114-681: Andersen ( Danish pronunciation: [ˈɑnɐsn̩] ) is a Danish - Norwegian patronymic surname meaning "son of Anders" (itself derived from the Greek name " Ανδρέας/Andreas ", cf. English Andrew ). It is the fifth most common surname in Denmark , shared by about 3.2% of the population. From the same root – the given name Andreas – derives the surname Andreasen Danish pronunciation: [ænˈtʁeˀæsn̩] (cognate Andreassen ) and Andresen Danish pronunciation: [ænˈtʁeˀsn̩] . The numbers of bearers of
228-625: A Ministry of Environment and was the first country in the world to implement an environmental law in 1973. To mitigate environmental degradation and global warming the Danish Government has signed the Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol . However, the national ecological footprint is 8.26 global hectares per person, which is very high compared to a world average of 1.7 in 2010. Contributing factors to this value are an exceptional high value for cropland but also
342-539: A series of wars in the 17th century that resulted in further territorial cessions . A surge of nationalist movements in the 19th century were defeated in the First Schleswig War of 1848. The adoption of the Constitution of Denmark on 5 June 1849 ended the absolute monarchy and introduced the current parliamentary system. An industrialised exporter of agricultural produce in the second half of
456-628: A temperate climate, characterised by cool to cold winters, with mean temperatures in January of 1.5 °C (34.7 °F), and mild summers, with a mean temperature in August of 17.2 °C (63.0 °F). The most extreme temperatures recorded in Denmark, since 1874 when recordings began, was 36.4 °C (97.5 °F) in 1975 and −31.2 °C (−24.2 °F) in 1982. Denmark has an average of 179 days per year with precipitation, on average receiving
570-558: A two-chamber parliament . Denmark faced war against both Prussia and the Austrian Empire in what became known as the Second Schleswig War , lasting from February to October 1864. Denmark was defeated and obliged to cede Schleswig and Holstein to Prussia . This loss came as the latest in the long series of defeats and territorial losses that had begun in the 17th century. After these events, Denmark pursued
684-471: A Prussian-dominated Germany as a welcome development, which he saw as a way of weakening France, the nation that he hated and feared the most. Fredrich Wilhelm did not want to risk a confrontation with either Britain or Russia, and was only persuaded to act when convinced a war would not cause such a confrontation. Schleswig-Holsteinian Prince Frederik of Noer took the 5th "Lauenburger" Rifle Corps (Jägerkorps) and some students of Kiel university to take over
798-829: A change to the succession law in the duchies to allow succession through the female line. The implementation of this law was illegal. The question of Schleswig-Holstein was also a major concern of the other European powers. In order to maintain access to the Baltic, the British Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston preferred that control of the Danish straits linking the North Sea to the Baltic Sea not be controlled by any major European power such as Prussia. From Palmerston's viewpoint, having
912-579: A conference in London , Denmark suggested an arrangement on the basis of a separation of Schleswig from Holstein, despite their historical affiliation dating back to 1460, with Schleswig having a separate constitution under the Danish crown. In April 1850, Prussia, which had pulled out of the war after the treaty of Malmö, proposed a definitive peace on the basis of the status quo ante bellum and postponement of all questions as to mutual rights. To Palmerston
1026-639: A few key trading posts in Africa and India . While Denmark's trading posts in India were of little note, it played an important role in the highly lucrative Atlantic slave trade , through its trading outposts in Fort Christiansborg in Osu , Ghana through which 1.5 million slaves were traded. While the Danish colonial empire was sustained by trade with other major powers, and plantations – ultimately
1140-476: A framework laid out in the Constitution of Denmark . First written in 1849, it establishes a sovereign state in the form of a constitutional monarchy , with a representative unicameral parliamentary system . The monarch officially retains executive power and presides over the Council of State ( privy council ). In practice, the duties of the monarch are strictly representative and ceremonial , such as
1254-527: A further Danevirke . In the early 11th century, Canute the Great won and united Denmark, England, and Norway for almost 30 years with a Scandinavian army. Throughout the High and Late Middle Ages , Denmark also included Skåneland (the areas of Scania, Halland , and Blekinge in present-day south Sweden) and Danish kings ruled Danish Estonia , as well as the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein . Most of
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#17327726640891368-752: A lack of resources led to its stagnation. In the Thirty Years' War , Christian tried to become the leader of the Lutheran states in Germany but suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Lutter . The result was that the Catholic army under Albrecht von Wallenstein was able to invade, occupy, and pillage Jutland, forcing Denmark to withdraw from the war . Denmark managed to avoid territorial concessions, but King Gustavus Adolphus ' intervention in Germany
1482-468: A note to King Fredrich Wilhelm stating that Russia regarded the advance of the Prussian troops towards Jutland as an extremely unfriendly act as the note stated: "The invasion, intended for Jutland, seriously injuries the interests of all the powers bordering on the Baltic, and stretches to the breaking point the political equilibrium throughout the north which was established in the treaties". To reinforce
1596-458: A part of Denmark, as Schleswig contained a large number of Danes, whilst Holstein did not. German nationalists believed that Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg should remain united, and their belief that Schleswig and Holstein should not be separated led to the two duchies being referred to as Schleswig-Holstein . Schleswig became a particular source of contention, as it contained a large number of Danes, Germans, and North Frisians . Another cause of
