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History, Geography, People |
HISTORY
Although there were agricultural villages in the region in the Stone and Bronze Ages, present-day Denmark traces its linguistic and cultural roots to the arrival of the Danes, a tribe thought to have migrated south from Sweden around AD 500.
In the late 9th century, warriors led by the Viking chieftain Hardegon conquered the Jutland peninsula. The Danish monarchy, Europe's oldest, dates back to Hardegon's son, Gorm the Old, who established his reign in the early 10th century. Succeeding Danish kings went on to invade England and conquer most of the Baltic region.
In 1397 the Danish queen Margrethe I established a political union between Denmark, Norway and Sweden to counter the influence of the powerful Hanseatic League that had come to dominate the region's trade. Sweden withdrew from the union in 1523; Norway remained under Danish rule until 1814.
In the 16th century the Reformation swept through the country amid church burnings and civil warfare. The fighting ended in 1536 with the ousting of the powerful Catholic Church and the establishment of a Danish Lutheran church headed by the monarchy.
Denmark's golden age was under Christian IV (1588-1648), with Renaissance cities, castles and fortresses flourishing throughout his kingdom. In 1625 Christian IV, hoping to neutralize Swedish expansion, entered a protracted struggle known as the Thirty Years' War. The Swedes triumphed and in 1658 Denmark lost Skane and its other territories on the Swedish mainland.
Literature, the arts, philosophy and populist ideas flourished in the 1830s, and Europe's 'Year of Revolutions' in 1848 helped inspire a democratic movement in Denmark that led to the adoption of a constitution on 5 June 1849. As a result, King Frederik VII was forced to relinquish most of his political power to an elected parliament and thus became Denmark's first constitutional monarch.
Denmark remained neutral in WWI and also declared its neutrality at the outbreak of WWII. Nevertheless, on 9 April 1940 an unfortified Denmark faced either a quick surrender or a full-scale invasion by German troops massed along its border. The Danish government settled for the former in exchange for some rights over internal affairs; in August 1943 the Germans took outright control. The Danish Resistance movement mushroomed and 7000 Jewish Danes were quickly smuggled into neutral Sweden.
Although the island of Bornholm was heavily bombarded by Soviet forces, the rest of Denmark emerged from WWII relatively unscathed. Denmark joined NATO in 1949 and the European Community (now the European Union or EU) in 1973. Support for the EU is tepid, however, as many Panes fear the loss of local control to a European bureaucracy dominated by stronger nations. Denmark has one of the world's highest per capita GNPs and a high standard of living.
GEOGRAPHY
The majority of Denmark's 42,930 sq km is on the peninsula of Jutland, but there are also 406 islands, 90 of which are inhabited. Copenhagen is on Zealand, the largest island. Most of Denmark is a lowland of farms, marshland, rolling hills and heather-covered moors. The highest elevation is a mere 173m.
Climate
Considering its northern latitude, Denmark has a fairly mild climate. May and June can be superb months to visit: the weather is generally warm and comfortable, and you'll beat the rush of summer tourists. While autumn can also be pleasant, it's not as scenic.
PEOPLE
Population
Denmark's population is about 5.3 million. Foreign nationals account for 5% of the total, and 8% of Copenhagen's population. The four largest cities are Copenhagen (population 1.5 million), Arhus (265,000), Odense (184,000) and Aalborg (155,000).
Society & Conduct
Danes pride themselves on being thoroughly modern, and the wearing of folk costumes, the celebration of traditional festivals and the clinging to old-fashioned customs is less prevalent than elsewhere in Scandinavia. Danes are tolerant of different lifestyles; in 1989 Denmark became the first European nation to legalize same-sex marriages.
Perhaps nothing captures the Danish perspective more than the concept of hygge, which, roughly translated, means 'cosy and snug'. It implies shutting out the turmoil and troubles of the outside world and striving instead for a warm, intimate mood.
Language
Written Danish bears a strong resemblance to Swedish, Norwegian, and Icelandic. Spoken Danish, on the other hand, has evolved in a different direction, introducing sounds and pronunciation not found else where.
Most Danes speak English. However, an effort to at least learn the basics will be appreciated.
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