrialisation]] came to Denmark in the second half of the 19th century.<ref>{{cite book|last=Tellier|first=Luc-Normand|title=Urban world history an economic and geographical perspective|date=2009|publisher=Presses de l'Université du Québec|location=Québec|isbn=9782760522091|page=457|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cXuCjDbxC1YC&pg=PA457|access-date=21 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412182836/https://books.google.com/books?id=cXuCjDbxC1YC&pg=PA457|archive-date=12 April 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[History of rail transport in Denmark|nation's first railways]] were constructed in the 1850s, and improved communications and overseas trade allowed industry to develop in spite of Denmark's lack of natural resources. [[Trade union]]s developed, 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.

Denmark maintained its neutral stance during [[World War I]]. After the defeat of Germany, the [[Treaty of Versailles|Versailles powers]] offered to return the region of Schleswig-Holstein to Denmark. Fearing German [[irredentism]], Denmark refused to consider the return of the area without a [[plebiscite]]; the two [[Schleswig Plebiscites]] took 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 {{convert|3984|km2|sqmi}}. The country's first social democratic government took office in 1924.<ref name="Politico">{{cite web|title=Lost in translation: Epic goes to Denmark|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/06/epic-denmark-health-1510223|website=Politico|access-date=10 June 2019}}</ref>

In 1939 Denmark signed a 10-year non-aggression pact with [[Nazi Germany]] but [[German invasion of Denmark (1940)|Germany invaded Denmark]] on 9 April 1940 and the Danish government quickly surrendered. [[Denmark in World War II|World War II in Denmark]] was characterised by economic co-operation with Germany until 1943, when the Danish government refused further co-operation and [[Royal Danish Navy|its navy]] [[Operation Safari|scuttled most of its ships]] and sent many of its officers to Sweden, which was neutral. The [[Danish resistance movement|Danish resistance]] performed a [[Rescue of the Danish Jews|rescue operation]] that managed to evacuate several thousand [[History of the Jews in Denmark|Jews]] and their families to safety in Sweden before the Germans could send them to death camps. Some Danes supported [[Nazism]] by joining the [[National Socialist Workers' Party of Denmark|Danish Nazi Party]] or volunteering to fight with Germany as part of the [[Frikorps Danmark]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Rugg |first=Andy |title=Traitor Danes: most soldiers return heroes, but this lot came home total zeroes |url=http://cphpost.dk//culture/through-looking-glass/traitor-danes-most-soldiers-return-heroes-lot-came-home-total-zeroes |work=Copenhagen Post |access-date=30 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129130650/http://cphpost.dk/culture/through-looking-glass/traitor-danes-most-soldiers-return-heroes-lot-came-home-total-zeroes |archive-date=29 January 2013 }}</ref> Iceland severed ties with Denmark and [[Founding of the republic of Iceland|became an independent republic]] in 1944; [[Liberation of Denmark|Germany surrendered]] in May 1945. In 1948, the Faroe Islands gained [[home rule]]. In 1949, Denmark became a founding member of [[NATO]].

[[File:Tratado de Lisboa 13 12 2007 (081).jpg|thumb|Denmark became a member of the European Union in 1973 and signed the [[Lisbon Treaty]] in 2007.]]

Denmark was a founding member of [[European Free Trade Association]] (EFTA). During the 1960s, the EFTA countries were often referred to as the [[Outer Seven]], as opposed to the [[Inner Six]] of what was then the [[European Economic Community]] (EEC).<ref>{{cite news |title=Finland: Now, the Seven and a Half |work=Time |date=7 April 1961 |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,874317,00.htm |access-date=18 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104144427/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,874317,00.htm |archive-date=4 November 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> In 1973, along with Britain and Ireland, Denmark joined the European Economic Community (now the [[European Union]]) after a [[1972 Danish European Communities membership referendum|public referendum]]. The [[Maastricht Treaty]], which involved further European integration, [[1992 Danish Maastricht Treaty referendum|was rejected]] by the Danish people in 1992; it was only accepted after a [[1993 Danish Maastricht Treaty referendum|second referendum]] in 1993, which provided for [[Opt-outs in the European Union|four opt-outs]] from policies. The Danes rejected the euro as the national currency in [[2000 Danish euro referendum|a referendum in 2000]]. Greenland gained home rule in 1979 and was awarded [[self-determination]] in 2009. Neither the [[Faroe Islands and the European Union|Faroe Islands]] nor [[Greenland–European Union relations#Outside the EU|Greenland]] are 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 a [[unicameralism|single-chamber]] parliament elected by proportional representation, female accession to the Danish throne, and Greenland becoming an integral part of Denmark. The [[centre-left]] [[Social Democrats (Denmark)|Social Democrats]] led a string of coalition governments for most of the second half of the 20th century, introducing the [[Nordic model|Nordic welfare model]]. The [[Venstre (Denmark)|Liberal Party]] and the [[Conservative People's Party (Denmark)|Conservative People's Party]] have also led [[centre-right]] governments.

{{Main|Geography of Denmark}}

{{See also|Geography of the Faroe Islands|Geography of Greenland}}

[[File:Satellite image of Denmark in July 2001.jpg|thumb|alt=Satellite image|A satellite image of Jutland and the Danish islands]]

Located in [[Northern Europe]], Denmark{{#tag:ref|The Kingdom of Denmark's territory in [[continental Europe]] is referred to as "Denmark [[wikt:proper#Adjective|proper]]" ({{lang-da|egentlig Danmark}}), "[[wikt:Metropolitan|metropolitan]] Denmark",<ref name="Administrative divisions – Denmark">[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2051.html#da Administrative divisions – Denmark] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911231857/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2051.html#da |date=11 September 2007 }} [[The World Factbook]]. Access date: 14 April 2012</ref> or simply Denmark. In this article, usage of "Denmark" excludes Greenland and the Faroe Islands.|name="proper"|group="N"}} consists of the peninsula of [[Jutland]] and [[List of islands of Denmark|443 named islands]] (1,419 islands above {{convert|100|m2|sqft}} in total).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.kms.dk/C1256AED004EA666/(AllDocsByDocId)/1D7EE8822587E667C1256AEF0030ABF6?open&page=strste&omr=KORT_DK_I_TAL |title=Landet i tal&nbsp; – Største øer |access-date=14 July 2007 |date=23 September 2003 |publisher=[[National Survey and Cadastre of Denmark]] }}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Of these, 74 are inhabited (January 2015),<ref>Statistikbanken.dk/bef4</ref> with the largest being [[Zealand]], the [[North Jutlandic Island]], and [[Funen]]. The island of [[Bornholm]] is located east of the rest of the country, in the [[Baltic Sea]]. Many of the larger islands are connected by bridges; the [[Øresund Bridge]] connects Zealand with Sweden; the [[Great Belt Fixed Link|Great Belt Bridge]] connects Funen with Zealand; and the [[Little Belt Bridge (1970)|Little Belt Bridge]] connects Jutland with Funen. [[Ferry|Ferries]] or [[small aircraft]] connect to the smaller islands. The four [[List of cities in Denmark by population|cities with populations over 100,000]] are the capital [[Copenhagen]] on Zealand; [[Aarhus]] and [[Aalborg]] in Jutland; and [[Odense]] on Funen.

 

[[File:Da-map.png|thumb|left|alt=A labelled map of Denmark|A map showing [[List of urban areas in Denmark by population|major urban areas]], islands and connecting bridges]]

The country occupies a total area of {{convert|42,943.9|km2|sqmi|lk=in|sigfig=5}}.<ref name=area /> The area of inland water is {{convert|700|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}, variously stated as from 500 to 700&nbsp;km² (193–270 sq mi).{{citation needed|date=December 2020}} Lake [[Arresø]] northwest of Copenhagen is the largest lake. The size of the land area cannot be stated exactly since the ocean constantly erodes and adds material to the coastline, and because of human [[land reclamation]] projects (to counter erosion). [[Post-glacial rebound]] raises the land by a bit less than {{convert|1|cm|1|abbr=on}} per year in the north and east, extending the coast. A circle enclosing the same area as Denmark would be {{convert|234|km|mi|abbr=off}} in [[diameter]] with a [[circumference]] of {{convert|736|km|0|abbr=on}} (land area only:{{convert|232.33|km|mi|abbr=on}} and {{convert|730|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} respectively). It shares a border of {{convert|68|km| mi}} with [[Germany]] to the south and is otherwise surrounded by {{convert|8,750|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} of tidal [[shoreline]] (including small [[bay]]s and [[inlet]]s).<ref name="Nature and Environment">{{cite web |url=http://denmark.dk/portal/page?_pageid=374,520337&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070403235436/http://denmark.dk/portal/page?_pageid=374,520337&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |archive-date=3 April 2007 |title=Nature & Environment |access-date=3 February 2007 |publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Denmark)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark]] |url-status=dead  }}</ref> No location in Denmark is farther from the coast than {{convert|52|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}. On the south-west coast of Jutland, the tide is between {{convert|1|and|2|m|ft|2|abbr=on}}, and the tideline moves outward and inward on a {{convert|10|km|mi|1|abbr=on}} stretch.<ref>Nationalencyklopedin, (1990)</ref> Denmark's [[Borders of Denmark|territorial waters]] total {{convert|105,000|km2|0|abbr=off}}.

 

Denmark's northernmost point is [[Skagen]] point (the north beach of the Skaw) at 57° 45' 7" northern latitude; the southernmost is [[Gedser]] point (the southern tip of [[Falster]]) at 54° 33' 35" northern latitude; the westernmost point is [[Blåvandshuk]] at 8° 4' 22" eastern longitude; and the easternmost point is [[Østerskær]] at 15° 11' 55" eastern longitude. This is in the small [[Ertholmene]] archipelago {{convert|18|km|mi}} north-east of Bornholm. The distance from east to west is {{convert|452|km|mi|0}}, from north to south {{convert|368|km|mi|0}}.

