92-458: Middelfart is a town in central Denmark , with a population of 16,528 as of January 2024. The town is the municipal seat of Middelfart Municipality on the island of Funen ( Danish : Fyn ). The name Middelfart, first recorded as "Mæthælfar" in Valdemar's Census Book in 1231, consists of the old Danish word mæthal meaning 'middle' and far meaning 'way'. This name originally referred to
184-625: 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
276-628: 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
368-600: A temperate climate . Denmark exercises hegemonic influence in the Danish Realm , devolving powers to handle internal affairs. Home rule 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
460-558: 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
552-692: 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
644-536: 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
736-527: 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
828-752: 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
920-506: A normal winter's catch would be half that or even less. In the 20th century the hunt was resumed during the two world wars. Two memorial stones now stand where the hunters landed the whales and where blubber was prepared. Middelfart is served by Middelfart railway station which is served by the passenger rail service between Copenhagen and Jutland . It is located on the Copenhagen–Fredericia/Taulov Line which connects
1012-468: 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
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#17327651364821104-607: A population of 41,544 (1 January 2024) and the Fredericia Municipality has a population of 52,485 (2024). After the devastation caused by the Thirty Years War in a largely unfortified Jutland, King Christian IV realized the necessity of building a strong fortress in Jutland, and decided that this project could be combined with his plans for building a large town in Jutland. A fortified encampment
1196-488: 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,
1288-670: 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
1380-575: 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 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
1472-420: 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
1564-522: 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
1656-457: 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
1748-462: 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
1840-495: 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
1932-482: 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;
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#17327651364822024-609: 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
2116-405: Is located close to the harbour at the end of Algade. Built in several stages, it has a Late Romanesque chancel , a tower first constructed in the 14th century and a nave with aisles from the late 15th century. The richly carved altarpiece is from 1650. Henner Friiser Hus, a half-timbered house on Brogade dating from around 1575, is now part of Middelfart Museum and contains exhibitions related to
2208-442: Is the harbour porpoise ( Phocoena phocaena ). The whale hunters linked their boats across the rather narrow Little Belt and by beating the sea with sticks and branches they directed the migrating porpoises to low water areas where they could be slaughtered. As the whale blubber was used for lamps, indoors and outdoors, the arrival of electricity made whale hunting uneconomical. In the winter of 1854–55, 1742 whales were caught, but
2300-531: 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
2392-959: Is the principal railway station of the town. It is an important railway junction where the Copenhagen-Fredericia Line , the Fredericia-Aarhus Line , and the Flensburg-Fredericia Line all meet. The station was opened in 1935 together with the opening of the Little Belt Bridge across the Little Belt . The train services are operated by the railway company DSB . It offers direct InterCity services to Copenhagen , Odense , Aarhus , Aalborg , Struer , Esbjerg , Sønderborg , Flensburg and Hamburg . The nearest airport with scheduled national and international flights
2484-399: 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 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
2576-505: 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
2668-554: 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
2760-540: The East Jutland metropolitan area with 1.2M inhabitants, and is the site of Fredericia municipality's municipal council. The town is a major barracks , home to the Royal Danish Army 's Signals Regiment ( Telegrafregimentet ), which is located at Rye's Barracks ( Ryes Kaserne ) and Bülow's Barracks ( Bülows Kaserne ). The town is one of Denmark's largest traffic hubs . Fredericia railway station
2852-587: 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 the Pre-Roman Iron Age (500 BC – AD 1), native groups began migrating south, and
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2944-585: 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 is the metropolitan part, and most populous constituent part of, the Kingdom of Denmark , a constitutionally unitary state that includes the autonomous territories of
3036-693: 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 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
3128-637: 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
3220-677: 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
3312-695: 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
3404-463: 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
3496-541: The Kalmar Union with Norway and Sweden. This union persisted until Sweden's secession in 1523. The remaining Kingdom of Denmark–Norway endured 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
3588-527: The Middle Ages the town appears to have specialized in catching harbour porpoises . In the 16th century cattle export was also significant. After the Swedish Wars in the 17th century the town suffered from losing its foreign export privileges and from competition from Fredericia on the other side of the belt, which not only had a ferry link to Strib but levied customs duties on traffic through
3680-655: 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
3772-797: 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
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3864-401: The absolute monarchy and introduced the current parliamentary system. An industrialised exporter of agricultural produce in the second half of 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
3956-711: 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 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
4048-480: The strait Snævringen ('the narrowing'), which is the narrowest part of the Little Belt , and was subsequently applied to the settlement as well. It is not known when the town was established but it certainly owes its existence to its location at the narrowest point across the Little Belt . The town was granted its first privileges at the end of the 13th century at a time when fishing played an important role in addition to its ferry link to Snoghøj in Jutland. From
