The Kingdom of Denmark is the geographically smallest Nordic country . It is located in Scandinavia , which is in northern Europe . Denmark borders the Baltic Sea and the North Sea , and consists of a peninsula attached to Northern Germany named Jutland and many smaller islands. Denmark is north of Germany and Poland , southwest of Sweden and south of Norway . Additionally, the territories of Greenland and the Faroe Islands are under the Danish crown, while enjoying political home rule .

 

Geography

Denmark consists of the peninsula of Jutland (Jylland) and 405 named islands . Of these, 82 are inhabited, with the largest being Zealand (Sjælland) and Funen (Fyn) . The island of Bornholm is located somewhat east of the rest of the country, in the Baltic Sea . Many of the islands are connected by bridges; the Øresund Bridge connects Zealand with Sweden , and the Great Belt Bridge connects Funen with Zealand.

The country is mostly flat with little elevation; the highest natural point is Møllehøj , at about 171 metres. The climate is temperate , with mild winters and cool summers. Main cities are the capital Copenhagen (on Zealand), Aarhus (on Jutland) and Odense (on Fyn).

Economy

This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards, a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and has a comfortable balance of payments surplus.

The Danish economy is highly unionized; 75% of its labor force are members of a union in the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions . Relationships between unions and employers are cooperative: unions have a day-to-day role in managing the workplace, and their representatives sit on most company's board of directors . Rules on work schedules and pay are negotiated between unions and employers, with minimal government involvement (there is no minimum wage , for example).

The government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase (a common European currency) of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), but Denmark, in a September 2000 referendum , reconfirmed its decision not to join the 12 other EU members in the euro . Even so, the Danish currency remains pegged to the euro.

Demographics

The majority of the population is of Scandinavian descent, with small groups of Inuit (from Greenland ), Faroese , and immigrants. According to official statistics in 2003 immigrants made up 6.2% of the total population.

Danish is spoken in the entire country, although a small group near the German border also speaks German .

According to official statistics from January 2002 84.3% of Danes are members of the state church, the Danish People's Church ( Den Danske Folkekirke ), also known as the Church of Denmark, a form of Lutheranism ; the rest are primarily of other Christian denominations and also about 3% are Muslims .