Introduction
From wild and woolly to sleek and civilised. The littlest and southernmost of the Scandinavian countries, Denmark offers a beguiling mix of lively cities and rural countryside. Ancient castles, ring forts, jazz festivals, the sleekest modern design you'll ever see and the people who invented Lego - who could ask for more?
Danish Vikings once took to the seas and ravaged half of Europe, but these days they've filed down their horns and forged a society that is seen as a benchmark of civilisation, with progressive policies, a commitment to free speech and a liberal social-welfare system.
Geography:
Denmark is a small country, most of it occupying the Jutland peninsula. The southern border of Jutland (Jylland) adjoins Germany, the only land connection to the European mainland. Bordered on the west by the North Sea and on the east by the Baltic Sea, Denmark is separated from one-time territories Norway and Sweden by the Skagerrak and Kattegat straits to the north. It has about 400 islands in all, only 90 of which are inhabited. The capital Copenhagen is on Zealand, the largest island, sitting east of the main land mass. Most of Denmark is a lowland of fertile farms, rolling hills, beech woods and heather-covered moors. The country hasn't a single mountain; the highest elevation, at Yding Skovh ø j in Jutland's Lake District, is a mere 173m (567ft).Enduring centuries of deforestation and overgrazing, the Danish environment has been heavily exploited. About 20% of farmland is at or near sea level, with much of it on environmentally sensitive wetlands made arable by draining the water with pumps. The landscape has been so altered that hardly any of Denmark's naturally winding streams remain intact, most having been artificially straightened. About 12% of Denmark has tree cover but primary forest is rare. The woodlands are largely deciduous with a prevalence of beech and oak trees. The largest wild species found in Denmark is the red deer, which can weigh in at 200kg. Other local critters include roe deer, fallow deer, wild hare, foxes, squirrels, hedgehogs and badgers. There are nearly 400 bird species in Denmark, of which magpies, urban pigeons, coots, geese and ducks are the most common. Denmark's largest contiguous area of woodland is Rold Skov, a 77-square-kilometre public forest that contains the country's only national park, Rebild Bakker.
Destination Facts
Capital: Copenhagen
Queen: Margrethe II
Prime Minister: Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Government: constitutional monarchy
Time zone: GMT +1
Area: 43094
Population: 5468000
People: Danish (95%), foreign nationals (5%)
Languages: widely spokenwidely spoken
Evangelical Lutheran (95%), Islam (3%), Roman Catholicism (2%)
Currency: Danish Krone (kr)
Major industries: Agricultural products, grains, meat and dairy, fish, beer, oil and gas, home electronics, furniture, chemicals, food processing, textiles, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
Major Trading Partners: Germany, Sweden, UK, Netherlands, Norway, France and Italy, USA
Daylight Saving: From last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October
Country Dialing Code: 45
Getting There
Late June, July and August are high season, with open-air concerts including the big ones such as Roskilde, street activity and basking on the beach. Other bonuses: longer opening hours at museums and other attractions, and potential savings on accommodation (some hotels drop their rates). Downsides: lots of other travellers celebrating midsummer with gusto. Mitigating factor: in late August, Danish kids are back in school - so you get the summer weather but fewer crowds. May and early June can also be delightful for a visit. The land is a rich green, accented with fields of yellow rapeseed flowers; the weather is generally warm and comfortable; and you'll beat the tourist rush. Although autumn can also be pleasant, it's not nearly as scenic, as the rural landscape has by then largely turned brown. Winter, with its cold weather and long nights, is pretty inhospitable to tourism. Many destinations close up in October and don't open again until late April.