[[File:Landscape seen from Ellemandsbjerg.jpg|thumb|[[Bay of Aarhus]] viewed from southern [[Djursland]]]]

The country is flat with little elevation, having an average height [[above mean sea level|above sea level]] of {{convert|31|m|ft|0}}. The highest natural point is [[Møllehøj]], at {{convert|170.86|m|ft|2}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nyt højeste punkt i Danmark|url=http://www.gst.dk/nyheder/nyhedsarkiv/2005/feb/hoejste-punkt/|publisher=[[Danish Geodata Agency]]|access-date=26 May 2014|language=da|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528005236/http://www.gst.dk/nyheder/nyhedsarkiv/2005/feb/hoejste-punkt/|archive-date=28 May 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Although this is by far the lowest high point in the Nordic countries and also less than half of the highest point in [[Götaland|Southern Sweden]], Denmark's general elevation in its interior is generally at a safe level from [[sea level rise|rising sea levels]]. A sizeable portion of Denmark's [[terrain]] consists of rolling [[plain]]s whilst the coastline is sandy, with large [[dune]]s in northern Jutland. Although once extensively forested, today Denmark largely consists of [[arable land]]. It is drained by a [[List of rivers of Denmark|dozen or so rivers]], and the most significant include the [[Gudenå]], [[Odense River|Odense]], [[Skjern River|Skjern]], [[Suså River|Suså]] and [[Vidå]]—a river that flows along its southern border with Germany.

The Kingdom of Denmark includes two overseas territories, both well to the west of Denmark: Greenland, the [[list of islands by area|world's largest island]], and the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. These territories are self-governing and form part of the [[Danish Realm]].

Denmark has a [[Temperateness|temperate]] climate, characterised by mild winters, with mean temperatures in January of {{convert|1.5|°C|°F|1}}, and cool summers, with a mean temperature in August of {{convert|17.2|°C|°F|1}}.<ref name="Denmark climate">{{cite web |url=http://www.dmi.dk/vejr/arkiver/normaler-og-ekstremer/klimanormaler-dk/vejrnormal/ |title=Climate Normals for Denmark |access-date=2 January 2015 |publisher=[[Danish Meteorological Institute]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103014624/http://www.dmi.dk/vejr/arkiver/normaler-og-ekstremer/klimanormaler-dk/vejrnormal// |archive-date=3 January 2015 |url-status=dead  }} Figures, labelled in Danish: First plot is the whole country; Nedbør=Precipitation, Nedbørdage=Precipitation days (>1 mm), (Dag/Middel/Nat)temp.=(Daytime/Average/Nighttime) temperature, Solskinstimer=Hours of sunshine.</ref> The most extreme temperatures recorded in Denmark, since 1874 when recordings began, was {{convert|36.4|°C|°F|1}} in 1975 and {{convert|-31.2|°C|°F|1}} in 1982.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dmi.dk/vejr/arkiver/normaler-og-ekstremer/vejrekstremer-dk/|title=Vejrekstremer i Danmark [Weather extremes in Denmark]|language=da|publisher=[[Danish Meteorological Institute]] (DMI)|date=6 October 2016|access-date=19 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019211924/https://www.dmi.dk/vejr/arkiver/normaler-og-ekstremer/vejrekstremer-dk/|archive-date=19 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Denmark has an average of 179 days per year with precipitation, on average receiving a total of {{convert|765|mm|in|0}} per year; autumn is the wettest season and spring the driest.<ref name="Denmark climate" /> The position between a continent and an ocean means that the weather is often unstable.<ref name="Denmark weather change">{{cite web |url=http://www.dmi.dk/vejr/til-lands/maaned-og-saeson/vejrkorset-efteraarsvejrets-fire-hjoerner/ |title=The weather cross – the four corners of autumn weather |access-date=17 September 2015 |publisher=[[Danish Meteorological Institute]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921003948/http://www.dmi.dk/vejr/til-lands/maaned-og-saeson/vejrkorset-efteraarsvejrets-fire-hjoerner/ |archive-date=21 September 2015 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

 

Because of Denmark's northern location, there are large seasonal variations in daylight. There are short days during the winter with sunrise coming around 8:45&nbsp;am and sunset 3:45&nbsp;pm (standard time), as well as long summer days with sunrise at 4:30&nbsp;am and sunset at 10&nbsp;pm ([[daylight saving time]]).<ref name="sunrise sunset">{{cite web|url=http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/kobenhavn.html|title=Copenhagen, Denmark&nbsp; – Sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk times for the whole year|publisher=Gaisma|access-date=24 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702220228/http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/kobenhavn.html|archive-date=2 July 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

 

|unit rain days={{convert|1|mm|in}}

 

 

 

Denmark belongs to the [[Boreal Kingdom]] and can be subdivided into two [[ecoregion]]s: the [[Atlantic mixed forests]] and [[Baltic mixed forests]].<ref name="DinersteinOlson2017">{{cite journal|last1=Dinerstein|first1=Eric|last2=Olson|first2=David|last3=Joshi|first3=Anup|last4=Vynne|first4=Carly|last5=Burgess|first5=Neil D.|last6=Wikramanayake|first6=Eric|last7=Hahn|first7=Nathan|last8=Palminteri|first8=Suzanne|last9=Hedao|first9=Prashant|last10=Noss|first10=Reed|last11=Hansen|first11=Matt|last12=Locke|first12=Harvey|last13=Ellis|first13=Erle C|last14=Jones|first14=Benjamin|last15=Barber|first15=Charles Victor|last16=Hayes|first16=Randy|last17=Kormos|first17=Cyril|last18=Martin|first18=Vance|last19=Crist|first19=Eileen|last20=Sechrest|first20=Wes|last21=Price|first21=Lori|last22=Baillie|first22=Jonathan E. M.|last23=Weeden|first23=Don|last24=Suckling|first24=Kierán|last25=Davis|first25=Crystal|last26=Sizer|first26=Nigel|last27=Moore|first27=Rebecca|last28=Thau|first28=David|last29=Birch|first29=Tanya|last30=Potapov|first30=Peter|last31=Turubanova|first31=Svetlana|last32=Tyukavina|first32=Alexandra|last33=de Souza|first33=Nadia|last34=Pintea|first34=Lilian|last35=Brito|first35=José C.|last36=Llewellyn|first36=Othman A.|last37=Miller|first37=Anthony G.|last38=Patzelt|first38=Annette|last39=Ghazanfar|first39=Shahina A.|last40=Timberlake|first40=Jonathan|last41=Klöser|first41=Heinz|last42=Shennan-Farpón|first42=Yara|last43=Kindt|first43=Roeland|last44=Lillesø|first44=Jens-Peter Barnekow|last45=van Breugel|first45=Paulo|last46=Graudal|first46=Lars|last47=Voge|first47=Maianna|last48=Al-Shammari|first48=Khalaf F.|last49=Saleem|first49=Muhammad|title=An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm|journal=BioScience|volume=67|issue=6|year=2017|pages=534–545|issn=0006-3568|doi=10.1093/biosci/bix014|pmid=28608869|pmc=5451287}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Hogan|first1=C Michael|title=Ecoregions of Denmark|url=http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/152021/|publisher=Encyclopedia of Earth|access-date=26 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924044145/http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/152021/|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Almost all of Denmark's [[primeval forest|primeval temperate forests]] have been destroyed or fragmented, chiefly for agricultural purposes during the last millennia.<ref name="Jensen1">{{cite web|last1=Jensen|first1=Christian Lundmark|title=Forests and forestry in Denmark – Thousands of years of interaction between man and nature|url=http://www.nordicforestresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/ForestandforestryinDenmark.pdf|publisher=Danish Ministry of the Environment Nature Agency|access-date=31 May 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715001546/http://www.nordicforestresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/ForestandforestryinDenmark.pdf|archive-date=15 July 2016}}</ref> The deforestation has created large swaths of [[heathland]] and devastating [[Saltation (geology)|sand drifts]].<ref name="Jensen1" /> In spite of this, there are several larger [[second growth forest|second growth woodlands]] in the country and, in total, 12.9% of the land is now forested.<ref>{{cite web |title= Forest area (% of land area) |url= http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.FRST.ZS |website= worldbank.org |publisher= The World Bank |access-date= 26 August 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150905234836/http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.FRST.ZS |archive-date= 5 September 2015 |url-status=live |df= dmy-all }}</ref> [[Picea abies|Norway spruce]] is the most widespread tree (2017); an important tree in the [[Christmas tree production in Denmark|Christmas tree production]]. Denmark holds a [[Forest Landscape Integrity Index]] mean score of 0.5/10, ranking it 171st globally out of 172 countries—behind only [[San Marino]].<ref name="FLII-Supplementary">{{cite journal|last1=Grantham|first1=H. S.|last2=Duncan|first2=A.|last3=Evans|first3=T. D.|last4=Jones|first4=K. R.|last5=Beyer|first5=H. L.|last6=Schuster|first6=R.|last7=Walston|first7=J.|last8=Ray|first8=J. C.|last9=Robinson|first9=J. G.|last10=Callow|first10=M.|last11=Clements|first11=T.|last12=Costa|first12=H. M.|last13=DeGemmis|first13=A.|last14=Elsen|first14=P. R.|last15=Ervin|first15=J.|last16=Franco|first16=P.|last17=Goldman|first17=E.|last18=Goetz|first18=S.|last19=Hansen|first19=A.|last20=Hofsvang|first20=E.|last21=Jantz|first21=P.|last22=Jupiter|first22=S.|last23=Kang|first23=A.|last24=Langhammer|first24=P.|last25=Laurance|first25=W. F.|last26=Lieberman|first26=S.|last27=Linkie|first27=M.|last28=Malhi|first28=Y.|last29=Maxwell|first29=S.|last30=Mendez|first30=M.|last31=Mittermeier|first31=R.|last32=Murray|first32=N. J.|last33=Possingham|first33=H.|last34=Radachowsky|first34=J.|last35=Saatchi|first35=S.|last36=Samper|first36=C.|last37=Silverman|first37=J.|last38=Shapiro|first38=A.|last39=Strassburg|first39=B.|last40=Stevens|first40=T.|last41=Stokes|first41=E.|last42=Taylor|first42=R.|last43=Tear|first43=T.|last44=Tizard|first44=R.|last45=Venter|first45=O.|last46=Visconti|first46=P.|last47=Wang|first47=S.|last48=Watson|first48=J. E. M.|title=Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity – Supplementary Material|journal=Nature Communications|volume=11|issue=1|year=2020|page=5978|issn=2041-1723|doi=10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3|pmid=33293507|pmc=7723057}}</ref>{{explain|reason=What does it mean? Is it good or bad? Please include a little eplanation|date=December 2020}}