1710-468: A policy of neutrality in Europe. Industrialisation came to Denmark in the second half of the 19th century. The nation's first railways were constructed in the 1850s, and improved communications and overseas trade allowed industry to develop in spite of Denmark's lack of natural resources. Trade unions developed, starting in the 1870s. There was a considerable migration of people from the countryside to
1824-488: A relatively high value for grazing land, which may be explained by the substantially high meat production in Denmark (115.8 kilograms (255 lb) meat annually per capita) and the large economic role of the meat and dairy industries. In December 2014, the Climate Change Performance Index for 2015 placed Denmark at the top of the table, explaining that although emissions are still quite high,
1938-403: A relatively weak power such as Denmark maintain control of the Danish straits was far preferable to having a strong power, and as such Britain tended to support the Danish claims, believing that a Danish-Prussian war might lead to Prussia annexing not just the two duchies, but also all of Denmark. Likewise, Emperor Nicholas I of Russia supported Denmark as he did not want a strong power controlling
2052-607: A short border . As of 2013, the Kingdom of Denmark , including the Faroe Islands and Greenland , had a total of 1,419 islands greater than 100 square metres (1,100 sq ft) in area; 443 have been named and 78 are inhabited. Spanning a total area of 42,943 km (16,580 sq mi), metropolitan Denmark consists of the northern part of the Jutland peninsula and an archipelago of 406 islands. Zealand
2166-733: A single unified judicial system – Denmark has one system, Greenland another, and the Faroe Islands a third. However, decisions by the highest courts in Greenland and the Faroe Islands may be appealed to the Danish High Courts. The Danish Supreme Court is the highest civil and criminal court responsible for the administration of justice in the Kingdom. The Kingdom of Denmark is a unitary state that comprises, in addition to metropolitan Denmark, two autonomous territories in
2280-531: A speech to the defenders, the prince secured the allegiance of the battalions and regiment of artillery to the provisional government. Danish officers who had been serving in the defence of the fortress were allowed to leave for Denmark on the assurance that they did not fight against Schleswig-Holstein in the coming war. Wishing to defeat Denmark before German troops arrived to support them, 7,000 Schleswig-Holstein volunteers under General Krohn occupied Flensborg on 31 March. Over 7,000 Danish soldiers landed east of
2394-420: A total area of 42,943.9 square kilometres (16,581 sq mi). The area of inland water is 43 km (17 sq mi). The size of the land area cannot be stated exactly since the ocean constantly erodes and adds material to the coastline, and because of human land reclamation projects (to counter erosion). Post-glacial rebound raises the land by a bit less than 1 cm (0.4 in) per year in
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#17327726640892508-522: A total of 765 millimetres (30 in) per year; autumn is the wettest season and spring the driest. The position between a continent and an ocean means that the weather is often unstable. Because of Denmark's northern location, there are large seasonal variations in daylight: short days during the winter with sunrise coming around 8:45 am and sunset 3:45 pm (standard time), as well as long summer days with sunrise at 4:30 am and sunset at 10 pm ( daylight saving time ). Denmark belongs to
2622-457: A union with Norway. After Sweden permanently broke away from the personal union, Denmark tried on several occasions to reassert control over its neighbour. King Christian IV attacked Sweden in the 1611–1613 Kalmar War but failed to accomplish his main objective of forcing it to return to the union. The war led to no territorial changes, but Sweden was forced to pay a war indemnity of 1 million silver riksdaler to Denmark, an amount known as
2736-538: Is Denmark's most populated island, followed by Funen , then the North Jutlandic Island and Amager . Copenhagen, Denmark's capital and most populous city, is located on Zealand and Amager. Denmark has flat, arable land , sandy coasts, low elevations, and a temperate climate . Denmark exercises hegemonic influence in the Danish Realm , devolving powers to handle internal affairs. Home rule
2850-462: Is a representative democracy with universal suffrage . Membership of the Folketing is based on proportional representation of political parties, with a 2% electoral threshold. Denmark elects 175 members to the Folketing, with Greenland and the Faroe Islands electing an additional two members each—179 members in total. Parliamentary elections are held at least every four years, but it is within
2964-763: Is a founding member of NATO , the Nordic Council , the OECD , the OSCE and the United Nations , and is part of the Schengen Area . Denmark maintains close political, cultural, and linguistic ties with its Scandinavian neighbours. The Danish political system is used in political science as a reference point for near-perfect governance and the term "getting to Denmark" is used to describe how other countries can improve their governments. The etymology of
3078-503: Is among other things reflected in the finding of the Gundestrup cauldron . The tribal Danes came from the east Danish islands ( Zealand ) and Scania and spoke an early form of North Germanic . Historians believe that before their arrival, most of Jutland and the nearest islands were settled by tribal Jutes . Many Jutes migrated to Great Britain , according to legend some as mercenaries of Brythonic King Vortigern , and formed
3192-455: Is believed to mean woodland or borderland (see marches ), with probable references to the border forests in south Schleswig . The first recorded use of the word Danmark within Denmark itself is found on the two Jelling stones , which are runestones believed to have been erected by Gorm the Old ( c. 955 ) and Harald Bluetooth ( c. 965 ). The larger of the two stones
