Denmark was first united in the 10th century, during the Viking period, by the king Harald Bluetooth (c. 985), who first converted the country to Christianity.
In 1397 Denmark, Sweden and Norway became a single country with one queen (called the Kalmar Union). Sweden became a separate country again in 1523. Denmark and Norway (called Denmark-Norway), stayed united, until 1814.
The Danish flag, a white cross on a red background, is the oldest state flag still in use. Versions in use date back to at least 1397.
It is illegal to burn the flag of any country in Denmark, with the exception of the Danish flag itself.
Denmark became a constitutional monarchy on June 5, 1849 when it adopted a constitution which took away powers from the King and gave rights to ordinary Danish people.
June 5 is now a holiday in Denmark, called "Constitution Day".
The first issue of Berlingske, Denmark's oldest continually operating newspaper, was published on January 3, 1749. Berlingske was founded by Denmark's Royal Book Printer Ernst Henrich Berling and originally titled Kjøbenhavnske Danske Post-Tidender, then the Berlingskes Politiske og Avertissements Tidende. Until 1903 it had an official right to publish news about the government. In 1936, the newspaper's title was shortened to Berlingske Tidende.
Johann Friedrich Struensee, the royal physician to the mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark
In 1397 Denmark, Sweden and Norway became a single country with one queen (called the Kalmar Union). Sweden became a separate country again in 1523. Denmark and Norway (called Denmark-Norway), stayed united, until 1814.
The Danish flag, a white cross on a red background, is the oldest state flag still in use. Versions in use date back to at least 1397.
It is illegal to burn the flag of any country in Denmark, with the exception of the Danish flag itself.
Denmark became a constitutional monarchy on June 5, 1849 when it adopted a constitution which took away powers from the King and gave rights to ordinary Danish people.
June 5 is now a holiday in Denmark, called "Constitution Day".
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| The National Constitutional Assembly was convened by King Frederick VII in 1848 to adopt the Constitution of Denmark |
The first issue of Berlingske, Denmark's oldest continually operating newspaper, was published on January 3, 1749. Berlingske was founded by Denmark's Royal Book Printer Ernst Henrich Berling and originally titled Kjøbenhavnske Danske Post-Tidender, then the Berlingskes Politiske og Avertissements Tidende. Until 1903 it had an official right to publish news about the government. In 1936, the newspaper's title was shortened to Berlingske Tidende.
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| Front page of Kjøbenhavnske Danske Post-Tidender (today Berlingske) in 1749 |
Johann Friedrich Struensee, the royal physician to the mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark
seized power in his country in December 1770. He managed to abolish slavery, abolish censorship of the press, and have an affair with the Queen before being ousted and executed on April 28, 1772.
Frederick VII was the last king of Denmark to rule as an absolute monarch. On June 5, 1849 he signed a constitution that established a Danish parliament and made the country a constitutional monarchy. Immediately after he gave up absolute power by signing the constitution, King Frederick VII remarked, "that was nice, now I can sleep in in the mornings."
Denmark was defeated in the 1864 Second Schleswig War when the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein was conquered by the Kingdom Prussia (now a part of Germany). The country began a policy of neutrality after the loss.
Denmark was invaded by Hitler's Germany on April 9, 1940, The Nazis stayed in the country throughout World War II.
Denmark held a general election during German occupation in 1943. In a disappointing result for the occupiers, the Danish Nazi Party won just 2.1% of the vote.
During the war, in 1943, the Danes helped over 8,000 Jews to escape from Denmark into Sweden after the Nazis tried to arrest them.
In 1969, Denmark became the first country in the world to legalize pornography.
Every Danish monarch from 1513 to 1972 was named either Frederick or Christian. In fact there was strict alteration between the two names.
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark ascended the throne on January 14, 1972 following the death of her father, King Frederik IX. She was the first female monarch of Denmark since Queen Margrethe I (1376-1412) and the first Danish monarch not named Frederick or Christian since 1513.