 

[[Roe deer]] occupy the countryside in growing numbers, and large-antlered [[red deer]] can be found in the sparse woodlands of Jutland. Denmark is also home to smaller mammals, such as [[European polecat|polecats]], [[hare]]s and [[hedgehog]]s.<ref>{{cite web|title=Animals in Denmark|url=http://www.listofcountriesoftheworld.com/da-animals.html|website=listofcountriesoftheworld.com|access-date=31 May 2016|date=2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601121051/http://www.listofcountriesoftheworld.com/da-animals.html|archive-date=1 June 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Approximately 400 bird species inhabit Denmark and about 160 of those breed in the country.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bird list of Denmark|url=http://www.netfugl.dk/dklist.php|publisher=Netfugl.dk|access-date=26 August 2015|quote=It involves all category A, B and C birds recorded in Denmark (according to SU/BOURC/AERC standard).|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905040347/http://www.netfugl.dk/dklist.php|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Large marine mammals include healthy populations of [[Harbour porpoise]], growing numbers of [[pinniped]]s and occasional visits of large whales, including [[blue whale]]s and [[orca]]s. [[Cod]], [[herring]] and [[plaice]] are abundant [[Fish as food|culinary fish]] in Danish waters and form the basis for [[Fishing industry in Denmark|a large fishing industry]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Byskov|first1=Søren|title=Theme: Herring, cod and other fish – 1001 Stories of Denmark|url=http://www.kulturarv.dk/1001fortaellinger/en_GB/theme/herring-cod-and-other-fish/article|publisher=The Heritage Agency of Denmark|access-date=31 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234622/http://www.kulturarv.dk/1001fortaellinger/en_GB/theme/herring-cod-and-other-fish/article|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

 

 

 

Land and water pollution are two of Denmark's most significant [[environmental issue]]s, although much of the country's household and industrial waste is now increasingly filtered and sometimes recycled. The country has historically taken a progressive stance on [[environmental preservation]]; in 1971 Denmark established a [[Ministry of Environment (Denmark)|Ministry of Environment]] and was the first country in the world to implement an [[environmental law]] in 1973.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=NHxwtVy9MKMC&pg=PA323 The law of environmental damage: liability and reparation]. Marie-Louise Larsson.</ref> To mitigate environmental degradation and [[global warming]] the Danish Government has signed the [[Kyoto Protocol|Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol]].<ref name="factbook">{{cite web|date=19 January 2012|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/denmark/|title=Denmark|work=The World Factbook|publisher=CIA|access-date=4 February 2012}}</ref> However, the national [[ecological footprint]] is 8.26 global hectares per person, which is very high compared to a world average of 1.7 in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ecological Footprint Atlas 2010|url=http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/ecological_footprint_atlas_2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709225943/http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/ecological_footprint_atlas_2010/|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 July 2011|publisher=Global Footprint Network|access-date=26 August 2015|date=2010}}</ref> Contributing factors to this value are an exceptional high value for cropland but also a relatively high value for grazing land,<ref>WWF (2014): Living Planet Report.</ref> which may be explained by the substantially high meat production in Denmark ({{convert|115.8|kg}} meat annually per capita) and the large economic role of the meat and dairy industries.<ref>AMI (2012); preliminary data for 2011</ref> In December 2014, the [[Climate Change Performance Index]] for 2015 placed Denmark at the top of the table, explaining that although emissions are still quite high, the country was able to implement effective climate protection policies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://germanwatch.org/en/download/10407.pdf|title=The Climate Change Performance Index: Results 2015|author1=Jan Burck|author2=Franziska Marten|author3=Christoph Bals|publisher=Germanwatch|access-date=9 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209222711/http://germanwatch.org/en/download/10407.pdf|archive-date=9 December 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

 

 

 

The regions were created on 1 January 2007 to replace the 16 [[Counties of Denmark|former 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.<ref>[http://www.citypopulation.de/Denmark.html Denmark: Regions, Municipalities, Cities & Major Urban Areas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120408144050/http://www.citypopulation.de/Denmark.html |date=8 April 2012 }} – Statistics and Maps on ''City Population''.</ref> The administrative divisions are led by directly elected councils, elected proportionally every four years; the most recent [[2017 Danish local elections|Danish local elections]] were held on 21 November 2017. Other regional structures use the municipal boundaries as a layout, including the [[Police of Denmark|police districts]], the [[courts of Denmark|court districts]] and the [[Ward (country subdivision)|electoral wards]].

The governing bodies of the regions are the [[local government|regional councils]], each with forty-one councillors elected for four-year terms. The councils are headed by regional district chairmen (''{{lang|da|regionsrådsformand}}''), who are elected by the council.<ref name="brief">{{cite book|title=The Danish Regions – in Brief|date=2007|publisher=Danske Regioner|location=Copenhagen|isbn=978-87-7723-471-2|edition=3rd revised}}</ref>

The areas of responsibility for the regional councils are the [[health care in Denmark|national health service]], [[social services]] and [[regional development]].<ref name="brief" /><ref name=regioner>{{cite web|title=Regional Tasks in Denmark|url=http://www.regioner.dk/in+english/regional+denmark/regional+tasks|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140510023358/http://www.regioner.dk/in+english/regional+denmark/regional+tasks|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 May 2014|publisher=Danske Regioner|access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref> 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 (''{{lang|da|sundhedsbidrag}}''), partly by funds from both government and municipalities.<ref name=taxation1>{{cite web|title=The Danish Tax System|url=http://ias.au.dk/taxation/the-danish-tax-system/|publisher=[[Aarhus University]]|access-date=23 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150821030836/http://ias.au.dk/taxation/the-danish-tax-system/|archive-date=21 August 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> From 1 January 2019 this contribution will be abolished, as it is being replaced by higher income tax instead.

The [[area]] and populations of the regions vary widely; for example, the [[Capital Region of Denmark|Capital Region]], which encompasses the [[Copenhagen metropolitan area]] with the exception of the subtracted province East Zealand but includes the [[Baltic Sea]] island of [[Bornholm]], has a population three times larger than that of [[North Denmark Region]], which covers the more sparsely populated area of northern Jutland. Under the county system certain densely populated municipalities, such as [[Copenhagen Municipality]] and [[Frederiksberg Municipality|Frederiksberg]], had been given a status equivalent to that of counties, making them first-level administrative divisions. These ''[[sui generis]]'' municipalities were incorporated into the new regions under the 2007 reforms.

{|class="wikitable"

|| Hovedstaden || [[Capital Region of Denmark]] || [[Hillerød]] || [[Copenhagen]] || style="text-align:right;"| 1,856,061 || style="text-align:right;"| 2,568.29

|| Midtjylland || [[Central Denmark Region]] || [[Viborg, Denmark|Viborg]] || [[Aarhus]] || style="text-align:right;"| 1,333,245 || style="text-align:right;"| 13,095.80

|| Nordjylland || [[North Denmark Region]] || [[Aalborg]] || [[Aalborg]] || style="text-align:right;"| 590,322 || style="text-align:right;"| 7,907.09

|| Sjælland || [[Region Zealand]] || [[Sorø]] || [[Roskilde]] || style="text-align:right;"| 839,619 || style="text-align:right;"| 7,268.75

|| Syddanmark || [[Region of Southern Denmark]] || [[Vejle]] || [[Odense]] || style="text-align:right;"| 1,224,100 || style="text-align:right;"| 12,132.21

| colspan=6 |'''Source:''' [https://web.archive.org/web/20180208230627/http://www.noegletal.dk/ Regional and municipal key figures]

 

{{Further|The unity of the Realm}}

[[File:Kunoy.10.jpg|thumb|300px|The village of [[Kunoy (village)|Kunoy]] on [[Kunoy]] island, in the [[Faroe Islands]]. [[Kalsoy]] island is at right.]]

The Kingdom of Denmark is a [[unitary state]] that comprises, in addition to Denmark proper, two [[autonomous administrative division|autonomous territories]]<ref name="territory" /> in the [[North Atlantic Ocean]]: [[Greenland]] and the [[Faroe Islands]]. 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 assumed [[legislative]] and administrative responsibility in a substantial number of fields.<ref>[http://www.gfbv.it/3dossier/eu-min/autonomy.html The working autonomies in Europe] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309063149/http://www.gfbv.it/3dossier/eu-min/autonomy.html |date=9 March 2008 }} – Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker (GFBV). Retrieved 13 March 2012.</ref> [[Home rule]] was granted to the Faroe Islands in 1948 and to Greenland in 1979, each having previously had the status of [[counties of Denmark|counties]].<ref name=stm>[http://www.stm.dk/_p_10988.html The unity of the Realm] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120161948/http://www.stm.dk/_p_10988.html |date=20 January 2013 }} – Statsministeriet – stm.dk. Retrieved 13 March 2012.</ref>

 

Greenland and the Faroe Islands have their own home governments and parliaments and are effectively [[self-governing]] in regards to domestic affairs apart from the judicial system and monetary policy.<ref name=stm /> [[High Commissioner]]s (''{{lang|da|Rigsombudsmand}}'') act as representatives of the Danish government in the Faroese [[Løgting]] and in the [[Parliament of Greenland|Greenlandic Parliament]], but they cannot vote.<ref name=stm /> The Faroese home government is defined to be an equal partner with the Danish national government,<ref>{{cite web|title=Act on the Faroese authorities acquisition of affairs and fields|url=https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=20991|website=retsinformation.dk|access-date=11 June 2014|language=da|trans-title=Lov om de færøske myndigheders overtagelse af sager og sagsområder|date=24 June 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120224148/https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=20991|archive-date=20 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> while the [[Greenlandic Inuit|Greenlandic people]] are defined as a separate people with the right to [[self-determination]].<ref>[https://www.retsinformation.dk:443/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=125052 ''Lov om Grønlands Selvstyre''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106211314/https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=125052 |date=6 November 2018 }} {{in lang|da}}. Retsinformation.dk. "I erkendelse af, at det grønlandske folk er et folk i henhold til folkeretten med ret til selvbestemmelse, bygger loven på et ønske om at fremme ligeværdighed og gensidig respekt i partnerskabet mellem Danmark og Grønland.</ref>

