Denmark

Your complete guide to Denmark

Quick Facts

Capital

Copenhagen

Population

5,869,410

Languages

Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority)

Currency

Danish kroner (DKK)

Area

43,094 sq km

Government

Parliamentary constitutional monarchy

About Denmark

Denmark is the smallest and southernmost of the Scandinavian countries, a low-lying kingdom of islands and peninsulas where no point stands more than 170 meters above sea level. Yet this modest geography belies an outsized cultural influence: Denmark is the home of hygge, the birthplace of LEGO, and consistently ranks among the world's happiest nations.

Copenhagen, the capital, has emerged as a global leader in design, gastronomy, and sustainability. Its cycling culture, harbor baths, and Michelin-starred restaurants embody a quality of life that attracts visitors and expats alike. Beyond the capital, fairy-tale castles, Viking ship museums, and wind-swept North Sea beaches reveal the country's deeper layers.

As a founding member of NATO and a member of the EU (though outside the euro zone), Denmark punches above its weight in international affairs while maintaining one of Europe's most generous welfare states.

History

Denmark's history begins with the Vikings, whose seafaring raids and trading networks from the eighth to eleventh centuries left an indelible mark on European history. The medieval Danish kingdom at its peak controlled much of Scandinavia, England, and the Baltic coast. The Kalmar Union of 1397 briefly united all of Scandinavia under Danish rule.

Centuries of war with Sweden shrank Danish territory, and the loss of Schleswig-Holstein to Prussia in 1864 cemented the modern state's small size. Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany from 1940 to 1945 but earned distinction for the near-complete rescue of its Jewish population. Postwar Denmark built an exemplary social democracy and joined the European Economic Community in 1973.

Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the EU's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union, European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.
CIA World Factbook

Culture & Society

Danish culture prizes simplicity, design, and conviviality. The concept of hygge — a cozy togetherness — permeates social life, from candlelit dinners to communal singing. Denmark's design tradition, from Arne Jacobsen's chairs to Royal Copenhagen porcelain, emphasizes clean lines and functionality. The culinary scene ranges from traditional smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches) to the New Nordic movement pioneered by restaurants like Noma.

Languages: Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority)

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran (official) 74.7%, Muslim 5.5%, other/none/unspecified (denominations of less than 1% each in descending order of size include Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Serbian Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Baptist, Buddhist, Mormon, Pentecostal, and nondenominational Christian) 19.8% (2019 est.)

Ethnic Groups: Danish (includes Greenlandic (who are predominantly Inuit) and Faroese) 86.3%, Turkish 1.1%, other 12.6% (largest groups are Polish, Syrian, German, Iraqi, and Romanian) (2018 est.)