Getting there and away
The vast majority of overseas flights to Denmark arrive at Copenhagen International Airport. A few international flights, mostly coming from other Scandinavian countries or the UK, land at small regional airports in Å rhus, Aalborg, Esbjerg and Billund. There are daily bus and rail services between Germany and Denmark's Jutland peninsula, which then wind their way east to Funen and then over a significant bridge to the island of Zealand and ultimately Copenhagen. The Ø resundsforbindelsen ( Ø resund Fixed Link), a road-rail system stretching over nearly 16km (10mi) of bridges and tunnels between Malmo in southern Sweden and Copenhagen, gives the Danish capital a land link with the rest of Scandinavia. It's possible to arrive by ferry. Boat options include the daily (high season) and weekly (berg bashing) ferries running from Germany (Kiel, Rostock, Puttgarden, Sassnitz-Mukran and the island of Sylt), Iceland (Seydisfj ö rdur), Norway (Oslo, Kristiansand, Bergen and Larvik), Sweden (Helsingborg, Gothenburg, Varberg and Malm ö ), Poland (S á winouj á cie) and the UK (Harwich). There are no departure taxes when leaving Denmark.
Getting around
Domestic air travel is quite limited. The country is compact and the increasing efficiency of the rail system keeps local air travel to a minimum. There are, however, frequent flights between Copenhagen and a few more distant corners of Denmark. Most places are serviced by regional buses, many of which are timed to connect with trains. Denmark has a good, reliable train system with reasonable fares and a frequent service. In Denmark you drive on the right-hand side of the road, seat belt use is mandatory and all drivers are required to carry a warning triangle. A web of bike paths link the country, so cycling is a practical way to get around, both within towns and beween them. Ferry networks link all of Denmark's populated islands, although the more adventurous might like to charter a yacht and mosey around at their leisure.
Visa:
Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand need a valid passport to enter Denmark, but they don't need a visa for tourist stays of less than three months. In addition, no entry visa is needed by citizens of EU and Scandinavian countries. Citizens of many African, South American, Asian and former Soviet bloc countries do require a visa. The Danish Immigration Service publishes a list of countries whose citizens require a visa at its website (www .nyidanmark.dk/en-us/coming_to_dk/visa /who_needs_visa.htm).
Weather
Denmark's temperatures are fairly similar across the country. Summers are short with temperatures around 20 ° C (70 ° F), dropping significantly at night, and flatlining quickly outside the months of June to August; by winter, temperatures hang around 0 ° C (32 ° F). Rain is fairly moderate but consistent throughout the year. Overall, if you can bear the odd seriously cold winter, it's fairly pleasant year-round.
From wild and woolly to sleek and civilised. The littlest and southernmost of the Scandinavian countries, Denmark offers a beguiling mix of lively cities and rural countryside. Ancient castles, ring forts, jazz festivals, the sleekest modern design you'll ever see and the people who invented Lego - who could ask for more?
Danish Vikings once took to the seas and ravaged half of Europe, but these days they've filed down their horns and forged a society that is seen as a benchmark of civilisation, with progressive policies, a commitment to free speech and a liberal social-welfare system.
Geography:
Denmark is a small country, most of it occupying the Jutland peninsula. The southern border of Jutland (Jylland) adjoins Germany, the only land connection to the European mainland. Bordered on the west by the North Sea and on the east by the Baltic Sea, Denmark is separated from one-time territories Norway and Sweden by the Skagerrak and Kattegat straits to the north. It has about 400 islands in all, only 90 of which are inhabited. The capital Copenhagen is on Zealand, the largest island, sitting east of the main land mass. Most of Denmark is a lowland of fertile farms, rolling hills, beech woods and heather-covered moors. The country hasn't a single mountain; the highest elevation, at Yding Skovh ø j in Jutland's Lake District, is a mere 173m (567ft).Enduring centuries of deforestation and overgrazing, the Danish environment has been heavily exploited. About 20% of farmland is at or near sea level, with much of it on environmentally sensitive wetlands made arable by draining the water with pumps. The landscape has been so altered that hardly any of Denmark's naturally winding streams remain intact, most having been artificially straightened. About 12% of Denmark has tree cover but primary forest is rare. The woodlands are largely deciduous with a prevalence of beech and oak trees. The largest wild species found in Denmark is the red deer, which can weigh in at 200kg. Other local critters include roe deer, fallow deer, wild hare, foxes, squirrels, hedgehogs and badgers. There are nearly 400 bird species in Denmark, of which magpies, urban pigeons, coots, geese and ducks are the most common. Denmark's largest contiguous area of woodland is Rold Skov, a 77-square-kilometre public forest that contains the country's only national park, Rebild Bakker.