 

! [[List of countries by population|Population]] {{small|(2020)}}

! [[Capital city|Capital]]

! [[List of legislatures|Local parliament]]

| {{flag|Greenland}} {{small|(''{{lang|kl|Kalaallit Nunaat}}'')}}

| 56,081<ref name="Greenland pop" />

| {{convert|2,166,086|km2|sqmi|abbr=on|sigfig=6}}

| {{coat of arms|Nuuk}}

| [[Múte Bourup Egede]]

| {{flag|Faroe Islands}} {{small|(''{{lang|fo|Føroyar}}'')}}

| 52,110<ref name="Faroer pop" />

|{{convert|1,399|km2|sqmi|abbr=on|sigfig=5}}

| {{coat of arms|Tórshavn}}

| ''[[Løgting]]''

| [[Bárður á Steig Nielsen]]

{{Main|Politics of Denmark}}

{{Hatnote|Also related: [[Politics of the Faroe Islands]] and [[Politics of Greenland]]}}

| footer_align = center

| caption_align = center

| image1 = Drottning Margrethe av Danmark crop.jpg

| caption1 = [[Margrethe II of Denmark|Margrethe II]], Queen of Denmark

| image2 = 20190614 Folkemodet Bornholm Mette Frederiksen Socialdemokratiet 0285 (48063468172) (cropped).jpg

| caption2 = Prime Minister [[Mette Frederiksen]]

|total_width=300

}}

Politics in Denmark operate under a framework laid out in the [[Constitution of Denmark]].{{#tag:ref|Denmark has a [[codified constitution]]. Changes to it require an absolute majority in two consecutive parliamentary terms and the approval of at least 40% of the electorate through a referendum.<ref>{{cite web |author=Tschentscher, Axel |url=http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html |title=The Constitution of Denmark – Section 88 |publisher=Servat.unibe.ch |access-date=12 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710092702/http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html |archive-date=10 July 2011 |url-status=live  }}</ref>|group="N"}} First written in 1849, it establishes a sovereign state in the form of a [[constitutional monarchy]], with a representative [[parliamentary system]]. The monarch officially retains [[Executive (government)|executive power]] and presides over the [[Danish Council of State|Council of State]] ([[privy council]]).<ref>"The executive power is vested in the King." [http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html The Constitution of Denmark – Section 3.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710092702/http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html |date=10 July 2011 }}</ref><ref>"The body of Ministers shall form the Council of State, in which the Successor to the Throne shall have a seat when he is of age. The Council of State shall be presided over by the King{{nbsp}}..." [http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html The Constitution of Denmark – Section 17.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710092702/http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html |date=10 July 2011 }}</ref> In practice, the duties of the monarch are strictly representative and [[ceremonial]],<ref group="N">The Constitution refers to "the King" ({{lang-da|kongen}}), rather than the gender-neutral term "monarch". In light of the restriction of powers of the monarchy, this is best interpreted as referring to the government Cabinet.</ref><ref>[http://kongehuset.dk/english/the-monarchy-in-denmark/the-monarchy-today The Monarchy today] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215082552/http://kongehuset.dk/english/the-monarchy-in-denmark/the-monarchy-today |date=15 February 2015 }} – ''The Danish Monarchy'' (kongehuset.dk). Access date: 16 June 2012</ref> such as the formal appointment and dismissal of the [[Prime Minister of Denmark|Prime Minister]] and other Government ministers. The Monarch is not answerable for his or her actions, and their [[legal personality|person]] is [[sacrosanct]].<ref>"The King shall not be answerable for his actions; his person shall be sacrosanct." [http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html The Constitution of Denmark – Section 13.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710092702/http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html |date=10 July 2011 }}</ref> [[Hereditary monarchy|Hereditary monarch]] [[Margrethe II of Denmark|Queen Margrethe II]] has been head of state since 14 January 1972.

{{Main|Folketing|Cabinet of Denmark}}

{{See also|Løgting|Cabinet of the Faroe Islands}}

{{Hatnote|Also related: [[Inatsisartut]] and [[Cabinet of Greenland]]}}

The Danish parliament is [[unicameral]] and called the Folketing ({{lang-da|Folketinget}}). It is the [[legislature]] of the Kingdom of Denmark, passing [[Act of Parliament|acts]] that apply in Denmark and, variably, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The Folketing is also responsible for adopting the [[government budget|state's budgets]], approving the state's accounts, appointing and exercising control of the Government, and taking part in international co-operation. [[Bill (proposed law)|Bills]] may be initiated by the Government or by [[Member of parliament|members of parliament]]. All bills passed must be presented before the Council of State to receive [[Royal Assent]] within thirty days in order to become law.<ref>"A Bill passed by the Parliament shall become law if it receives the Royal Assent not later than thirty days after it was finally passed." [http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html The Constitution of Denmark – Section 22.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710092702/http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html |date=10 July 2011 }}</ref>

[[File:Christiansborg (Matthias Schalk).jpg|thumb|left|[[Christiansborg Palace]] houses the Folketing, the [[Supreme Court of Denmark|Supreme Court]], and government offices.]]

Denmark is a [[representative democracy]] with [[universal suffrage]].{{#tag:ref|The [[Economist Intelligence Unit]], while acknowledging that democracy is difficult to measure, listed Denmark 5th on its [[Democracy Index|index of democracy]].<ref name="Democracy_Index">{{cite web|title=Democracy Index 2014|url=http://www.sudestada.com.uy/Content/Articles/421a313a-d58f-462e-9b24-2504a37f6b56/Democracy-index-2014.pdf|publisher=The Economist/Economist Intelligence Unit|access-date=23 August 2015|date=2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201164818/http://www.sudestada.com.uy/Content/Articles/421a313a-d58f-462e-9b24-2504a37f6b56/Democracy-index-2014.pdf|archive-date=1 February 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>|group="N"}} Membership of the Folketing is based on [[proportional representation]] of political parties,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html|title=ICL – Denmark – Constitution – Section 31. Elections|work=unibe.ch|access-date=12 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710092702/http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html|archive-date=10 July 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{harvnb|Jørgensen|1995|p=16.}}</ref> 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 a [[Motion of no confidence|vote of no confidence]], the Folketing may force a single minister or an entire government to resign.<ref>"A Minister shall not remain in office after the Parliament has passed a vote of no confidence in him." [http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html The Constitution of Denmark – Section 15.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710092702/http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html |date=10 July 2011 }}</ref>

The Government of Denmark operates as a [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet government]], where executive authority is exercised—formally, on behalf of the monarch—by the prime minister and other [[cabinet minister]]s, who head [[List of Danish government ministries|ministries]]. 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 the [[confidence and supply|confidence]] of a majority in the Folketing; this is often the current leader of the largest [[political party]] or, more effectively, through a [[political alliance|coalition 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 by [[coalition governments]], themselves usually [[minority government]]s dependent on non-government parties.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.b.dk/din-mening/radikale-ved-historisk-skillevej|title=Radikale ved historisk skillevej|work=[[Berlingske Tidende]]|date=17 June 2007|access-date=17 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811132101/http://www.b.dk/din-mening/radikale-ved-historisk-skillevej|archive-date=11 August 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Following a [[2015 Danish general election|general election defeat]], in June 2015 [[Helle Thorning-Schmidt]], leader of the [[Social Democrats (Denmark)|Social Democrats]] (''{{lang|da|Socialdemokraterne}}''), resigned as prime minister. She was succeeded by [[Lars Løkke Rasmussen]], the leader of the [[Venstre (Denmark)|Liberal Party]] (''{{lang|da|Venstre}}''). Rasmussen became the leader of [[Lars Løkke Rasmussen II Cabinet|a cabinet]] that, unusually, consisted entirely of ministers from his own party. Following the [[2019 Danish general election|2019 general election]] the Social Democrats, led by leader [[Mette Frederiksen]], formed a single-party government with support from the left-wing coalition.<ref>{{cite news |title=Denmark's new leader joins Nordic swing to left |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-48784508 |work=BBC News |access-date=27 June 2019 |date=27 June 2019}}</ref> Frederiksen became prime minister on 27 June 2019.

=== Law and judicial system ===

{{Main|Law of Denmark|Courts of Denmark}}

[[File:Supreme Court of Denmark (1697).jpg|thumb|King [[Christian V of Denmark|Christian V]] presiding over the Supreme Court in 1697.]]

Denmark has a [[Civil law (legal system)|civil law]] system with some references to [[Germanic law]]. Denmark resembles Norway and Sweden in never having developed a [[case-law]] like that of [[English law|England]] and the United States nor comprehensive [[Code (law)|codes]] like those of France and Germany. Much of its law is [[Custom (law)|customary]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Orfield|first1=Lester Bernhardt Orfield|title=The Growth of Scandinavian Law|date=2002|publisher=Lawbook Exchange|location=Union, N.J.|isbn=978-1-58477-180-7|page=14}}</ref>

The judicial system of Denmark is divided between courts with regular civil and [[criminal law|criminal]] jurisdiction and administrative courts with jurisdiction over litigation between individuals and the public administration. Articles sixty-two and sixty-four of the Constitution ensure [[judicial independence]] from government and Parliament by providing that judges shall only be guided by the law, including acts, statutes and practice.<ref>"The administration of justice shall always remain independent of the executive power. Rules to this effect shall be laid down by Statute&nbsp;..." [http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html The Constitution of Denmark – Sections/Articles 62 and 64.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710092702/http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html |date=10 July 2011 }}</ref> The Kingdom of Denmark does not have a single unified judicial system – Denmark has one system, Greenland another, and the Faroe Islands a third.<ref>{{harvnb|Gammelgaard|Sørensen|1998|p=18.}}</ref> However, decisions by the highest courts in Greenland and the Faroe Islands may be appealed to the Danish High Courts. The [[Supreme Court of Denmark|Danish Supreme Court]] is the highest civil and criminal court responsible for the administration of justice in the Kingdom.