3306-495: Is divided between courts with regular civil and criminal jurisdiction and administrative courts with jurisdiction over litigation between individuals and the public administration. Articles sixty-two and sixty-four of the Constitution ensure judicial independence from government and Parliament by providing that judges shall only be guided by the law, including acts, statutes and practice. The Kingdom of Denmark does not have
3420-482: Is farther from the coast than 52 km (32 mi). On the south-west coast of Jutland, the tide is between 1 and 2 m (3.28 and 6.56 ft), and the tideline moves outward and inward on a 10 km (6.2 mi) stretch. Denmark's territorial waters total 105,000 square kilometres (40,541 square miles). Denmark's northernmost point is Skagen point (the north beach of the Skaw) at 57° 45' 7" northern latitude;
3534-609: Is flat with little elevation, having an average height above sea level of 31 metres (102 ft). The highest natural point is Møllehøj , at 170.86 metres (560.56 ft). Although this is by far the lowest high point in the Nordic countries and also less than half of the highest point in Southern Sweden , Denmark's general elevation in its interior is generally at a safe level from rising sea levels . A sizeable portion of Denmark's terrain consists of rolling plains whilst
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3648-476: Is popularly cited as the "baptismal certificate" ( dåbsattest ) of Denmark, though both use the word "Denmark", in the accusative ᛏᛅᚾᛘᛅᚢᚱᚴ tanmaurk ( [danmɒrk] ) on the large stone, and the genitive ᛏᛅᚾᛘᛅᚱᚴᛅᚱ "tanmarkar" (pronounced [danmarkaɽ] ) on the small stone, while the dative form tąnmarku (pronounced [danmarkʊ] ) is found on the contemporaneous Skivum stone. The inhabitants of Denmark are there called tani ( [danɪ] ), or "Danes", in
3762-556: Is the metropolitan part, and most populous constituent part of, the Kingdom of Denmark , a constitutionally unitary state that includes the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland in the North Atlantic Ocean . Metropolitan Denmark is the southernmost of the Scandinavian countries, lying south-west and south of Sweden , south of Norway , and north of Germany , with which it shares
3876-531: Is the largest lake. The Kingdom of Denmark includes two overseas territories, both well to the west of Denmark: Greenland, the world's largest island , and the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. These territories are self-governing under their own parliaments (the Løgting and Inatsisartut ) and form, together with continental Denmark, part of the Danish Realm , a country. Denmark has
3990-505: The Älvsborg ransom . King Christian used this money to found several towns and fortresses, most notably Glückstadt (founded as a rival to Hamburg ) and Christiania . Inspired by the Dutch East India Company , he founded a similar Danish company and planned to claim Ceylon as a colony, but the company only managed to acquire Tranquebar on India's Coromandel Coast . Denmark's large colonial aspirations included
4104-554: The Boreal Kingdom and can be subdivided into two ecoregions : the Atlantic mixed forests and Baltic mixed forests . Almost all of Denmark's primeval temperate forests have been destroyed or fragmented, chiefly for agricultural purposes during the last millennia. The deforestation has created large swaths of heathland and devastating sand drifts . In spite of this, there are several larger second growth woodlands in
4218-637: The Frikorps Danmark . Iceland severed ties with Denmark and became an independent republic in 1944; Germany surrendered in May 1945. In 1948, the Faroe Islands gained home rule . In 1949, Denmark became a founding member of NATO . Denmark was a founding member of European Free Trade Association (EFTA). During the 1960s, the EFTA countries were often referred to as the Outer Seven , as opposed to
4332-740: The Inner Six of what was then the European Economic Community (EEC). In 1973, along with Britain and Ireland, Denmark joined the European Economic Community (now the European Union ) after a public referendum . The Maastricht Treaty , which involved further European integration, was rejected by the Danish people in 1992; it was only accepted after a second referendum in 1993, which provided for four opt-outs from policies. The Danes rejected
4446-695: The Jelling stones , the Danes were Christianised around 965 by Harald Bluetooth , the son of Gorm and Thyra . It is believed that Denmark became Christian for political reasons so as not to get invaded by the Holy Roman Empire . A rising Christian power in Europe, the Holy Roman Empire was an important trading partner for the Danes. As a deterrent against this threat, Harald built six fortresses around Denmark called Trelleborg and built
4560-463: The Jutland peninsula and an archipelago of 406 islands . Of these, the largest island is Zealand , on which the capital Copenhagen is situated, followed by the North Jutlandic Island , Funen , and Lolland . The island of Bornholm is located some 150 km east of the rest of the country, in the Baltic Sea . Many of the larger islands are connected by bridges; a bridge-tunnel across
4674-655: The North Atlantic Ocean : the Faroe Islands and Greenland . They have been integrated parts of the Danish Realm since the 18th century; however, due to their separate historical and cultural identities, these parts of the Realm have extensive political powers and have assumed legislative and administrative responsibility in a substantial number of fields. Home rule was granted to the Faroe Islands in 1948 and to Greenland in 1979, each having previously had
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4788-730: The Pre-Roman Iron Age (500 BC – AD 1), native groups began migrating south, and the first tribal Danes came to the country between the Pre-Roman and the Germanic Iron Age , in the Roman Iron Age (AD 1–400). The Roman provinces maintained trade routes and relations with native tribes in Denmark, and Roman coins have been found in Denmark. Evidence of strong Celtic cultural influence dates from this period in Denmark and much of North-West Europe and
4902-545: The Schleswig-Holstein Question : who should control the Duchies of Schleswig , Holstein and Lauenburg , which at the time were ruled by the king of Denmark in a personal union . Ultimately, the Danish side proved victorious with the diplomatic support of the great powers, especially Britain and Russia, since the duchies were close to an important Baltic seaway connecting both powers. The population