4140-472: 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
4232-711: 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
4324-452: 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
4416-451: The Danish capital, Copenhagen, and the Jutland peninsula by way of the islands of Zealand and Funen . It offers direct InterCity services to Copenhagen , Odense , Aalborg , Aarhus and Esbjerg as well as regional train services to Fredericia and Odense . Gammel Havn (Old Harbour) dates from the 1830s. At the beginning of the 20th century it was extended and deepened to the east. Middelfart Church, dedicated to St Nicholas,
4508-637: 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
4600-594: 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
4692-437: 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
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#17327651364824784-455: The Little Belt. In the 18th century income from porpoise catches diminished but in the 19th century, with the establishment of its own harbour in 1836, conditions improved thanks in particular to the growing trade in agricultural products from the surrounding areas. From the mid-19th century small industries started to develop, especially the iron foundry. The rail link between Middelfart and Nyborg opened in 1865, bringing added prosperity despite
4876-406: 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
4968-473: 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
5060-450: 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
5152-411: 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 is popularly cited as the "baptismal certificate" ( dåbsattest ) of Denmark, though both use
5244-503: 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
5336-466: 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,
5428-418: 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
5520-411: 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
5612-467: 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
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#17327651364825704-475: 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
5796-485: 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
5888-403: The fact that it connected with the ferry from Strib rather than the one from Middelfart. By the beginning of the 20th century the iron foundry, with about a hundred workers, was the town's main industry. After the first Little Belt Bridge was completed in 1935 Middelfart became an important hub for traffic between Jutland and Funen. The population grew from 2,345 in 1880 to 11,056 in 1950 but in
5980-410: 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
6072-422: 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 is among other things reflected in
6164-480: 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
6256-494: The history of the town. Restoration work on the building was completed in March 2014. The Kulturøen (literally, "Culture Island") Cultural Centre contains the public library, a cinema, a restaurant, a café and the tourist office. Middelfart is home to football team Middelfart G&BK . Middelfart played host to the 1998 UCI World Cyclocross championships . Middelfart is twinned with: Denmark – in Europe (light green & dark grey) – in
6348-438: 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
6440-458: 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
6532-403: 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
6624-458: 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 is believed to mean woodland or borderland (see marches ), with probable references to
6716-525: The new Latinized name of Fredericia. Every 6 July, the town of Fredericia holds a festival to commemorate the 1849 Battle of Fredericia , fought during the First War of Schleswig , in which Danish troops won a victory over the Schleswig-Holstein rebels who were laying siege to the town. Fredericia's landmark, Landsoldaten , was unveiled on 6 July 1858. The municipality today is part of
6808-502: 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
6900-530: 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
6992-463: 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
7084-520: The plans for the fortification, also adding a flank fortification on nearby Bers Odde as suggested by Danish Marshal of the Realm Anders Bille . On 15 December 1650, the King signed the document giving the town its first privileges, and work on the new fortifications could begin. In 1651, the town was named Frederiksodde (Frederick's Point) after the king, and on 22 April 1664, it was given
7176-429: 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
7268-468: The second half of the 20th century the rate of growth declined. In 1970 a motorway bridge to Jutland was opened and in 2007 Middelfart became the seat of an expanded municipality, which included the former communes of Ejby and Nørre Aaby . Middelfart Municipality had a population of 37,685 in January 2014. From the Middle Ages until the end of the 19th century the local fishermen were also whale hunters in winter. The only whale common in Danish waters
7360-577: 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
7452-481: 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
7544-476: 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
7636-488: The status of counties . Fredericia Fredericia ( Danish pronunciation: [fʁeðəˈʁetɕæ] ) is a town located in Fredericia Municipality in the southeastern part of the Jutland peninsula in Denmark. The city is part of the Triangle Region , which includes the neighbouring cities of Kolding and Vejle . It was founded in 1650 by Frederick III , after whom it was named. The city itself has
7728-544: 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
7820-532: 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
7912-478: 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
8004-457: 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 the accusative. The earliest archaeological finds in Denmark date back to
8096-406: Was built on a point of land called Lyngs Odde, near the current location of Fredericia, with a rampart stretching to either side of the point, thus protecting the encampment from attacks. However, the fortifications were not perfect, and when Swedish Field Marshal Lennart Torstenson invaded Jutland, he was able to break through the ramparts. It was Frederick III who was finally able to complete
8188-532: 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
8280-456: 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
8372-566: 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,
8464-550: 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 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,
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