{{Main|Foreign relations of Denmark}}

{{Hatnote|Also related: [[Foreign relations of the Faroe Islands]] and [[Foreign relations of Greenland]]}}

Denmark wields considerable influence in Northern Europe and is a [[middle power]] in international affairs.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Behringer|first1=Ronald M.|title=Middle Power Leadership on the Human Security Agenda|journal=Cooperation and Conflict|volume=40|issue=3|pages=305–342|url=http://cac.sagepub.com/content/40/3/305.abstract|access-date=1 May 2016|date=September 2005|doi=10.1177/0010836705055068|s2cid=144129970|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106114255/http://cac.sagepub.com/content/40/3/305.abstract|archive-date=6 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 by [[Denmark and the European Union|its membership]] of the [[European Union]] (EU); Denmark including Greenland joined the [[European Economic Community]] (EEC), the EU's predecessor, in 1973.<ref group="N">The Faroese declined membership in 1973; Greenland [[withdrawal from the European Union|chose to leave]] the EEC in 1985, following [[1982 Greenlandic European Economic Community membership referendum|a referendum]].</ref> Denmark held the [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union]] on seven occasions, most recently from January to June 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Danish Presidency of the European Union 2012|url=http://eu2012.dk/en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103093056/http://eu2012.dk/en|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 January 2012|publisher=European Union|access-date=25 May 2014}}</ref> Following [[World War II]], Denmark ended its two-hundred-year-long policy of [[Country neutrality (international relations)|neutrality]]. It has been a founding member of the [[NATO|North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO) since 1949, and membership remains highly popular.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3167.htm|title= US Department of State: Denmark|author= Government of the United States|access-date= 25 May 2014|df= dmy-all}}</ref>

As a member of [[Development Assistance Committee]] (DAC), Denmark has for a long time been among the countries of the world contributing the largest percentage of gross national income to [[development aid]]. In 2015, Denmark contributed 0.85% of its [[gross national income]] (GNI) to [[development aid|foreign aid]] and was one of only six countries meeting the longstanding UN target of 0.7% of GNI.<ref group="N">As measured in [[official development assistance]] (ODA). Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom

exceeded the United Nations' ODA target of 0.7% of GNI.</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=2015 Preliminary ODA Figures|url=http://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/ODA-2015-detailed-summary.pdf|publisher=OECD|access-date=1 May 2016|location=Paris|date=13 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508134014/http://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/ODA-2015-detailed-summary.pdf|archive-date=8 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The country participates in both bilateral and multilateral aid, with the aid usually administered by the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Denmark)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]]. The organisational name of [[Danish International Development Agency]] (DANIDA) is often used, in particular when operating bilateral aid.

=== Military ===

{{See also|Danish Defence|Military history of Denmark}}

[[File:Danish Military Police.JPG|thumb|left|Danish MP-soldiers conducting advanced law enforcement training]]

Denmark's [[armed forces]] are known as the [[Danish Defence]] ({{lang-da|Forsvaret}}). The Minister of Defence is [[commander-in-chief]] of the Danish Defence, and serves as chief [[diplomacy|diplomatic]] official abroad. During peacetime, the [[Ministry of Defence (Denmark)|Ministry of Defence]] employs around 33,000 in total. The main military branches employ almost 27,000: 15,460 in the [[Royal Danish Army]], 5,300 in the [[Royal Danish Navy]] and 6,050 in the [[Royal Danish Air Force]] (all including conscripts).{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} The [[Danish Emergency Management Agency]] employs 2,000 (including conscripts), and about 4,000 are in non-branch-specific services like the [[Defence Command (Denmark)|Danish Defence Command]] and the [[Danish Defence Intelligence Service]]. Furthermore, around 55,000 serve as volunteers in the [[Home Guard (Denmark)|Danish Home Guard]].

Denmark is a long-time supporter of international [[peacekeeping]], but since the [[NATO bombing of Yugoslavia]] in 1999 and the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]] in 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://riko.nu/gunnar-olesen-danmark-som-krigsnation-en-parentes-der-bor-lukkes/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215191400/http://riko.nu/gunnar-olesen-danmark-som-krigsnation-en-parentes-der-bor-lukkes/|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 February 2016|title=Denmark as a warring nation: A bracket that should be closed |author=Gunnar Olesen |publisher=The council for international conflict resolution (RIKO) |date=7 September 2011 |language=da|access-date=1 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.information.dk/236879 |title=Danmark er en krisnation |author=Lasse Lavrsen |publisher=Information |date=19 June 2010 |language=da |access-date=1 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160225044756/http://www.information.dk/236879 |archive-date=25 February 2016 |url-status=live  }}</ref> The Danish Defence has around 1,400<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forsvaret.dk/FMN/Verdenskort/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227125607/http://forsvaret.dk/FMN/Verdenskort/ |archive-date=27 December 2007 |title=Forsvarsministerens Verdenskort |publisher=Ministry of Defense of Denmark |date=27 December 2007 |access-date=20 August 2009 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> staff in international missions, not including standing contributions to [[Standing NRF Mine Countermeasures Group 1|NATO SNMCMG1]]. Danish forces were heavily engaged in the former Yugoslavia in the UN Protection Force ([[UNPROFOR]]), with [[IFOR]],<ref>{{cite book |title=Bosnia: What Every American Should Know |url=https://archive.org/details/bosniawhateverya00clar |url-access=registration |last=Clark |first=A.L.|year=1996 |publisher=Berkley Books |location=New York}}</ref> and now [[SFOR]].<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/Bosnia-Herzegovina/Bosnia-Herzegovina.htm |title=Bosnia-Hertsegovinia: The U.S. Army's Role in Peace Enforcement Operations 1995–2004 |publisher=[[United States Army Center of Military History]] |id=CMH Pub 70-97-1 |first=R. Cody |last=Phillips |location=Washington, D.C. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209001303/http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/Bosnia-Herzegovina/Bosnia-Herzegovina.htm |archive-date=9 December 2013 }}</ref> Between 2003 and 2007, there were approximately 450 Danish soldiers in [[Iraq]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2007/02/200852514261678446.html |title=Denmark follows UK Iraq pullout |publisher=Al Jazeera English |date=21 February 2007 |access-date=20 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121211081916/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2007/02/200852514261678446.html |archive-date=11 December 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref> Denmark also strongly supported [[Operation Enduring Freedom|American operations]] in [[Afghanistan]] and has contributed both monetarily and materially to the [[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Indland/2009/02/15/165853.htm |title=Danmarks Radio – Danmark mister flest soldater i Afghanistan |publisher=Dr.dk |date=15 February 2009 |access-date=5 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219224336/http://dr.dk/Nyheder/Indland/2009/02/15/165853.htm |archive-date=19 February 2009 |url-status=live  }}</ref> These initiatives are often described by the authorities as part of a new "active foreign policy" of Denmark.

 

{{further|Economy of Denmark|List of companies of Denmark|List of largest Danish companies}}

Denmark has a [[developed economy|developed]] [[mixed economy]] that is classed as a [[World Bank high-income economy|high-income economy]] by the [[World Bank]].<ref>[http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-and-lending-groups#High_income Country and Lending Groups.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702131322/http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-and-lending-groups#High_income |date=2 July 2014 }} World Bank. Accessed on 14 March 2016.</ref> In 2017, it ranked 16th in the world in terms of [[List of countries by GNI (PPP) per capita|gross national income (PPP) per capita]] and 10th in [[List of countries by GNI (nominal, Atlas method) per capita|nominal GNI per capita]].<ref name=wb>{{Cite web |url=http://databank.worldbank.org/data/download/GNIPC.pdf |title=Gross national income per capita 2017, Atlas method and PPP. World Development Indicators database, World Bank, 21 September 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018. |access-date=6 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912071238/http://databank.worldbank.org/data/download/GNIpc.pdf |archive-date=12 September 2014 |url-status=live  }}</ref> Denmark's economy stands out as one of the most free in the [[Index of Economic Freedom]] and the [[Economic Freedom of the World]].<ref>[http://www.heritage.org/index/Ranking "Country Ratings"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916153902/http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking |date=16 September 2017 }}, 2012 Index of Economic Freedom. Retrieved 12 January 2012.</ref><ref name="2011-09-20_fraserinstitute">{{cite web | url = http://www.freetheworld.com/2011/reports/world/EFW2011_complete.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110926213117/http://www.freetheworld.com/2011/reports/world/EFW2011_complete.pdf | url-status=dead | archive-date = 26 September 2011 | title = Economic Freedom of the World: 2011 Annual Report Complete Publication (2.7 MB) | website = [[freetheworld.com]] | publisher = [[Fraser Institute]] | year = 2011 | access-date =20 September 2011 }}</ref> It is the 10th most competitive economy in the world, and 6th in Europe, according to the [[World Economic Forum]] in its ''Global Competitiveness Report 2018''.<ref name="wefcomp">{{cite web |url=http://reports.weforum.org/global-competitiveness-report-2018/competitiveness-rankings/ |title=Global Competitiveness Report 2018 |publisher=World Economic Forum |access-date=6 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208123549/http://reports.weforum.org/global-competitiveness-report-2018/competitiveness-rankings/ |archive-date=8 December 2018 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

 

