Resources from Pearl Linguistics

DANISH Facts & Figures

Size: 16,641 square miles

Population: 5,564,219

Capital: Copenhagen

Currency: Danish Krone

Weather / Climate:

The climate is in the temperate zone. The winters are not particularly cold, with mean temperatures in January and February of 0.0 °C, and the summers are cool, with a mean temperature in August of 15.7 °C. Denmark has an average of 121 days per year with precipitation, on average receiving a total of 712 mm per year; autumn is the wettest season and spring the driest.

Because of Denmark's northern location, the length of the day with sunlight varies greatly. There are short days during the winter with sunrise coming around 8:45 am and sunset 3:45 pm, as well as long summer days with sunrise at 4:30 am and sunset at 10 pm Christmas (Danish: jul), is celebrated on Christmas Eve, 24 December. The celebration for the longest day is known in Denmark as St. Hans Aften (St. John's evening). Celebrations of Midsummer have taken place since pre-Christian times.

Taken from:www.wikipedia.com

DANISH languages

The Kingdom of Denmark has only one official language, Danish, the national language of the Danish people, but there are several minority languages spoken through the territory. These include German, Faroese, and Greenlandic. A large majority of Danes also speak English as a second language.

Official minority languages

German

German is an official minority language in South Jutland County (in Region of Southern Denmark), which was part of Imperial Germany prior the Treaty of Versailles. Between 15,000 and 20,000 Ethnic Germans live in South Jutland, of whom roughly 8,000 use either the standard German or the Schleswigsch variety of Low Saxon in daily communications. Schleswigisch is highly divergent from Standard German and can be quite difficult to understand by Standard German speakers. Outside of South Jutland, the members of St. Peter's Church in Copenhagen use German in their Church, its website, and the school that it runs.[1]

Faroese

Faroese, a North Germanic language like Danish, is the primary language of the Faroe Islands, a self-governing territory of the Kingdom. It is also spoken by some Faroese immigrants to mainland Denmark. Faroese is similar to Icelandic, and also the Old Norse language spoken in the scandinavian area more than a millennium ago.

Greenlandic

Greenlandic is the main language of the 54,000 Inuit living in Greenland, which is, like the Faroes, a self-governing territory of Denmark. Roughly 7,000 people speak Greenlandic on the Danish mainland.

Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Denmark

DANISH culture

The Kingdom of Denmark has, despite its relatively small size, often punched above its weight internationally. Vikings raiding from Denmark and the other Nordic nations changed the course of 9th- and 10th-century European history; in the Middle Ages, the Union of Kalmar united all of Scandinavia under Danish leadership. In recent times, Denmark has been known for its modern economy and extensive welfare system, while enjoying an often difficult relationship with the European Union. Greenland and the Faroe Islands are self-governing territories of Denmark.

A successful series of raids on England in the 11th century led to the creation of an Anglo-Danish kingdom. Among its rulers was Canute (Knud), later famous for his confrontation with the sea. Denmark's power reached its zenith in the early 13th century, by which time Canute's successors had taken control of Scandinavia, parts of modern-day Germany, and Estonia. This empire rapidly disintegrated over the next 50 years, although Denmark, Norway and Sweden were reunited in the 14th century through blood ties between the various ruling families.

In 1848, amid political upheaval across Europe, the Danes introduced a new constitution, abolishing absolute monarchy and establishing the country's first constituent assembly. Denmark suffered its final territorial defeat, when the province of Schleswig-Holstein was recovered by Germany at the 1864 Treaty of Vienna.

Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany during most of World War II. In the post-war era, Denmark joined NATO, while at home a new constitution, introduced in 1953, imposed a system of proportional representation, which has made coalition administrations a standard feature of Danish politics.

The Social Democrats led a string of coalition governments for most of the second half of the last century in a country generally known for its liberal traditions. Poul Schluter then became the first-ever Danish prime minister representing the Conservative People's Party in 1982, leading a centre-right coalition until 1993, when he was succeeded by the Social Democrat Poul Nyrup Rasmussen. A new centre-right coalition headed by Anders Fogh Rasmussen came to power in November 2001 promising tighter immigration controls. A third successive centre-right Rasmussen, Lars Lokke, took over as prime minister in April 2009. His government, dependent as it is on the right-wing populist People's Party to push through legislation, has witnessed immigration and integration emerge as major issues of public debate. Denmark's progressive tightening of its immigration laws has led to charges that its strict rules violate European norms.

The Danes rejected the euro as the national currency in a referendum in September 2000. Analysts believe that Danish fears of loss of political independence and national sovereignty outweighed any economic arguments about the benefits of joining the eurozone. Denmark's euroscepticism put it at odds with many of its European partners seven years previously when Danish voters rejected the Maastricht Treaty which proposed monetary union and a common European defence force. Denmark had to be granted opt-outs from these provisions before the treaty was approved in 1993.

The country has won plaudits for its healthy economy. Its employment levels are the envy of many industrialised countries and it accommodates a competitive economic edge as well as a generous social security system. Danish cinema has won international recognition, not least for its willingness to experiment. Through the late 1990s and early 2000s the Dogme movement directors often used hand-held cameras to dynamic effect in a conscious reaction against high-tech, big-budget cinema.