5016-797: The United Kingdom and joined the League of Armed Neutrality with Russia , Sweden, and Prussia . British fears that Denmark-Norway would ally with France led to two attacks against Danish targets in Copenhagen in 1801 and 1807 . These attacks resulted in the British capturing most of the Dano-Norwegian navy and led to the outbreak of the Gunboat War . British control of the waterways between Denmark and Norway proved disastrous to
5130-595: The Øresund connects Zealand with Sweden; the Great Belt Fixed Link connects Funen with Zealand; and the Little Belt Bridge connects Jutland with Funen. Ferries or small aircraft connect to the smaller islands. The four cities with populations over 100,000 are the capital Copenhagen on Zealand; Aarhus and Aalborg in Jutland; and Odense on Funen. The metropolitan part occupies
5244-553: The 19th century, Denmark introduced social and labour-market reforms in the early 20th century, forming the basis for the present welfare state model and advanced mixed economy . Denmark remained neutral during World War I ; Danish neutrality was violated in World War II by a rapid German invasion in April 1940. During occupation, a resistance movement emerged in 1943, while Iceland declared independence in 1944; Denmark
5358-711: The 8th to the 10th century the wider Scandinavian region was the source of Vikings . They colonised, raided, and traded in all parts of Europe. The Danish Vikings were most active in the eastern and southern British Isles and Western Europe . They settled in parts of England (known as the Danelaw ) under King Sweyn Forkbeard in 1013, and in France where Danes and Norwegians were allowed to settle in what would become Normandy in exchange of allegiance to Robert I of France with Rollo as first ruler. Some Anglo-Saxon pence of this period have been found in Denmark. Denmark
5472-605: The Danes, and Nicholas I of Russia , speaking with authority as head of the senior Gottorp line, pointed out to Frederick William IV of Prussia the risks of a collision. The British government threatened to send the Royal Navy to assist in preserving the status quo, though this threat did not ultimately materialise. It was Russian diplomatic intervention that decided the outcome of the war in April 1848. The Russian ambassador in Berlin, Baron Peter von Meyendorff , delivered
5586-452: The Danes, one of the ethnic groups from whom modern Danes are descended. The Danevirke defence structures were built in phases from the 3rd century forward and the sheer size of the construction efforts in AD 737 are attributed to the emergence of a Danish king. A new runic alphabet was first used around the same time and Ribe , the oldest town of Denmark, was founded about AD 700. From
5700-568: The Danes: The Danes rejected this proposal outright and negotiations were broken off. Prussia was now confronted on the one side by German nationalists urging it to action, on the other side by the European powers threatening dire consequences should it persist. After painful hesitation, Frederick William chose what seemed the lesser of two evils, and, on 26 August, Prussia signed a convention at Malmö which yielded to practically all
5814-442: The Danish demands. The Holstein estates appealed to the German National Assembly, which hotly took up their cause, but it was soon clear that the German Central Government had no means of enforcing its views. In the end the convention was ratified at Frankfurt. The convention was essentially nothing more than a truce establishing a temporary modus vivendi . The main issues, left unsettled, continued to be hotly debated. In October, at
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#17327726640895928-462: The Danish government refused further co-operation and its navy scuttled most of its ships and sent many of its officers to Sweden, which was neutral. The Danish resistance performed a rescue operation that managed to evacuate several thousand Jews and their families to safety in Sweden before the Germans could send them to death camps. Some Danes supported Nazism by joining the Danish Nazi Party or volunteering to fight with Germany as part of
6042-499: The Danish straits, Radowitz advised the king to limit the war to the two duchies and not allow Prussian troops to enter Jutland, which he predicted would lead to "unforeseeable consequences" as it was likely that Russia would intervene. The Prussian Foreign Minister Heinrich Alexander von Arnim supported war, believing that Prussia could occupy the two duchies within eight days, leaving Britain and Russia no time to react. Both Russia and Britain were opposed to Denmark losing control of
6156-405: The Danish straits, but were otherwise supportive of Prussia. Palmerston supported a stronger Prussia and even a Germany unified under Prussian leadership as a way of weakening France. King Fredrich Wilhelm's sister was married to the Emperor Nicholas I, and the Prussian king believed that his brother-in-law could be persuaded to accept Prussia seizing control of the two duchies. Furthermore, Nicolas
6270-466: The Danish straits. Nicholas also believed that if Denmark were defeated even without being annexed, it might lead to the Danes joining a Scandinavian Union that would pose a potential threat to the ability of the Baltic fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy to leave the Baltic. France, the European power most opposed to German unification, was due to the revolution of 1848 unable to take a strong stand on German affairs. The Austrian empire, Prussia's rival for
6384-408: The Danish throne, and Greenland becoming an integral part of Denmark. The centre-left Social Democrats led a string of coalition governments for most of the second half of the 20th century, introducing the Nordic welfare model . The Liberal Party and the Conservative People's Party have also led centre-right governments. Located in Northern Europe , Denmark consists of the northern part of