Denmark has the fourth highest ratio of [[tertiary education|tertiary degree]] holders in the world.<ref>[http://www.uis.unesco.org/Library/Documents/ged09-en.pdf UNESCO 2009 Global Education Digest] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111128145810/http://www.uis.unesco.org/Library/Documents/ged09-en.pdf |date=28 November 2011 }}, Shared fourth with Finland at a 30.3% ratio. Graph on p28, table on p194.</ref> The country ranks highest in the world for [[labor rights|workers' rights]].<ref>Kevin Short (28 May 2014). [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/28/worst-countries-workers_n_5389679.html The Worst Places On The Planet To Be A Worker] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528214143/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/28/worst-countries-workers_n_5389679.html |date=28 May 2014 }}. ''[[The Huffington Post]].'' Retrieved 28 May 2014.</ref> GDP per hour worked was the 13th highest in 2009. The country has a market income inequality close to the [[OECD]] average,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oecd.org/eco/public-finance/TacklingincomeinequalityTheroleoftaxesandtransfers.pdf |title=Tackling income inequality. The role of taxes and transfers. |authors=Isabelle Joumard, Mauro Pisu, Debbie Bloch |publisher=OECD |date=2012 |access-date=10 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228060612/http://www.oecd.org/eco/public-finance/TacklingincomeinequalityTheroleoftaxesandtransfers.pdf |archive-date=28 December 2014 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbs.dk/files/cbs.dk/new_papers_4.pdf |title=Sources and impact of rising inequality in Denmark |authors=Ioana Neamtu and Niels Westergaard-Nielsen |date=March 2013 |access-date=10 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211011217/http://www.cbs.dk/files/cbs.dk/new_papers_4.pdf |archive-date=11 February 2015 |url-status=live  }}</ref> but after taxes and public cash transfers the income inequality is [[List of countries by income equality|considerably lower]]. According to [[Eurostat]], Denmark's [[Gini coefficient]] for disposable income was the 7th-lowest among EU countries in 2017.<ref name=eurostat>{{Cite web |url=http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/submitViewTableAction.do |title=Gini coefficient of equivalised disposable income – EU-SILC survey. Eurostat, last data update 20 November 2018, retrieved 6 December 2018. |access-date=6 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006122431/http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/submitViewTableAction.do |archive-date=6 October 2014 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

According to the [[International Monetary Fund]], Denmark has [[List of minimum wages by country|the world's highest minimum wage]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2010/02/weodata/index.aspx |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2010 Edition |publisher=IMF |date=6 October 2010 |access-date=5 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110222101150/http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2010/02/weodata/index.aspx |archive-date=22 February 2011 |url-status=live  }}</ref> As Denmark has no minimum wage legislation, the high wage floor has been attributed to the power of [[trade union]]s. For example, as the result of a collective bargaining agreement between the [[Fagligt Fælles Forbund|3F trade union]] and the employers group [[:da:Horesta|Horesta]], workers at [[McDonald's]] and other [[fast food chain]]s make the equivalent of [[United States dollar|US$]]20 an hour, which is more than double what their counterparts earn in the United States, and have access to five weeks' paid vacation, [[parental leave]] and a pension plan.<ref>Liz Alderman and Steven Greenhouse (27 October 2014). [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/28/business/international/living-wages-served-in-denmark-fast-food-restaurants.html Living Wages, Rarity for U.S. Fast-Food Workers, Served Up in Denmark] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028002802/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/28/business/international/living-wages-served-in-denmark-fast-food-restaurants.html |date=28 October 2014 }}. ''[[The New York Times]].'' Retrieved 28 October 2014.</ref> Union density in 2015 was 68%.<ref>On Sweden and Denmark, see Anders Kjellberg and Christian Lyhne Ibsen [https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/ws/files/21682547/Kjellberg_og_Ibsen_2016_ur_Due_og_Madsen.pdf "Attacks on union organizing: Reversible and irreversible changes to the Ghent-systems in Sweden and Denmark"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170309062312/https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/ws/files/21682547/Kjellberg_og_Ibsen_2016_ur_Due_og_Madsen.pdf |date=9 March 2017 }} in Trine Pernille Larsen and Anna Ilsøe (eds.)(2016) ''Den Danske Model set udefra (The Danish Model Inside Out) – komparative perspektiver på dansk arbejdsmarkedsregulering'', Copenhagen: Jurist- og Økonomforbundets Forlag (pp.292)</ref>

 

 

[[File:Svin ved Tarm, Jylland aug 2015 (20871345365).jpg|thumb|Denmark is a major producer and exporter of [[pork]] products.<!--http://www.worldstopexports.com/pork-exports-by-country/ no longer the largest exporter in the EU as of 2019.<ref>[http://www.cecmanitoba.ca/resource/hearings/22/21.pdf ''An Overview of Danish Pork Industry: Integration and Structure''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065103/http://www.cecmanitoba.ca/resource/hearings/22/21.pdf |date=4 March 2016 }} by Karen Hamann – The Institute for Food Studies & Agroindustrial Development. Access date: 23 July 2012.</ref>-->]]

 

Denmark's currency, the ''[[Danish krone|krone]]'' (DKK), is [[Fixed exchange rate|pegged]] at approximately 7.46 kroner per euro through the [[European Exchange Rate Mechanism|ERM II]]. Although a [[2000 Danish euro referendum|September 2000 referendum]] rejected adopting the [[euro]],<ref name=denmarkandtheeuro>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalbanken.dk/DNUK/Euro.nsf/side/Denmark_and_the_euro!OpenDocument |title=Denmark and the euro |access-date=3 February 2007 |date=17 November 2006 |publisher=[[Danmarks Nationalbank]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116210231/http://nationalbanken.dk/DNUK/Euro.nsf/side/Denmark_and_the_euro!OpenDocument |archive-date=16 November 2006 }}</ref> the country follows the policies set forth in the [[Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union]] (EMU) and meets the economic [[Euro convergence criteria|convergence criteria]] needed 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 May 2018, 29% of respondents from Denmark in a [[Eurobarometer]] opinion poll stated that they were in favour of the EMU and the euro, whereas 65% were against it.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ec.europa.eu/commfrontoffice/publicopinion/index.cfm/Survey/getSurveyDetail/instruments/STANDARD/yearFrom/1999/yearTo/2018/surveyKy/2180 |title=Standard Eurobarometer 89, Spring 2018. The key indicators. Publication date June 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2018. |access-date=18 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226232843/http://ec.europa.eu/commfrontoffice/publicopinion/index.cfm/Survey/getSurveyDetail/instruments/STANDARD/yearFrom/1999/yearTo/2018/surveyKy/2180 |archive-date=26 December 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

 

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 turbine]]s), [[Arla Foods]] (dairy), [[DSV (company)|DSV]] (transport), [[Carlsberg Group]] (beer), [[Salling Group]] (retail), [[Ørsted (company)|Ørsted A/S]] (power), [[Danske Bank]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The largest companies by turnover in Denmark|url=http://www.largestcompanies.com/toplists/denmark/largest-companies-by-turnover|website=largestcompanies.com|publisher=Nordic Netproducts AB|access-date=18 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106204016/http://www.largestcompanies.com/toplists/denmark/largest-companies-by-turnover|archive-date=6 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

 

{{Hatnote|Also related: [[Taxation in the Faroe Islands]] and [[Taxation in Greenland]]}}

 

 

 

Like other Nordic countries, Denmark has adopted the [[Nordic Model]], which combines [[free market]] capitalism with a comprehensive [[welfare state]] and strong [[worker protection]].<ref name="Nordic Model">{{cite web |url=http://www.iea.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/files/Sweden%20Paper.pdf |title=The surprising ingredients of Swedish success – free markets and social cohesion |date=25 June 2013 |publisher=[[Institute of Economic Affairs]] |access-date=13 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102084545/http://www.iea.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/files/Sweden%20Paper.pdf |archive-date=2 November 2013 |url-status=live  }}</ref> As a result of its acclaimed "flexicurity" model, Denmark has the freest [[labour economics|labour market]] in Europe, according to the World Bank. Employers can hire and fire whenever they want (flexibility), and between jobs, [[unemployment]] compensation 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%.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.oecd.org/els/benefits-and-wages.htm |title=Tax and Benefit Systems: OECD Indicators. Benefit generosity. Data retrieved 18 December 2018. |access-date=18 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181227040716/http://www.oecd.org/els/benefits-and-wages.htm |archive-date=27 December 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref> Establishing a business can be done in a matter of hours and at very low costs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.investindk.com/Why-Denmark |title=The world's best business environment |publisher=Investindk.com |access-date=5 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701080756/http://www.investindk.com/Why-Denmark |archive-date=1 July 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref> No restrictions apply regarding overtime work, which allows companies to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.investindk.com/Why-Denmark/10-good-reasons |title=10 Good Reasons to Invest in Denmark |publisher=Investindk.com |access-date=12 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216124310/http://www.investindk.com/Why-Denmark/10-good-reasons |archive-date=16 February 2016 |url-status=live  }}</ref> 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%.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=LFS_SEXAGE_I_R |title=LFS by sex and age – indicators. OECD Statistics, data retrieved 18 December 2018. |access-date=18 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181217130806/https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=LFS_SEXAGE_I_R |archive-date=17 December 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref> The unemployment rate was 5.7% in 2017,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/lfs/data/database |title=Eurostat Employment and Unemployment Database, Table une_rt_a. Unemployment by sex and age – annual average. Last update 31 October 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2018. |access-date=18 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181223155807/https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/lfs/data/database |archive-date=23 December 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref> which is considered close to or below its structural level.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/2018-european-semester-convergence-programme-denmark_en.pdf |title=The Danish Government: Denmark's Convergence Programme 2018, p. 8. Publication date April 2018, retrieved 18 December 2018. |access-date=18 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226233059/https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/2018-european-semester-convergence-programme-denmark_en.pdf |archive-date=26 December 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

 

The level of [[unemployment benefits]] is 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 ultimately from general taxation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.information.dk/indland/2018/10/ny-undersoegelse-dag-statens-udgifter-dagpenge-tre-gange-mindre-1995|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181227040753/https://www.information.dk/indland/2018/10/ny-undersoegelse-dag-statens-udgifter-dagpenge-tre-gange-mindre-1995|url-status=dead|title=Ny undersøgelse: I dag er statens udgifter til dagpenge tre gange mindre end i 1995 &#124; Information|archivedate=27 December 2018}}</ref>

 

 

 

[[Life science]] is a key sector with extensive research and development activities. Danish engineers are world-leading in providing [[diabetes]] care equipment and medication products from Novo Nordisk and, since 2000, the Danish [[biotech]] company [[Novozymes]], the world market leader in enzymes for first generation starch-based [[bioethanol]], has pioneered development of enzymes for converting waste to [[cellulosic ethanol]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canadianbiomassmagazine.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&Itemid=132&id=3101|title=Novozymes, the world's leading provider of enzymes to the biofuels industry|publisher=Canadian Biomass Magazine|access-date=7 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010095027/http://www.canadianbiomassmagazine.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&Itemid=132&id=3101|archive-date=10 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Medicon Valley]]'', spanning the [[Øresund Region]] between Zealand and Sweden, is one of Europe's largest life science [[business cluster|clusters]], containing a large number of life science companies and research institutions located within a very small geographical area.

