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Denmark

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Denmark is a beautiful country located in Northern Europe. It is part of the Nordic region and the Scandinavian countries. The land sits southwest of Sweden and south of Norway. It also shares a very short border with Germany to the south.

Denmark (orthographic projection)
Denmark (orthographic projection)

Most of the country is made of flat land that is good for farming. You will find many sandy coasts and a temperate climate. This means the weather is not too hot or too cold.

Landscape seen from Ellemandsbjerg
Landscape seen from Ellemandsbjerg

The Kingdom of Denmark includes more than just the main land. It also includes the Faroe Islands and Greenland in the North Atlantic Ocean. There are about 1,400 islands in the whole kingdom. Many of these are small, but 78 of them have people living on them.

Satellite image of Denmark in July 2001
Satellite image of Denmark in July 2001

The main part of the country has 406 islands. One island, called Bornholm, sits a little bit away from the rest in the Baltic Sea.

Kunoy.10
Kunoy.10

Denmark has a very long and interesting history. A long time ago, people called Vikings lived here. They were excellent sailors who traveled to places like Iceland and Canada.

Ladbyskibet
Ladbyskibet

In the 10th century, King Gorm the Old ruled the land. His son, Harald Bluetooth, helped make the country Christian around the year 965.

Jellingsten stor 1
Jellingsten stor 1

Later, Denmark joined a group called the Kalmar Union with Norway and Sweden in 1397. This union lasted until Sweden left in 1523.

Today, Denmark is a very modern and developed place. More than 6 million people live in the country. About 40% of them live on the largest island, which is called Zealand.

Da-map
Da-map

The capital city is Copenhagen, and it is the largest city in the realm.

Copenhagen airport from air
Copenhagen airport from air

Denmark is also known for having a strong economy and a high standard of living. The country is a member of many groups, including the European Union and NATO.

EU-Denmark
EU-Denmark

Many things you know about the world connect to Denmark. For example, the country is a leader in many international groups like the United Nations. It is also part of the Schengen Area, which helps people travel easily.

European Environment Agency, Copenhagen
European Environment Agency, Copenhagen

Denmark is famous for its social rules that help take care of its people. This way of life is often called a welfare state. Even though it is a small country, it has a big influence on the world around it.

Denmark passenger and freight railway network
Denmark passenger and freight railway network
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🖼️ Images & Media (41)
United States Navy Band - Der er et...
United States Navy Band - Kong Kristian...
File:Denmark (orthographic projection).svg
Denmark (orthographic projection).svg
File:EU-Denmark.svg
EU-Denmark.svg
File:Solvognen-00100.jpg
Solvognen-00100.jpg
File:Ladbyskibet.jpg
Ladbyskibet.jpg
File:Jellingsten stor 1.jpg
Jellingsten stor 1.jpg
File:Denmark-Norway in 1780.svg
Denmark-Norway in 1780.svg
File:Stormen på København (F.C. Lund).jpg
Stormen på København (F.C. Lund).jpg
File:Grundlovgivende rigsforsamling - Constantin Hansen full.jpg
Grundlovgivende rigsforsamling -...
File:Tratado de Lisboa 13 12 2007 (081).jpg
Tratado de Lisboa 13 12 2007 (081).jpg
File:Satellite image of Denmark in July 2001.jpg
Satellite image of Denmark in July 2001.jpg

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