The Country
Denmark is located in the part of Northern Europe called Scandinavia, north of Germany and south and southeast of Norway and Sweden.

The Faeroe Islands and Greenland are autonomous regions within Denmark, and are not members of the EC or EEA

Denmark is an island kingdom with an area of approximately 43,000 square kilometres. It consists of the peninsula of Jutland and 474 islands, the largest of which are Zealand, Funen, Lolland, Falster and Bornholm

Denmark has approximately 5.3 million inhabitants. Of these, 200,000 are foreign nationals, 60% of whom come from Scandinavia, the EU or North America. There is also a German minority in Southern Jutland, which makes up approximately 5% of the population

The capital is Copenhagen, which is located on the island of Zealand, and has approximately 1 million inhabitants

The official language is Danish. English classes are mandatory in basic school, and English is spoken and understood by almost everyone. Additionally, many Danes speak and understand German. Danish, Norwegian and Swedish are very much alike, and all 3 languages are understood by each of the countries populations

Characteristic features of Denmark are primarily the welfare system, which ensures equal rights and access to public services for all, and the democratic government. Denmark is also characterized by gender equality, freedom of speech, an active business life and high-quality research and development environments.

Denmark has 12 official holidays: New Years Day, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Day, Easter Monday, "Store Bededag" ("Great Day of Prayer" - the 4th Friday after Easter), Ascension Day, Whitsunday, Whit Monday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Apart from these days, many Danes are free from work on the day of Christmas Eve and on Constitution Day (June 5), and many take the day off on May 1

Denmark has freedom of worship. The official religion is Evangelical-Lutheran, which is practised in the state church

The currency is Danish kroner (DKK). Although Denmark is a member of the EC, it is not part of the Euro zone, and Danish shops are not obliged to accept payment in Euro. Shops in central Copenhagen and in tourist areas do accept Euro, however.

The climate is temperate and windy with a high degree of atmospheric humidity

June, July and August are summer months, and December, January and February are winter months. The average temperature in July is 17 degrees Celsius. In January it is 0.1 degrees Celsius

Where is Denmark? 
Link to Google Maps  

The People
The Danes are an informal people who emphasise equality, cosiness, individuality and democracy 

The Danes are a peaceful and not very assertive people. The tone is informal compared to many other countries. Friends, family and colleagues are addressed with the informal pronoun and their first name, and it is common for employees to address their boss by his or her first name. The informal tone is also encountered in the educational system, where the students address the teachers by their first names.

Discussion and argumentation are central elements of Danish upbringing, in social contexts and at home, and Danes have an underlying awareness that it is possible to be heard and to have influence. The democratic processes and structures that are central to Danish mentality are encountered in the country's many associations. The associations provide the Danes with social forums and make people more knowledgeable and aware of democratic processes.

"Hygge" is a highly important element of Danish mentality. It is difficult to translate the term "hygge", but those seeking to grasp its meaning will soon find out that it is closely associated with having a good time together and with eating and drinking.

Humour is another essential element. To many Danes, humour comes with a great deal of irony. Many foreigners have a hard time understanding the irony, but it is an important part of Danish humour and inevitable if you want to understand Danish mentality.

The textmaterial is provided by workindenmark