6498-437: The Faroe Islands. The Folketing is also responsible for adopting the state's budgets , approving the state's accounts, appointing and exercising control of the Government, and taking part in international co-operation. Bills may be initiated by the Government or by members of parliament . All bills passed must be presented before the Council of State to receive Royal Assent within thirty days in order to become law. Denmark
6612-451: The German army, to withdraw his troops from the duchies; but the general refused, asserting that he followed order from the new German Central Government and not of the King of Prussia. Wrangel proposed that, at the very least, any treaty concluded should be presented for ratification to the German National Assembly. Furthermore, on 7 August 1848, Archduke John, as head of the Provisional Central Power , published three additional demands upon
6726-403: The King of Denmark. For this purpose, the line of succession to the duchies was modified, because Frederick VII of Denmark remained childless and hence a change in dynasty was in order. (The originally conflicting protocols of succession between the duchies and Denmark would have stipulated that, contrary to the treaty, the duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg would have had heads of state other than
6840-401: The King of Denmark.) Further, it was affirmed that the duchies were to remain as independent entities, and that Schleswig would have no greater constitutional affinity to Denmark than Holstein. This settlement did not resolve the issue, as the German Diet had steadfastly refused to recognize the treaty, and asserted that the law of 1650 was still in force, by which the Duchies were not united to
6954-406: The Nordic colonies, Denmark continued to rule over Danish India from 1620 to 1869, the Danish Gold Coast (Ghana) from 1658 to 1850, and the Danish West Indies from 1671 to 1917. A nascent Danish liberal and national movement gained momentum in the 1830s; after the European Revolutions of 1848 , Denmark peacefully became a constitutional monarchy on 5 June 1849. A new constitution established
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#17327726640897068-400: The Prussian state from many of those liberals who were opposed to it. In addition, the chaos of the revolution of 1848 was felt to offer a unique opportunity to create a greater Prussia by seizing territory, all the more as France was unable to act. However, the king and his advisers were not prepared to risk a general European war over the Schleswig-Holstein question. Joseph von Radowitz ,
7182-437: The Rhine frontier for France in return for his aid in establishing German sea-power by the ceding of the duchies, was abhorrent to Frederick William. The Protocol affirmed the integrity of the Danish federation as a "European necessity and standing principle". Accordingly, the duchies of Schleswig (a Danish fief), and Holstein and Lauenburg (sovereign states within the German Confederation ) were joined by personal union with
7296-402: The accusative. The earliest archaeological finds in Denmark date back to the Eem interglacial period from 130,000 to 110,000 BC . Denmark has been inhabited since around 12,500 BC and agriculture has been evident since 3900 BC. The Nordic Bronze Age (1800–600 BC) in Denmark was marked by burial mounds , which left an abundance of findings including lurs and the Sun Chariot . During
7410-473: The advice of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), having quota decision-making powers. Denmark is ranked 10th in Environmental Performance Index for year 2024. This Index combines various indicators around known issues around the world and measures how good they fit in among each countries on a scale. Denmark scores good in parameters like Agriculture, Climate Change Mitigation, Forests' Net Change In Tree Cover etc. Politics in Denmark operate under
7524-438: The ascendency in German affairs, was paralyzed as revolts had broken out against the House of Habsburg in Prague, Milan, Buda, Krakow, and in Vienna itself. In Berlin, the foreign policy decision-making was described as "chaotic" with the weak and indecisive King Fredrich Wilhelm IV receiving conflicting advice from rival groups of advisers about what to do. However, in the aftermath of the revolution of 1848, which had damaged
7638-450: The basis for a large fishing industry . Denmark stopped issuing new licences for oil and gas extraction in December 2020. Land and water pollution are two of Denmark's most significant environmental issues , although much of the country's household and industrial waste is now increasingly filtered and sometimes recycled. The country has historically taken a progressive stance on environmental preservation ; in 1971 Denmark established
7752-479: The basis seemed meaningless and the proposed settlement would settle nothing. Nicholas I, openly disgusted with Frederick William's submission to the Frankfurt Parliament, again intervened. To him Duke Christian of Augustenborg was a rebel. Russia had guaranteed Schleswig to the Danish crown by the 1773 Treaty of Tsarskoye Selo . As for Holstein, if the King of Denmark could not deal with the rebels there, he himself would intervene as he had done in Hungary. The threat
7866-503: The cities, and Danish agriculture became centred on the export of dairy and meat products. Denmark maintained its neutral stance during World War I . After the defeat of Germany, the Versailles powers offered to return the region of Schleswig-Holstein to Denmark. Fearing German irredentism , Denmark refused to consider the return of the area without a plebiscite ; the two Schleswig Plebiscites took place on 10 February and 14 March 1920, respectively. On 10 July 1920, Northern Schleswig
7980-440: The city, and Krohn, fearing he would be surrounded, ordered his forces to withdraw. The Danes were able to reach the Schleswig-Holsteiners before they were able to retreat, and the subsequent Battle of Bov on 9 April was a Danish victory. At the battle, the Prince of Noer, senior commander of the Schleswig-Holstein forces, did not arrive until two hours after fighting had started, and the Schleswig-Holsteiners were more prepared for
8094-466: The coastline is sandy, with large dunes in northern Jutland. Although once extensively forested, today Denmark largely consists of arable land . It is drained by a dozen or so rivers , and the most significant include the Gudenå , Odense , Skjern , Suså and Vidå —a river that flows along its southern border with Germany. The country has 1008 lakes, 16 have an area of more than 500 hectares (1,200 acres). Lake Arresø , located northwest of Copenhagen,