 

 

 

Denmark has considerably large deposits of oil and natural gas in the [[North Sea]] and ranks as number 32 in the world among net exporters of [[Petroleum|crude oil]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/country/country_energy_data.cfm?fips=DA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304094837/http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/country/country_energy_data.cfm?fips=DA |archive-date=4 March 2010 |title=EIA – International Energy Data and Analysis for Denmark |publisher=Tonto.eia.doe.gov |date=15 May 2009 |access-date=29 May 2009 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> and was producing 259,980 barrels of crude oil a day in 2009.<ref>[http://www.indexmundi.com/energy.aspx?country=dk Denmark Crude Oil Production and Consumption by Year (Thousand Barrels per Day)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204011430/http://www.indexmundi.com/energy.aspx?country=dk |date=4 December 2011 }} – indexmundi.</ref> Denmark is a long-time leader in [[wind power]]: In 2015 [[wind turbine]]s provided 42.1% of the total electricity consumption.<ref>[http://cphpost.dk/news/business/wind-energy-in-denmark-breaking-world-records.html Wind energy in Denmark breaking world records] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160119022407/http://cphpost.dk/news/business/wind-energy-in-denmark-breaking-world-records.html |date=19 January 2016 }} The Copenhagen Post, Retrieved 17. January 2016.</ref> {{As of|2011|05|alt=In May 2011}} Denmark derived 3.1% of its gross domestic product from renewable (clean) energy technology and energy efficiency, or around €6.5&nbsp;billion ($9.4&nbsp;billion).<ref>[http://news.yourolivebranch.org/2011/05/10/denmark-invests-the-most-in-clean-energy-per-gdp/ Denmark Invests the Most in Clean Energy per GDP] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516123405/http://news.yourolivebranch.org/2011/05/10/denmark-invests-the-most-in-clean-energy-per-gdp/ |date=16 May 2012 }} – yourolivebranch.org. Retrieved 3 January 2012</ref> Denmark is connected by [[electric transmission lines]] to other European countries.

 

[[Electricity sector in Denmark|Denmark's electricity sector]] has integrated energy sources such as wind power into the national grid. Denmark now aims to focus on intelligent battery systems ([[Vehicle-to-grid|V2G]]) and [[Electric vehicle|plug-in vehicles]] in the transport sector.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.energymap.dk/Technology-Areas/Intelligent-Energy/Plug-in-and-Electrical-Vehicles |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719122621/http://www.energymap.dk/Technology-Areas/Intelligent-Energy/Plug-in-and-Electrical-Vehicles |archive-date=19 July 2011 |title=Plug-in and Electrical Vehicles |publisher=EnergyMap.dk |access-date=10 October 2009}}</ref> The country is a member nation of the [[International Renewable Energy Agency]] (IRENA).<ref name="IRENAstates">{{cite news|title=Global support for International Renewable Energy Agency growing fast|url=http://www.irena.org/Menu/index.aspx?PriMenuID=13&mnu=Pri|date=10 September 2014|access-date=10 September 2014|publisher=IRENA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924015929/http://www.irena.org/menu/index.aspx?mnu=Pri&PriMenuID=13|archive-date=24 September 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

 

 

 

 

Private vehicles are increasingly used as a means of transport. Because of the [[car taxation|high 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.

 

 

|label1 = People of Danish origin (including ''Faroese'' and ''Greenlandic'')

|value1= 86.11

|color1= DarkBlue

|label2 = Immigrant

|value3 = 3.34

 

The population of Denmark, as registered by [[Statistics Denmark]], was 5.825 million in April 2020.<ref name="pop1" /> Denmark has one of the oldest populations in the world, with the average age of 41.9 years,<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/denmark/|title=World Factbook EUROPE : DENMARK|work=[[The World Factbook]]|date=12 July 2018}}</ref> with 0.97 males per female. Despite a low birth rate, the population is growing at an average annual rate of 0.59%<ref name="factbook2" /> because of net immigration and increasing longevity. The [[World Happiness Report]] frequently ranks Denmark's population as the happiest in the world.<ref name="happiness">{{cite web|editor1-last=Helliwell |editor1-first=John |editor2-last=Layard |editor2-first=Richard |editor3-last=Sachs |editor3-first=Jeffrey |editor3-link=Jeffrey Sachs |title=World Happiness Report 2016 |url=http://5c28efcb768db11c7204-4ffd2ff276d22135df4d1a53ae141422.r82.cf5.rackcdn.com/HR-V1_web.pdf |publisher=Sustainable Development Solutions Network |access-date=17 March 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318091325/http://5c28efcb768db11c7204-4ffd2ff276d22135df4d1a53ae141422.r82.cf5.rackcdn.com/HR-V1_web.pdf |archive-date=18 March 2016  }}</ref><ref name=Earth_Institute_2013>Helliwell, John; Layard, Richard; Sachs, Jeffrey [http://www.earth.columbia.edu/sitefiles/file/Sachs%20Writing/2012/World%20Happiness%20Report.pdf World Happiness Report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902171441/http://www.earth.columbia.edu/sitefiles/file/Sachs%20Writing/2012/World%20Happiness%20Report.pdf |date=2 September 2013 }}. ''[[The Earth Institute]]'' at [[Columbia University]], p. 8. See also: [http://unsdsn.org/files/2013/09/WorldHappinessReport2013_online.pdf World Happiness Report 2013] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215838/http://unsdsn.org/files/2013/09/WorldHappinessReport2013_online.pdf |date=4 October 2013 }}, p. 23.; [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/22/denmark-happiest-country_n_4070761.html Denmark Is Considered The Happiest Country. You'll Never Guess Why.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023134428/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/22/denmark-happiest-country_n_4070761.html |date=23 October 2013 }} ''[[Huffington Post]].'' 22 October 2013.</ref><ref name="BruceStokes">Stokes, Buce (8 June 2011). [https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/06/the-happiest-countries-in-the-world/240103/ The Happiest Countries in the World] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425034007/https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/06/the-happiest-countries-in-the-world/240103/ |date=25 April 2017 }}. ''[[The Atlantic]].'' Retrieved 20 September 2013</ref> This has been attributed to the country's highly regarded education and [[Health care in Denmark|health care]] systems,<ref name=Taylor>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/denmark-is-the-worlds-happiest-country--official-410075.html |title=Denmark is the world's happiest country – official – Europe, World |work=The Independent |location=London |date=1 August 2006 |access-date=5 May 2009 |first=Jerome |last=Taylor |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309234926/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/denmark-is-the-worlds-happiest-country--official-410075.html |archive-date=9 March 2009 }}</ref> and its low level of [[income inequality]].<ref name=eurogini>{{cite web|title=Gini coefficient of equivalised disposable income (source: SILC)|url=http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=ilc_di12|publisher=Eurostat Data Explorer|access-date=4 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304045123/http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=ilc_di12|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

 

Denmark is a historically [[Homogeneity (statistics)|homogeneous]] nation.<ref name="Thomas2016">{{cite book|author=Alastair H. Thomas|title=Historical Dictionary of Denmark|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aPq6DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA11|year=2016|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers|isbn=978-1-4422-6465-6|page=11}}</ref> However, as with its Scandinavian neighbours, Denmark has recently transformed from a nation of [[net migration|net emigration]], up until World War II, to a nation of net immigration. Today, [[residence permit]]s are 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 to [[asylum seeker]]s and 10% to persons who arrive as family dependants.<ref>{{cite web|title=VAN8A: Immigrations (year) by citizenship, sex and residence permit|url=http://www.statbank.dk/VAN8A|publisher=[[Statistics Denmark]]|access-date=18 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012172855/http://www.statbank.dk/VAN8A|archive-date=12 October 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref name="factbook2" /><ref>For comparisons and developments see: {{cite journal|url=http://esa.un.org/miggmgprofiles/indicators/files/Denmark.pdf|title=Denmark – Migration Profiles|publisher=UNICEF|date=2013|access-date=5 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304194636/http://esa.un.org/miggmgprofiles/indicators/files/Denmark.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Statistics on migration only includes people changing citizenship and does not always provide a realistic picture of migration pressure. In Denmark, 5% of the population were non-citizens in 2005, which is a relatively high figure. See {{cite journal|url=https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/events/coordination/4/docs/P12_OECD.pdf|title=Counting Immigrant and Expatriates in OECD Countries: A New Perspective|publisher=OECD|pages=119–120|date=21 October 2005|access-date=5 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415081147/http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/events/coordination/4/docs/P12_OECD.pdf|archive-date=15 April 2016|url-status=live}} for example.</ref>

 