Destination Facts
Capital: Copenhagen
Queen: Margrethe II
Prime Minister: Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Government: constitutional monarchy
Time zone: GMT +1
Area: 43094
Population: 5468000
People: Danish (95%), foreign nationals (5%)
Languages: widely spokenwidely spoken
Evangelical Lutheran (95%), Islam (3%), Roman Catholicism (2%)
Currency: Danish Krone (kr)
Major industries: Agricultural products, grains, meat and dairy, fish, beer, oil and gas, home electronics, furniture, chemicals, food processing, textiles, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
Major Trading Partners: Germany, Sweden, UK, Netherlands, Norway, France and Italy, USA
Daylight Saving: From last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October
Country Dialing Code: 45
Getting There
Late June, July and August are high season, with open-air concerts including the big ones such as Roskilde, street activity and basking on the beach. Other bonuses: longer opening hours at museums and other attractions, and potential savings on accommodation (some hotels drop their rates). Downsides: lots of other travellers celebrating midsummer with gusto. Mitigating factor: in late August, Danish kids are back in school - so you get the summer weather but fewer crowds. May and early June can also be delightful for a visit. The land is a rich green, accented with fields of yellow rapeseed flowers; the weather is generally warm and comfortable; and you'll beat the tourist rush. Although autumn can also be pleasant, it's not nearly as scenic, as the rural landscape has by then largely turned brown. Winter, with its cold weather and long nights, is pretty inhospitable to tourism. Many destinations close up in October and don't open again until late April.
Getting there and away
The vast majority of overseas flights to Denmark arrive at Copenhagen International Airport. A few international flights, mostly coming from other Scandinavian countries or the UK, land at small regional airports in Å rhus, Aalborg, Esbjerg and Billund. There are daily bus and rail services between Germany and Denmark's Jutland peninsula, which then wind their way east to Funen and then over a significant bridge to the island of Zealand and ultimately Copenhagen. The Ø resundsforbindelsen ( Ø resund Fixed Link), a road-rail system stretching over nearly 16km (10mi) of bridges and tunnels between Malmo in southern Sweden and Copenhagen, gives the Danish capital a land link with the rest of Scandinavia. It's possible to arrive by ferry. Boat options include the daily (high season) and weekly (berg bashing) ferries running from Germany (Kiel, Rostock, Puttgarden, Sassnitz-Mukran and the island of Sylt), Iceland (Seydisfj ö rdur), Norway (Oslo, Kristiansand, Bergen and Larvik), Sweden (Helsingborg, Gothenburg, Varberg and Malm ö ), Poland (S á winouj á cie) and the UK (Harwich). There are no departure taxes when leaving Denmark.
Getting around
Domestic air travel is quite limited. The country is compact and the increasing efficiency of the rail system keeps local air travel to a minimum. There are, however, frequent flights between Copenhagen and a few more distant corners of Denmark. Most places are serviced by regional buses, many of which are timed to connect with trains. Denmark has a good, reliable train system with reasonable fares and a frequent service. In Denmark you drive on the right-hand side of the road, seat belt use is mandatory and all drivers are required to carry a warning triangle. A web of bike paths link the country, so cycling is a practical way to get around, both within towns and beween them. Ferry networks link all of Denmark's populated islands, although the more adventurous might like to charter a yacht and mosey around at their leisure.
Visa:
Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand need a valid passport to enter Denmark, but they don't need a visa for tourist stays of less than three months. In addition, no entry visa is needed by citizens of EU and Scandinavian countries. Citizens of many African, South American, Asian and former Soviet bloc countries do require a visa. The Danish Immigration Service publishes a list of countries whose citizens require a visa at its website (www .nyidanmark.dk/en-us/coming_to_dk/visa /who_needs_visa.htm).
Weather
Denmark's temperatures are fairly similar across the country. Summers are short with temperatures around 20 ° C (70 ° F), dropping significantly at night, and flatlining quickly outside the months of June to August; by winter, temperatures hang around 0 ° C (32 ° F). Rain is fairly moderate but consistent throughout the year. Overall, if you can bear the odd seriously cold winter, it's fairly pleasant year-round.
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