Situated adjacent the picturesque Baltic Sea, Denmark is a modern country filled with friendly people and exciting social and economic activities.
Denmark consists of the Jutland peninsula, 406 individual islands – 78 of which are populated – plus the Faroe Islands and Greenland. A parliamentary democracy with a royal head of state looks after the interests of a population of 5.398 million people. A developed and industrialized country, Denmark practices a capitalist economy run according to the principles of economic liberalism, with private ownership of businesses and production. The state and other public authorities, however, exercise considerable regulatory control and provide comprehensive services for the citizens.
As one of the oldest states in Europe, Denmark is rich in history. United under a single kingdom in the 10th century, Denmark has been an independent country ever since. The spectacular ancient castles that dot the countryside and the literary legacy of Hans Christian Andersen help make fairytales practically synonymous with Denmark.
The standard of living in Denmark is very high, and the gap between rich and poor is much smaller than in many comparable countries. A member of the European Union, Denmark enjoys many geographical advantages, including close proximity to Germany as well as Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland. The Danish islands themselves make up the sea lane from the Baltic to the major oceans of the world and, simultaneously, serve as the trade route from the Nordic countries to central Europe.
Denmark is active and productive in agriculture and is known the world over for its eye for design and a varied industry that includes furniture, ship building, wind turbines, beer, medicines and advanced metal products.