Denmark was defeated in the 1864 Second Schleswig War when the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein was conquered by the Kingdom Prussia (now a part of Germany). The country began a policy of neutrality after the loss.
Denmark was invaded by Hitler's Germany on April 9, 1940, The Nazis stayed in the country throughout World War II.
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| German Leichter Panzerspähwagen armored car in Jutland. By Bundesarchiv |
Denmark held a general election during German occupation in 1943. In a disappointing result for the occupiers, the Danish Nazi Party won just 2.1% of the vote.
During the war, in 1943, the Danes helped over 8,000 Jews to escape from Denmark into Sweden after the Nazis tried to arrest them.
Every Danish monarch from 1513 to 1972 was named either Frederick or Christian. In fact there was strict alteration between the two names.
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark ascended the throne on January 14, 1972 following the death of her father, King Frederik IX. She was the first female monarch of Denmark since Queen Margrethe I (1376-1412) and the first Danish monarch not named Frederick or Christian since 1513.
Queen Margrethe II abdicated the throne on January 14, 2024 having enjoyed a long and successful reign of 52 years, making her the longest-serving female monarch in Danish history.
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| Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. Photo by Johannes Jansson. Source Nordic Co-operation website (norden.org), |
In the political sense, the Kingdom of Denmark also includes the Faroe Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, and Greenland in North America. All three parts of the country have different languages and culture and their own governments.
Denmark received a week's notice to get a team ready for the 1992 soccer European Championship, to replace Yugoslavia as it was disqualified due to the Yugoslav Wars. Less than a month later, the underdogs were champions.
Denmark was named the happiest nation in the first ever World Happiness Report commissioned by the United Nations in 2012.
The average age for men to get married in Denmark is 34.8, the highest in the world.
In Denmark, approximately two-thirds of all Danes have a surname ending in –sen.
The Danish for King is Kong. The film King Kong was therefore called ‘Kong King’.
The Danish language is so full of vowel sounds and guttural swallowed consonants that even Danish children have trouble understanding it. It takes them longer to learn to speak than children from other countries and when they do they speak at a much slower rate than in other countries.
The Danish language includes three letters you won't come across in the English alphabet: Æ, Ø and Å.
Denmark was named the happiest nation in the first ever World Happiness Report commissioned by the United Nations in 2012.
The average age for men to get married in Denmark is 34.8, the highest in the world.
In Denmark, approximately two-thirds of all Danes have a surname ending in –sen.
The Danish for King is Kong. The film King Kong was therefore called ‘Kong King’.
The Danish language is so full of vowel sounds and guttural swallowed consonants that even Danish children have trouble understanding it. It takes them longer to learn to speak than children from other countries and when they do they speak at a much slower rate than in other countries.
The Danish language includes three letters you won't come across in the English alphabet: Æ, Ø and Å.
Denmark has opted to retain its own currency, the krone, and has not adopted the euro, despite being a member of the European Union (EU). Denmark negotiated an opt-out from the euro in the Maastricht Treaty, which sets out the rules for the EU, and this opt-out was reaffirmed in the Treaty of Amsterdam and the Treaty of Lisbon.
Danish pastries are called Viennese bread (Wienerbrød) in Denmark.
In Denmark, each citizen eats an average of 18 pounds of candy per year, twice as much as the average European.
There are way more pigs than humans in Denmark – the country’s human population is an estimated 5.4 million, compared to its pig population of around 24 million.
You are never more than 50km (31 miles) from the sea in Denmark
Gedser Odde on the island of Falster is Denmark's southernmost point.
Source Daily Express
Danish pastries are called Viennese bread (Wienerbrød) in Denmark.
In Denmark, each citizen eats an average of 18 pounds of candy per year, twice as much as the average European.
There are way more pigs than humans in Denmark – the country’s human population is an estimated 5.4 million, compared to its pig population of around 24 million.
You are never more than 50km (31 miles) from the sea in Denmark
Source Daily Express
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