8208-474: The country and, in total, 12.9% of the land is now forested. Norway spruce is the most widespread tree (2017); an important tree in the Christmas tree production . Denmark holds a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 0.5/10, ranking it 171st globally out of 172 countries—behind only San Marino . Roe deer occupy the countryside in growing numbers, and large-antlered red deer can be found in
8322-411: The country was able to implement effective climate protection policies. In 2020, Denmark was placed first in the index again. In 2021 Denmark, with Costa Rica, launched the "Beyond Oil and Gas alliance" for stopping use fossil fuels. Denmark's territories, Greenland and the Faroe Islands , catch approximately 650 whales per year. Greenland's quotas for the catch of whales are determined according to
8436-547: The decades prior to the wars, and writers such as Jacob Grimm (1785–1863) and the Norwegian Peter Andreas Munch (1810–1863) argued that the entire peninsula of Jutland had been populated by Germans before the arrival of the Danes and that therefore Germans could justifiably reclaim it. Jens Jacob Asmussen Worsaae (1821–1885), an archaeologist who had excavated parts of the Danevirke , countered
8550-491: The duchies of Holstein and Saxe-Lauenburg within the German Confederation . The majority of the ethnic Germans in Denmark lived in these areas. Germans made up a third of the country's population, and the three duchies accounted for half of Denmark's economy. The Napoleonic Wars , which had ended in 1815, had fanned both Danish and German nationalism . Pan-German ideology had become highly influential in
8664-594: The ensuing peace settlement , Denmark managed to maintain its independence and regain control of Trøndelag and Bornholm. Attaining great popularity following the war, Frederick III used this to disband the elective monarchy in favour of absolute monarchy , which lasted until 1848 in Denmark. Denmark tried but failed to regain control of Scania in the Scanian War (1675–1679). After the Great Northern War (1700–21), Denmark managed to regain control of
8778-643: The euro as the national currency in a referendum in 2000 . Greenland gained home rule in 1979 and was awarded self-determination in 2009. Neither the Faroe Islands nor Greenland are members of the European Union, the Faroese having declined membership of the EEC in 1973 and Greenland in 1986, in both cases because of fisheries policies. Constitutional change in 1953 led to a single-chamber parliament elected by proportional representation, female accession to
8892-540: The executive branch, the Cabinet is responsible for proposing bills and a budget, executing the laws, and guiding the foreign and internal policies of Denmark. The position of prime minister belongs to the person most likely to command the confidence of a majority in the Folketing; this is often the current leader of the largest political party or, more effectively, through a coalition of parties . A single party generally does not have sufficient political power in terms of
9006-543: The formal appointment and dismissal of the Prime Minister and other Government ministers. The Monarch is not answerable for his or her actions, and their person is sacrosanct . Hereditary monarch King Frederik X has been head of state since 14 January 2024. The Danish parliament is unicameral and called the Folketing ( Danish : Folketinget ). It is the legislature of the Kingdom of Denmark, passing acts that apply in Denmark and, variably, Greenland and
9120-476: The fortress of Rendsburg in Schleswig-Holstein. The fortress contained the main armoury of the duchies, the 14th, 15th, and 16th Infantry Battalions, the 2nd Regiment of Artillery, as well as some military engineers . When Noer's force arrived, they found that the gates to the fortress had been left open for an unknown reason and promptly walked in, surprising the would-be defenders. After delivering
9234-493: The island of Bornholm . Charles X Gustav quickly regretted not having ruined Denmark and in August 1658, he launched a second attack on Denmark , conquered most of the Danish islands, and began a two-year-long siege of Copenhagen . King Frederick III actively led the defence of the city, rallying its citizens to take up arms, and repelled the Swedish attacks . The siege ended following the death of Charles X Gustav in 1660. In
9348-400: The king's most trusted adviser, wrote in his diary: "The present political-military crisis cannot drag on, it must come to a rapid conclusion". Radowitz was prepared to support a war provided it would be brought to a victorious conclusion swiftly, which would allow Prussia to present the other European powers with a fait accompli. Knowing of the intense Russian opposition to Prussia controlling
9462-697: The latter being deeply involved in the Second Northern War (1655–1660), and marched on Bremen-Verden . This led to a massive Danish defeat as the armies of King Charles X Gustav of Sweden conquered Jutland and, following the Swedish March across the frozen Danish straits , occupied Funen and much of Zealand before signing the Peace of Roskilde in February 1658, which gave Sweden control of Scania, Blekinge , Bohuslän , Trøndelag , and
9576-463: The latter two now form the state of Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany. In 1397, Denmark entered into a personal union known as the Kalmar Union with Norway and Sweden , united under Queen Margaret I . The three countries were to be treated as equals in the union. However, even from the start, Margaret may not have been so idealistic—treating Denmark as the clear "senior" partner of
9690-557: The name "Denmark", the relationship between "Danes" and "Denmark", and the emergence of Denmark as a unified kingdom are topics of continuous scholarly debate. This is centred primarily on the morpheme "Dan" and whether it refers to the Dani or a historical person Dan and the exact meaning of the - "mark" ending. Most etymological dictionaries and handbooks derive "Dan" from a word meaning "flat land", related to German Tenne "threshing floor", English den "cave". The element mark
