Denmark
Denmark is a country in Scandinavia.
Full name: Kingdom of Denmark
Population: 5.4 million (UN, 2005)
Capital: Copenhagen
Area: 43,098 sq km (16,640 sq miles)
Major language: Danish
Major religion: Christianity, Lutheran
Life expectancy: 75 years (men), 79 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 krone = 100 ore
Main exports: Machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals
GNI per capita: US $31 050 (World Bank, 2003) [1]
Internet domain: .dk
International dialing code: +45
Geography
Denmark consists of a peninsula from Germany ([[Jutland}}) and a series of islands. The largest of these islands is Zealand, bordering on Sweden. The capital of Denmark is Copenhagen, with a bridge to Malmö, Sweden.
Politics
Queen: Margrethe II
Prime minister: Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Denmark is a democratic, constitutional monarchy. The Danish Prime Minister is Anders Fogh Rasmussen, and is the leader of Venstre (literally: "the left," however, a right-wing party); the party was originally a peasants party that went right wing together with the peasants. Denmark has been a democratic country since the beginning of the twentieth century.
Denmark has free health care for all people and free education. That everyone has equal opportunities to education means the academics and leaders come from many backgrounds. This has led to the criticism that Denmark lacks the family dynasties to drive the country forward. Despite this, Denmark has been historically well run.
During the last several years the "Dansk Folkeparti" (da. "Danish People's Party") with leader Pia Kjærsgaard has had enormous success with its anti-immigration policy. It was initially aimed at preventing Arab Muslims from immigrating through arranged marriage. The new policy's greatest impact however, has been preventing some ethnic Danes from living with their spouses of other nationalities, including Americans, in Denmark. Denmark is known for its production of pastries known as danishes.
Economy
Denmark has had a socialist economy since the thirties, with strong trade union ensuring that workers have a strong influence over company decisions. It has become one of the world's most successful economies. It has free education and health care together with the changing governments ideals of equality and the continued efforts to enable people to raise above their creeds.
Denmark has a per capita income that exceeds that of the United States of America.
Major Danish companies include Novo Nordisk.
History
1397 - Union of Kalmar unites Denmark, Sweden and Norway under a single monarch. Denmark is the dominant power.
1729 - Greenland becomes Danish province.
1814 - Denmark cedes Norway to Sweden.
1849 - Denmark becomes constitutional monarchy; two-chamber parliament established.
The modern period
1914-18 - Denmark is neutral during World War I.
1918 - Universal suffrage comes into effect.
1930s - Welfare state established by governments dominated by social democrats.
1939 - Denmark signs 10-year non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany.
1940 - Nazi invasion meets virtually no initial resistance. Government accepts occupation in exchange for measure of control over domestic affairs.
1943 - A determined campaign by the Danish resistance prompts Germany to take over full control of Danish affairs. Thousands of Danish Jews manage to escape to Sweden.
1945 - Germany surrenders and occupation ends. Denmark recognises Iceland's independence, which had been declared in 1944.
1948 - Faroe Islands granted self-government within the Danish state.
1949 - Denmark joins Nato.
1952 - Denmark becomes founder member of Nordic Council.
1953 - Constitutional change leads to a single-chamber parliament elected by proportional representation; female accession to the Danish throne is permitted; Greenland becomes integral part of Denmark.
1959 - Denmark joins European Free Trade Association.
1972 - Accession of Margrethe II to the Danish throne.
1973 - Denmark joins the European Union , at that time known as the Euroopean Economic Community.
1979 - Greenland is granted home rule, though does not gain full independence.
1982 - Poul Schlueter becomes first Conservative prime minister for almost a century.
2000 - The Adaptations of the Euro as the national currency is rejected by 53%. Referenda are held on all major issues in Denmark.
A new bridge is completed, linking Copenhagen with neighbouring Malmo in the south of Sweden.
2001 November - Elections put right-wing coalition led by Anders Fogh Rasmussen into government. Rasmussen campaigned on a pledge to tighten immigration rules and put lid on taxes.
2002 February - New government measures aimed at reducing immigration spark controversy.
2004 August - US and Denmark sign deal to modernise Thule air base on Greenland.
Society
Denmark has a ludicrously lax legal system, where criminals are barely punished, but instead they are educated and cared for by what is meant to be a penal system. Fortunately, or as a consequence, Denmark has one of the lowest serious crime rates and reoffending rates in the world.
Sport
The principal sport in Denmark is football (soccer). The highlight for the sport was their national team's unexpected victory in the 1992 European Championship. Despite initially failing to qualify for the final tournament, the withdrawal of Yugoslavia enabled them to be called to take their place and eventually win the tournament.
Other sports of note include handball, badminton, cycling, and ice hockey.
People
Denmark emerged as the nation with the highest level of happiness in an academic study. Adrian White, from the UK's University of Leicester, used the responses of 80,000 people worldwide to map out subjective well being.
Denmark also has the second tallest population in the world, behind the Netherlands.
