According to countryaah, Denmark has been inhabited for many thousands of years, although in the beginning this was mainly by itinerant hunters. However, it is the Vikings who settle here permanently around the beginning of the era. However, it would take several centuries before the rest of Europe would get to know these people. In the ninth century the Vikings grew into a great power that conquered large parts of Northern Europe and present-day Greenland. Many of these Vikings also settled in the British Isles and parts of France.
In the fifteenth century, the Kalmar Union was founded and the kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden were governed under one monarch. This remained so until the mid-sixteenth century when the Kingdom of Denmark and Norway was founded. In addition to Denmark and Norway, the countries of Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and the island of Saaremaa also fell under this kingdom.
In 1814 during the Peace of Kiel, Denmark was forced to cede Norway to Sweden but was allowed to keep the overseas territories. The areas of Greenland and the Faroe Islands are still part of the Kingdom of Denmark but have autonomous status. Iceland only gained full independence in 1944. Denmark is one of the founding fathers of the European Union, but it does not use the euro.
Denmark is a beautiful green country that has not yet spoiled unnecessary pollution. As a tourist you get a pleasant holiday feeling here. The people are reserved but extremely friendly and hospitable.
Whoever visits the country for the first time should not be shocked by the prices in the supermarkets, cafes and restaurants because they are a lot higher here than we are used to. This is mainly due to the higher VAT rate.
Sights
The capital Copenhagen is the most visited city in Denmark. This is not surprising when you look at what the city has to offer. The Amalienborg, the Little Mermaid, the Tivoli Theme Park and the old sailor’s quarter Nyhavn are among the city’s best-known attractions. A special place in the city is the Christiania district, the inhabitants of this alternative district have declared the district a city of freedom. As a result, different rules apply here and motorized traffic is prohibited. Just outside Copenhagen is the oldest surviving amusement park in the world. Dyrehavsbakken has been around since 1583.
The town of Roskilde hosts one of the biggest festivals in Europe every year. The Roskilde Festival attracts approximately 100,000 visitors each year. Roskilde is also home to the HC Andersen Museum and the Viking Ship Museum. Legoland Billund is located on the Jutland peninsula near Billund. This is the first amusement park in the world to be entirely dedicated to these small stones, later a total of seven parks followed, spread all over the world.
On the island of Møn are the cliffs of Møns Klints, which can be seen from Sweden on clear days. The city of Ribe is the oldest city in Scandinavia, here are many places that remind of the Vikings, such as the Viking Museum and the old Viking village just outside the city.
UNESCO
Denmark has a total of four inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Of these, only one is located on the Danish mainland. Those are the burial mounds, runic stones and church of Jelling that have been on the list since 1994. Two inscriptions are located on the island of Zealand. Roskilde Cathedral was added here in 1995 and Kronborg Castle in 2000. The fourth inscription is located in the autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland. Here, the 40-kilometre-long and 7-kilometre-wide Icefjord of Ilulissat was added to the list in 2004.
Climate
Like the Netherlands, Denmark has a moderate maritime climate that is influenced by the sea. However, the influence of the sea on the climate here is slightly smaller than in the Netherlands. As a result, temperature extremes are more likely to occur here. In the southern part of the country, the average temperatures here are about the same as in our country, but the northern part of the country is slightly colder. At 500 millimeters on an annual basis, the average precipitation here is about twenty percent lower than in the Netherlands. The southern part of the Jutland peninsula is the wettest place in the country and here the average precipitation figures are once as high as in the rest of the country. Long periods of frost and/or night frost are certainly no exception in the northern and eastern parts of the country. Because Denmark is quite flat, the wind has free play here and it blows quite a lot and hard in Denmark. However, completely different climate data apply to the autonomous regions of Faroe Islands and Greenland. For example, there was an ice climate in most of Greenland and a Tundra climate along the coasts, and the country is largely covered with permafrost.
Geography
Denmark is the southernmost Scandinavian country. The country consists for the most part of the Jutland peninsula and also of 405 large and small islands that together are also called the Danish archipelago. The largest of these islands are Zealand, Funen, Lolland, Falster, Langeland, Als, Møn, Bornholm and Amager. Zealand is the largest island in the country and the capital Copenhagen is also located here. A small part of Copenhagen is located on the smaller island of Amager, which makes it the most densely populated island of Denmark. Most of the country’s islands are connected by bridges. In this way, the country is also connected to Sweden. Denmark has only one land border and that is with Germany. In the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean lies the Faroe Islands archipelago, which form an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark. Faroe Islands consists of eighteen islands, only one of which is uninhabited. Almost half of the country’s inhabitants live in the capital Tórshavn on the island of Streymoy. Greenland is the largest island in the world and is covered all year round by a layer of ice almost 1600 meters thick. Few people live on this immense island, the capital of the country is the plats Nuuk. The highest point in Denmark is Jutland Ridge with only 172 meters and the highest point on Faroe Islands is the mountain Slættaratindur with 882 meters. The highest point of the Kingdom of Denmark can be found in Greenland, however, the mountain Gunnbjørns is the highest point here with 3700. Denmark’s largest cities are Copenhagen,
Travel advice
There are no special travel advice for Denmark and no vaccinations are required for a visit to the country. It is wise to take a tick remover with you, especially if you plan to spend a longer time in nature. Unlike in the Netherlands, Denmark has no evidence of tolerance for soft drugs. Possessing or trading them carries severe prison terms. It is also wise not to be a tourist for sale with expensive equipment or jewelry.
Travel documents
Denmark is one of the Schengen countries, which ensures that residents of other Schengen countries can travel freely between the different countries. Tourists from outside one of the Schengen countries can apply for a standard visa, which has a duration of 3 months and money for all Schengen countries. However, you must be in possession of a valid ID and since 2012 this also applies to children.
Info table
| Capital city | Copenhagen |
| Phone (country code) | 45 |
| Internetdomein | .dk |
| Language(s) (official) | Danish |
| Language(s) (colloquial) | Danish, English and German |
| Religion(s) | Lutheranisme |
| Time zone(s) | Denmark UTC+1, Faeroe Islands UTC +, Greenland UTC -4, -3 en -1 |
| Time difference summer | In Denmark time runs parallel with the Netherlands |
| Time difference winter | In Denmark time runs parallel with the Netherlands |
| Daylight Saving Time Control | yes, this is the same as in the Netherlands |
| Currency | Danish crown |