9804-471: The necessity to come to the assistance with strong measures of another state whose downfall Russia cannot regard with indifference and will not tolerate. It cannot come to pass that Denmark is absorbed into Germany; of this you can be certain." Nicholas ordered Russia to mobilise, sent a squadron of the Russian Baltic fleet to Danish waters as a show of support, and politely told his brother-in-law he
9918-502: The north and east, extending the coast. A circle enclosing the same area as Denmark would be 234 kilometres (145 miles) in diameter with a circumference of 736 km (457 mi) (land area only: 232.33 km (144.36 mi) and 730 km (454 mi) respectively). It shares a border of 68 kilometres (42 mi) with Germany to the south and is otherwise surrounded by 8,750 km (5,437 mi) of tidal shoreline (including small bays and inlets ). No location in Denmark
10032-530: The number of seats to form a cabinet on its own; Denmark has often been ruled by coalition governments , themselves usually minority governments dependent on non-government parties. Following the 2022 Danish general election in November 2022, incumbent prime minister and Social Democratic leader Mette Frederiksen in December 2022 formed the current Frederiksen II Cabinet , a coalition government with
10146-463: The parts of Schleswig and Holstein ruled by the house of Holstein-Gottorp in the 1720 Treaty of Frederiksborg and the 1773 Treaty of Tsarskoye Selo , respectively. Denmark prospered greatly in the last decades of the 18th century due to its neutral status allowing it to trade with both sides in the many contemporary wars. In the Napoleonic Wars , Denmark traded with both France and
10260-501: The point, the empress of Russia wrote to her brother, King Fredrich Wilhelm, saying: "It is your troops who have grabbed the weak Denmark with their superior force. The war can be expanded widely if you pursue it. Stop! There is still time! Think about the difficulties Germany has to battle in order to bring about inner security, the dangers which threaten in the West. Do not force upon the Tsar
10374-429: The powers of the prime minister to ask the monarch to call for an election before the term has elapsed. On a vote of no confidence , the Folketing may force a single minister or an entire government to resign. The Government of Denmark operates as a cabinet government , where executive authority is exercised—formally, on behalf of the monarch—by the prime minister and other cabinet ministers , who head ministries . As
10488-525: The prestige of the House of Hohenzollern as fighting had broken out in the streets of Berlin, it was felt essential to take a bold foreign policy step which would restore the prestige of the Prussian state. The king and his advisors were not German nationalists, but the German liberals opposed to the absolutist Prussian monarchy were. The king's advisors believed that a German nationalist war would win support for
10602-565: The pro-German claims, writing pamphlets which argued that there was no way of knowing the language of the earliest inhabitants of Danish territory, that Germans had more solid historical claims to large parts of France and England, and that Slavs by the same reasoning could annex parts of eastern Germany. The conflicting aims of Danish and German nationalists contributed to the outbreak of the First Schleswig War. Danish nationalists believed that Schleswig, but not Holstein, should be
10716-574: The rebels as a federal war (Bundeskrieg) according to its statutes. This was continued by the German Central Government (of the federal state that replaced the Confederation in 1848/49-51 ), with most of the German troops being provided by Prussia. The war was interrupted in August 1848 by the armistice of Malmö, but started again with a Danish offensive in February 1849. In summer 1850, Prussia had to back down and leave
10830-470: The rebels to their fate. On 1 April 1851, the Schleswig-Holstein army was disbanded. The London Protocol of 1852 was the final settlement of the conflict with the great powers confirming the Danish king to be the duke of the duchies but also declaring that the duchies had to remain independent from Denmark proper. At the beginning of 1848, Denmark included the Duchy of Schleswig , and the king of Denmark ruled
10944-577: The south-eastern territories of Kent , the Isle of Wight and other areas, where they settled. They were later absorbed or ethnically cleansed by the invading Angles and Saxons , who formed the Anglo-Saxons . The remaining Jutish population in Jutland assimilated in with the settling Danes . A short note about the Dani in Getica by the historian Jordanes is believed to be an early mention of
11058-481: The southernmost is Gedser point (the southern tip of Falster ) at 54° 33' 35" northern latitude; the westernmost point is Blåvandshuk at 8° 4' 22" eastern longitude; and the easternmost point is Østerskær at 15° 11' 55" eastern longitude. This is in the small Ertholmene archipelago 18 kilometres (11 mi) north-east of Bornholm. The distance from east to west is 452 kilometres (281 mi), from north to south 368 kilometres (229 mi). The metropolitan part
11172-476: The sparse woodlands of Jutland. Denmark is also home to smaller mammals, such as polecats , hares and hedgehogs . Approximately 400 bird species inhabit Denmark and about 160 of those breed in the country. Large marine mammals include healthy populations of Harbour porpoise , growing numbers of pinnipeds and occasional visits of large whales, including blue whales and orcas . Cod , herring and plaice are abundant culinary fish in Danish waters and form
11286-584: The status of counties . First Schleswig War [REDACTED] German Confederation [REDACTED] Denmark The First Schleswig War ( German : Schleswig-Holsteinischer Krieg ), also known as the Schleswig-Holstein Uprising ( German : Schleswig-Holsteinische Erhebung ) and the Three Years' War ( Danish : Treårskrigen ), was a military conflict in southern Denmark and northern Germany rooted in
11400-527: The surnames Andersen, Andreasen, Andreassen and Andresen in Denmark and Norway (2009): Denmark – in Europe (light green & dark grey) – in the European Union (light green) Denmark is a Nordic country in the south-central portion of Northern Europe with a population of nearly 6 million; 770,000 live in Copenhagen (1.9 million in the capital region). It