There are no official statistics on [[ethnic group]]s, but according to 2020 figures from Statistics Denmark, 86.11% of the population in Denmark was of [[Danes|Danish]] descent (including ''[[Faroese Dane|Faroese]]'' and ''[[Greenlandic people in Denmark|Greenlandic]]''), defined as having at least one parent who was born in the [[Realm of Denmark|Kingdom of Denmark]] and holds [[Danish nationality law|Danish Nationality]].<ref name="pop1">{{cite web|title=Population at the first day of the quarter by municipality, sex, age, marital status, ancestry, country of origin and citizenship|url=http://www.statbank.dk/FOLK1c|publisher=[[Statistics Denmark]]|access-date=2 October 2020|quote=January 2020}}</ref><ref group=N name="denonly group=N">This data is for Denmark [[wikt:proper#Adjective|proper]] only. For data relevant to [[Greenland]] and the [[Faroe Islands]] see their respective articles.</ref> 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 were [[Demographics of Turkey|Turkey]], [[Poles|Poland]], [[Syrians|Syria]], [[Germans|Germany]], [[Iraqis|Iraq]], [[Romanians|Romania]], [[Lebanon]], [[Pakistanis|Pakistan]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], and [[Somalis|Somalia]].<ref name="pop1" />

 

 

{{Main|Languages of Denmark}}

[[Danish language|Danish]] is the ''de facto'' [[national language]] of Denmark.<ref name="Ethnologue" /> [[Faroese language|Faroese]] and [[Greenlandic language|Greenlandic]] are the official languages of the Faroe Islands and Greenland respectively.<ref name="Ethnologue">{{cite book |editor1-first=M. Paul |editor1-last=Lewis |year=2009 |title=Ethnologue: Languages of the World |edition=16th |publisher=SIL International. |location=Dallas, Texas |isbn=978-1-55671-216-6 |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/ |access-date=27 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227170852/http://www.ethnologue.com/ |archive-date=27 December 2007 |url-status=live  }}</ref> [[German language|German]] is a recognised [[minority language]] in the area of the former [[South Jutland County]] (now part of the [[Region of Southern Denmark]]), which was part of the German Empire prior to the [[Treaty of Versailles]].<ref name="Ethnologue" /> Danish and Faroese belong to the [[North Germanic languages|North Germanic]] (Nordic) branch of the [[Indo-European languages]], along with [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]], [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]], and [[Swedish language|Swedish]].<ref name="language">{{cite web|title=Language|url=http://www.norden.org/en/the-nordic-region/language|publisher=The Nordic Council|access-date=7 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140721051426/http://www.norden.org/en/the-nordic-region/language|archive-date=21 July 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> There is a limited degree of [[North Germanic languages#Mutual intelligibility|mutual intelligibility between Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish]]. Danish is more distantly related to German, which is a [[West Germanic languages|West Germanic]] language. Greenlandic or "Kalaallisut" belongs to the [[Eskimo–Aleut languages]]; it is closely related to the [[Inuit languages]] in Canada, such as [[Inuktitut]], and entirely unrelated to Danish.<ref name="language" />

 

 

|1985

|4,675,270

|5,111,108

|91.5%

| 1990 || 4,584,450

|5,135,409|| 89.3%

|1995

|4,539,773

|5,215,718

|87.0%

| 2000 || 4,536,422

|5,330,020|| 85.1%

| 2005 || 4,498,703

|5,411,405|| 83.1%

| 2010 || 4,479,214

|5,534,738|| 80.9%

| 2015 || 4,400,754

|5,659,715|| 77.8%

| 2020 || 4,327,018

|5,822,763|| 74.3%

! colspan="4" style="text-align: left; font-weight: normal;" | <small>Source: [[Statistics Denmark]] and Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs{{refn|

* Statistics Denmark: 1985,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dst.dk/seudg/34107|title=Kirkestatistik 1984|date=15 May 1986|publisher=Statistics Denmark|language=da|others=(Data is from 31 December 1984 instead of 1 January 1985)|access-date=5 April 2020}}{{dead link|date=August 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 1990,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dst.dk/seudg/34112|title=Kirkestatistik 1990|date=7 November 1991|publisher=Statistics Denmark|language=da|access-date=5 April 2020}}{{dead link|date=August 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 1995,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dst.dk/seudg/34117|title=Kirkestatistik 1995|date=19 September 1996|publisher=Statistics Denmark|language=da|access-date=5 April 2020}}{{dead link|date=August 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 2000,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dst.dk/seudg/2730|title=Kirkestatistik 2000|date=27 June 2001|publisher=Statistics Denmark|language=da|access-date=5 April 2020}}{{dead link|date=August 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 2010–2020<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statistikbanken.dk/statbank5a/SelectVarVal/Define.asp?Maintable=KM1&PLanguage=1|title=KM1: Population at the first day of the quarter by parish and member of the National Church|website=StatBank Denmark|publisher=Statistics Denmark|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802202339/https://www.statistikbanken.dk/statbank5a/SelectVarVal/Define.asp?Maintable=KM1&PLanguage=1|archive-date=2 August 2020|access-date=5 April 2020}}</ref>

* Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs: 2005<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.km.dk/kirkestatistik.html|title=Kirkestatistik|website=Kirkeministeriet|language=da|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060816032656/http://www.km.dk/kirkestatistik.html|archive-date=16 August 2006|access-date=5 April 2020}}</ref>

Sports are popular in Denmark, and its citizens participate in and watch a wide variety. The [[national sport]] is [[association football|football]], with over 320,000 players in more than 1600 [[football club|clubs]].<ref>{{cite web|title=DIF specialforbunds medlems|url=http://public.tableausoftware.com/profile/#!/vizhome/DIFidraettenital2013-dif_dk/DIFmedl-foren-tal|publisher=Danmarks Idrætsforbund|access-date=15 June 2014|language=da|year=2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526234318/http://public.tableausoftware.com/profile/#!/vizhome/DIFidraettenital2013-dif_dk/DIFmedl-foren-tal|archive-date=26 May 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Denmark qualified six times consecutively for the [[UEFA European Football Championship|European Championships]] between 1984 and 2004, and were crowned European champions in [[1992 UEFA European Football Championship|1992]]; other significant achievements include winning the Confederations Cup in 1995 and reaching the quarter-final of the 1998 World Cup. Notable Danish footballers include [[Allan Simonsen]], named the best player in Europe in 1977, [[Peter Schmeichel]], named the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993, and [[Michael Laudrup]], named the best Danish player of all time by the [[Danish Football Union]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Michael Laudrup bedste spiller gennem tiderne |publisher=DBU |date=13 November 2006 |url=http://www.dbu.dk/news/newsShow.aspx?id=235647 |access-date=18 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517122915/http://www.dbu.dk/news/newsShow.aspx?id=235647 |archive-date=17 May 2011 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

 

There is much focus on [[handball]], too. The [[Denmark women's national handball team|women's national team]] celebrated 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 the [[Denmark men's national handball team|men'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 in [[European Men's Handball Championship|European Handball Championship]] history.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Team rankings|url=http://www.eurohandball.com/2013/article/011996|publisher=European Handball Federation|access-date=13 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203184111/http://www.eurohandball.com/2013/article/011996|archive-date=3 February 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2019, the Danish men's national handball team won their first [[Denmark men's national handball team#2019 World Championship|World Championship title]] in the tournament that was co-hosted between Germany and Denmark.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

 

In recent years, Denmark has made a mark as a strong [[cycling]] nation, with [[Michael Rasmussen (cyclist)|Michael Rasmussen]] reaching [[King of the Mountains]] status in the [[Tour de France]] in 2005 and 2006. Other popular sports include golf—which is mostly popular among those in the older demographic;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dif.dk/OmDIF/Forside/Idraetten%20i%20tal/medlemstal.aspx |title=Om DIF – Medlemstal |access-date=16 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070716195104/http://www.dif.dk/OmDIF/Forside/Idraetten%20i%20tal/medlemstal.aspx |archive-date=16 July 2007  }} {{in lang|da}}, ''The National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark''</ref> [[tennis]]—in which Denmark is successful on a professional level; [[basketball]]—Denmark joined the international governing body [[FIBA]] in 1951;<ref>[http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/FIBA/fibaStru/nfLeag/p/nationalfederationnumber/271/nfProf.html Profile | Denmark] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151114021234/http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/FIBA/fibaStru/nfLeag/p/nationalfederationnumber/271/nfProf.html |date=14 November 2015 }}, Fiba.com. Retrieved 24 September 2015.</ref> rugby—the [[Danish Rugby Union]] dates back to 1950;<ref>Bath, Richard (ed.) ''The Complete Book of Rugby'' (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 {{ISBN|1-86200-013-1}}) p66. Archived from July 2007 and Retrieved June 2012.</ref> [[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 bronze [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] medals; and several indoor sports—especially [[badminton]], [[table tennis]] and gymnastics, in each of which Denmark holds World Championships and [[Denmark at the Olympics|Olympic medals]]. Denmark's numerous beaches and resorts are popular locations for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and many other water-themed sports.

<!--This section should be kept short and concise.

== See also ==

{{Portal|Denmark|Faroe Islands}}

* [[Index of Denmark-related articles]]

* [[Outline of Denmark]]

*[[Religion in Denmark]]

== Notes ==

{{reflist|30em}}

 

* {{in lang|da}} Busck, Steen and Poulsen, Henning (ed.), "Danmarks historie&nbsp; – i grundtræk", Aarhus Universitetsforlag, 2002, {{ISBN|87-7288-941-1}}

* {{cite book |title= Den oövervinnerlige|last=Englund|first=Peter|authorlink=Peter_Englund|year=2000|publisher=Atlantis|location=Stockholm|isbn=91-7486-999-X|language=sv}}

* {{in lang|da}} Michaelsen, Karsten Kjer, "Politikens bog om Danmarks oldtid", Politikens Forlag (1. bogklubudgave), 2002, {{ISBN|87-00-69328-6}}

{{Sister project links|Denmark|b=no|q=no|v=no|voy=Denmark}}

{{Scholia|country}}

* [http://www.denmark.dk/ Denmark.dk]

* [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/denmark/ Denmark]. ''[[The World Factbook]]''. [[Central Intelligence Agency]].

* [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/157748/Denmark Denmark] entry at ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]''.

* {{curlie|Regional/Europe/Denmark}}

* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17929661 Denmark profile] from the [[BBC News]].

* [http://www.ifs.du.edu/ifs/frm_CountryProfile.aspx?Country=DK Key Development Forecasts for Denmark] from [[International Futures]].

 

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