denmark

=Denmark=

__Fast Facts__

 * Country:** Denmark
 * Population:** 5, 457, 415
 * Size:** 43, 094 sq km
 * Capital City:** Copenhagen
 * Language:** Danish
 * Currency:** Danish krone (DKK)
 * Head of Country:** Queen Margrethe II

__Location__
Along with Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and other associated territories such as the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Aland; is a Nordic or otherwise known roughly, as a Scandanavian country. It is located from the point of 56 00 N to 10 00 E in Northern Europe. Denmark borders the Baltic and North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany, known as Jutland. It also includes two major islands; Sjaelland and Fyn.

__Geographical Features__
Denmark consists of the mainland peninsula, Jutland and 443 other islands. The highest natural point in Denmark is the Mollehoj in Ejerbjerge hills of the Skanderborg municipality. It measures 170.86 metres in height.

__[[image:Mountain_denmark.jpg width="154" height="118"]] Climate__
The climate of Denmark is in the temperate zone. Temperatures in winter have an average of 0 degrees Celcius and the temperatures in summer have an average of 15.7 degrees Celcius during summer in August, is it is extremely cool. There is a lot of wind that comes through Denmark and it is stronger in winter than in summer. There is a total of approximately 170 rainy days in Denmark with the most coming in November.

__Economy__
In recent years, Denmark has undergone economic expansion, mainly due to private consumption growth, but also because of support from exports and investments.Denmark has a GDP total of $198.5 billion. Its agriculture products are barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, pork, dairy products and fish. Industries include iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products, ship building and refurbishiment, windmills, pharmaceutials and medical equipment.

Export commodities are machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, pharmaceuticals, furniture and windmills; which are worth a total of $93.93 billion. These commodities are exported to Germany (17.4%), Sweden (14.2%), U.K (8.9%), US (6.2%), Norway (5.4%), Netherlands (5.1%) and France (4.9%). Import commodities are machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods; which are worth a total of $89.32 billion. These commodities are imported from Germany (21.4%), Sweden (14.2%), Norway (6.5%), Netherlands (6.2%), UK (5.6%), China (5%) and France (4.4%).

__**Government**__

The official title of Denmark is the Kingdom of Denmark. It has 98 municipalities and 5 regions, along with the capital being Copenhagen. It was first united as a country in the 10th century and it became a consitutional monarchy on 5 June 1849, which is also recognised as National Day. Suffrage is 18 years old and is universal.

In the executive branch, the Chief of State is Queen Margrethe II and her heir apparent is the Crown Prince Frederik. The Head of Government is Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. The cabinet is appointed by the monarch and there are no elections as the monarch is hereditary.The legislative branch is unicameral and the People's Assembly of Folketinget is in power with 179 seats including two from Greenland and two from the Faroe Islands. Members have four - year terms. The only court in the judicial branch is the Supreme Court with the judges appointed by the monarch for life.

__History__
The earliest archaeological findings in Denmark date back to 130, 000 to 110, 000 BC in the Eem Interglacial period. People started to inhabit the country in 12, 500 BC and agriculture has been evident since 3, 900 BC. The first Danish people arrived during the Roman Iron Age from 1 to 400 AD. Historian believe that Jutland was inhabited by people from the Danish islands, Zealand and Skane and spoke an early form of north Germanic. The most of Jutland and some islands were inhabited by the Jutes. They later migrated to the British Isles. In 737 AD, constructions were conducted and this may have been because of an emerging Danish king. At the same time, the New Runic Alphabet was formed and Ribe, one of the oldest towns was founded in around 700 AD. From the 8th century onwards, the Danes were known as Vikings along with the Norwegians and Geats; with their great skills in shipbuilding; they raided many coasts and rivers in Europe. The Danish Vikings were most active in the British Isles and Western Europe; conquering England, Ireland and France; founding Normandy. In fact; more Anglo - Saxon pence have been found in Denmark than in England. The Danes were united and Christianized in 965 AD by Harald Bluetooth.

Through the high and late Middle Ages, Danish kings ruled Danish Estonia and the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein (most of the two are now a part of Germany). In 1397, Denmark entered the Kalmar Union with Norway and Sweden. Scandanavia remained in this arrangement until Sweden broke away in 1523. The Protestant Reformation came to Scandanavia in the 1530's and following the Count's Feud civil war, Denmark converted to Lutheranism in 1536. Later that year, Denmark entered union with Norway, because the Norwegian royal bloodline was extint from a plague that spread through Scandanavia.

For the next few centuries; Denmark fought for control of other surrounding countries, however, Danish liberal and national movement brought constitutional monarchy on 5 June 1849.