Denmark Danmark

DENMARK

DANMARK

The Kingdom of Denmark is a country whose territory is located between the Scandinavian Peninsula and Central Europe. The head of state of this Parliamentary monarchy is currently the Queen Margrethe II, the official language is Danish.

Denmark is a member of NATO since 1973 and a member of the EU, but has not yet adopted the EU Currency (Referendum 2000). So is the currency still the Danish Krone (DKK). Denmark has in the Treaty of Maastricht an opting-out clause reserved and makes use of this (like UK). Denmark has signed the Schengen Agreement in 2001, which allows free passage between a number of European countries.

Denmarks area covers about 43,000 square kilometres. Of these, about one-third of the total are on 443 islands. Overall, Denmark has 1419 islands, an area of over 100 sq metres. To the Kingdom of Denmark also belong the autonomous territories Greenland and the Faroe Islands (both countries also belong to NATO but not to the EU).

From January 2007 on, Denmark is divided into five regions. Geographically the largest region is the region Midtjylland. Then folloes the region Syddanmark, region Nordjylland, region region Sj lland and the region Hovedstaden. The most densely inhabited but the smallest region, is the Hovedstaden. The Danish capital Copenhagen and the island of Bornholm are located in this region. The region Hovedstaden is divided into total 98 municipalities.

Denmark has a competitive economy, high rates of foreign trade and is a high industrialised country. Moreover, Denmark has five international airports, a high mechanised agriculture, and is one of the world s largest producers of pork products. Fishing, cereals, oil, natural gas, wind energy, mineral resources, capital goods, such as chemical and pharmaceutical products, vehicles and furniture play the main role in Denmark. The unemployment rate is falling steadily and was last year (2007) only 2.7%. The standard of living is one of the highest in the world.



Denmark is known with its protected nature reserves, with the many theologians, the Danish Nobel laureate Karl Gjellerup and Henrik Pontoppidan, the painter Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, the world-famous sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, the composer Carl Nielsen, the Expressionist Richard Mortensen, the singer Gitte H nning, the Olsen Brothers, Lars Ulrich (from the band Metallica ), the classic toys LEGO, the architect J rn Utzon, the many successful badminton players, and many other artists. Denmark s football teams won many European and World Championships. The world-famous writer Hans Christian Andersen is also from Denmark. He is especially known to his many tales, such as The ugly duckling , The Emperor s New Clothes and The Little Mermaid and other works. One of the many internationally renowned Danish directors is Lars von Trier. Especially in recent decades, Denmark is known, with its stylish designers .

Culinary in Denmark is known: The R de P lse in the Danish Hot Dog, the Skipperlabskovs, Gl gg, Sm rrebr d, fish and fries with remoulade, ris l amande, as the Danish beer Carlsberg and Tuborg.

Especially the Rosenborg Castle, Legoland, the Skagerrak and the beautiful beach on the North Sea, Tivoli amusement park, Skagen Museum, the North Sea Museum in Hirtshals, the outdoor museum Den Gamle By in the city of Aarhus, the Cathedral of Roskilde, the World Heritage Kronborg Castle, and hundreds of islands are worth seeing in Denmark. In addition, you can stay in holiday homes, or camping, surfing and hiking, and much more.