11514-489: The union's economy and in 1813 Denmark–Norway went bankrupt. The union was dissolved by the Treaty of Kiel in 1814; the Danish monarchy "irrevocably and forever" renounced claims to the Kingdom of Norway in favour of the Swedish king. Denmark kept the possessions of Iceland (which retained the Danish monarchy until 1944), the Faroe Islands and Greenland , all of which had been governed by Norway for centuries. Apart from
11628-532: The union. Thus, much of the next 125 years of Scandinavian history revolves around this union, with Sweden breaking off and being re-conquered repeatedly. The issue was for practical purposes resolved on 17 June 1523, as Swedish King Gustav Vasa conquered the city of Stockholm . The Protestant Reformation spread to Scandinavia in the 1530s, and following the Count's Feud civil war, Denmark converted to Lutheranism in 1536. Later that year, Denmark entered into
11742-478: The until then leading opposition party Venstre and the recently founded Moderate party . Denmark has a civil law system with some references to Germanic law . Denmark resembles Norway and Sweden in never having developed a case-law like that of England and the United States nor comprehensive codes like those of France and Germany. Much of its law is customary . The judicial system of Denmark
11856-420: The war was the legally questionable change to the rules of ducal succession in the duchies. King Christian VIII of Denmark died in January 1848. His only legitimate son, the future Frederick VII , seemed unable to beget heirs. Thus the duchies appeared likely to pass to the rule of the House of Oldenburg , which might have resulted in a division of Denmark. Accordingly, Christian VIII had decreed (8 July 1846)
11970-545: The withdrawal they had intended to make than for an engagement. A timeline of events is shown thus: The Germans embarked on this course of participation in the First Schleswig War alone, without assistance from other European powers, who were united in opposing any dismemberment of Denmark, with even the Austrians refusing to assist the Germans. Sweden landed 7,000 troops on the island of Fyn opposite Jutland to assist
12084-407: Was liberated after the end of the war in May 1945. In 1973, Denmark, together with Greenland but not the Faroe Islands , became a member of what is now the European Union , but negotiated certain opt-outs , such as retaining its own currency, the krone . Denmark is a developed country with a high standard of living , and was the first country to legally recognise same-sex partnerships . It
12198-423: Was established in the Faroe Islands in 1948. Greenland obtained home rule in 1979 and further autonomy in 2009. The unified Kingdom of Denmark emerged in the 8th century AD as a maritime power amid the struggle for control of the Baltic Sea . In 1397, it formed the Kalmar Union with Norway and Sweden. This union persisted until Sweden's secession in 1523. The remaining Kingdom of Denmark–Norway endured
12312-483: Was largely consolidated by the late 8th century and its rulers are consistently referred to in Frankish sources as kings ( reges ). Under the reign of Gudfred in 804 the Danish kingdom may have included all the lands of Jutland, Scania and the Danish islands, excluding Bornholm. The extant Danish monarchy traces its roots back to Gorm the Old , who established his reign in the early 10th century. As attested by
12426-529: Was majority Danish in Northern Schleswig (roughly the area returned to Denmark after World War I ), while in the rest of Schleswig and in Holstein and Lauenburg it was majority German. In March 1848, the German population of Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg rebelled, and created a provisional government and army. As Holstein and Lauenburg were member states, the German Confederation supported
12540-456: Was recovered by Denmark, thereby adding some 163,600 inhabitants and 3,984 square kilometres (1,538 sq mi). The country's first social democratic government took office in 1924. In 1939 Denmark signed a 10-year non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany but Germany invaded Denmark on 9 April 1940 and the Danish government quickly surrendered. World War II in Denmark was characterised by economic co-operation with Germany until 1943, when
12654-428: Was reinforced by the menace of the European situation. Austria and Prussia were on the verge of war (see Autumn Crisis 1850 ), and the sole hope of preventing Russia from entering such a war on the side of Austria lay in settling the Schleswig-Holstein question in a manner desirable to it. The only alternative, an alliance with the hated Napoleon Bonaparte's nephew, Louis Napoleon , who was already dreaming of acquiring
12768-566: Was seen as a sign that the military power of Sweden was on the rise while Denmark's influence in the region was declining. Swedish armies invaded Jutland in 1643 and claimed Scania in 1644. In the 1645 Treaty of Brømsebro , Denmark surrendered Halland, Gotland , the last parts of Danish Estonia, and several provinces in Norway. Seeing an opportunity to tear up the Treaty of Brømsebro, King Frederick III of Denmark , in 1657, declared war on Sweden,
12882-473: Was well known to be an intense admirer of Prussian militarism and saw Prussia as the stronger ally in the so-called informal "eastern bloc" that consisted of Russia, Prussia, and Austria. The emperor saw Prussia as the more reliable partner in opposing Polish nationalism than the Austrian empire, hence his preference for Prussia over Austria in the "eastern bloc". Nicholas had long made it known that he viewed
12996-605: Was willing to risk war over the issue. The Russian threats had the desired impact on Frederich Wilhelm who now claimed to have been misled by von Arnim into intervening in the war. The fact that Prussia had entered the war on behalf of the revolutionary forces in Schleswig-Holstein created a great number of ironies. The newly elected Frankfurt Diet tended to support the incursion into the Schleswig-Holstein War while King Frederick William did not. Indeed, Frederick William ordered Friedrich von Wrangel , commanding
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