Denmark is a secret utopia of tidy cities, picturesque countryside, efficient infrastructure and commendable public services, and is a country whose only fault is lack of winter sunshine. In terms of entertainment, museums, festivals, architecture and shopping will easily distract the most enthusiastic of visitors and for those looking to take it easy, the outdoors offer endless opportunities for country walks and seaside breaks. Ideal for family vacationers, Denmark is of course home to every kid's dream, Legoland, but there are also several highly rated interactive museums and activity centres geared to keep little ones amused. Denmark's capital Copenhagen is a remarkable city with well preserved medieval streets, renowned art galleries, Michelin starred restaurants and a healthy business centre. Finding something to do is never a problem and if all else fails, just admiring the streets with a pølsevogn (hotdog) in hand is an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

Denmarkis predominantly Evangelical Lutheran with small Roman Catholic and Muslim minorities.

Normal courtesies should be observed. Guests should refrain from drinking until the host toasts his or her health. Casual dress is suitable for most places but formal wear is required at more exclusive dining rooms and social functions. Smoking is banned on public transport and in public buildings. Smoking is only allowed in bars smaller than 40 sq metres (131 sq ft) and most restaurants and pubs have designated outdoor smoking areas.

Holidays

· 01 January – New Year's Day

· April – Maundy Thursday

· April – Easter

· May – Common Prayer Day

· May – Ascension

· 05 June – Constitution Day

· 25 December – Christmas Day

Taken from:

www.bbc.co.uk

www.worldtravelguide.net

DANISH people

The vast majority of the 5 million Danes today trace their heritage to the prehistoric (Iron Age) Germanic populations.

According to the Danish statistics institute, approximately five million people of Danish origin live in Denmark today. In this context "Danish origin" is defined as being born to parents who are Danish citizens, and the number is arrived at by subtracting from the total population (5,564,249) those who are born abroad to non-citizens who are themselves born abroad (called immigrants), and those who are born in Denmark to parents who are either immigrants or who have foreign citizenship.^[1]

Danish citizenship is granted to anyone who has one parent of Danish citizenship, whether the child is born in or outside of Denmark. Citizens of Greenland and the Faroe islands are considered Danish citizens for all purposes. Those who do not achieve Danish citizenship by birth (or by Adoption) can only receive Danish citizenship through decree of law. Danish citizenship is automatically lost if one applies for foreign citizenship or when a 22 year old child of Danish citizens has never lived in Denmark and has not formally applied for Danish citizenship.

Population:

-5,500,510 (July 2009 est.)

-country comparison to the world: 109

Age structure:

-0-14 years: 18.1% (male 511,882/female 485,782)

-15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,817,800/female 1,798,964)

-65 years and over: 16.1% (male 387,142/female 498,940) (2009 est.)

Median age:

-total: 40.5 years

-male: 39.6 years

-female: 41.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.28% (2009 est.)

-country comparison to the world: 175

Net migration rate:

-2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

-country comparison to the world: 32

Ethnic groups:

-Scandinavian

-Inuit

-Faroese

-German

-Turkish

-Iranian

-Somali

Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_of_Denmark

DANISH food

Throughout history, France had a strong influence on the culture and cuisine of Denmark. Other influences came from countries such as Greece, Italy and Spain. American culture has begun to have an influence on those who live in Denmark.

Traditional Food in Denmark

It is said that the food in Denmark is the very best in all of Scandinavia. It has ingredients that come from the cool moist climate of the north including rye, beetroot, greens, berries, barley and mushrooms.
Traditionally, a Danish breakfast might be made up of sliced cheese, buttered bread, Danish havarti cheese, coffee and strawberry jam. Occasionally, cold cuts such as rullepølse, kødpølse, and Danish salami are served. Most Danes eat cereal with milk as well.
Smørrebrød is common for lunchtime. It is dark bread with butter that has been topped with a slice of cheese, fish or meat.

Danes often enjoy roasted lamb, fried onion with liver, and beef. They also enjoy flæskesteg med rødkål, or roasted pork and red cabbage.

Popular Dishes in Denmark

Risalamande - Rice pudding eaten during Christmas night and served with a hot sauce of cherries.
Koldskål - Most often enjoyed during the summer months, this is a cold vanilla and buttermilk dish that is sweet.
Æblekage - A dessert of apples that are stewed and topped with bread crumbs and a meringue of crushed almonds.
Rødgrød med fløde - Strawberries that have been stewed and thickened with cream.
Pandekager - Very thin pancakes, much like crepes. They are rolled and served with strawberry jam and powdered sugar.
Æggekage - Much like an omelette, this is an egg cake that is made with flour to allow it to rise.
Øllebrød (beer bread) - Pudding that has been made of beer, rye bread and sugar.
Millionbøf - This is gravy that has tiny beef pieces, most often served over mashed potatoes or pasta.
Brændende kærlighed - Potatoes that are mashed with milk and cream or butter.
Rinker - Liver, kidney and heart mash that comes from pigs.

Denmark Drink

Gammel Dansk - A traditional liquor of the Danish. It is said to be the only kind of alcohol that can be enjoyed at breakfast.
Smørgåsbord Eggnog - This is a delightful liqueur much like posset. It is made of cream, sugar, beaten eggs and milk combined with whisky, rum or brandy and has nutmeg, ginger or cinnamon.
Akvavit - This is a kind of alcohol that is a lot like vodka. Distilled from grain or potato, it is commonly seasoned with many different herbs.
Mjød - This is one of the oldest recorded alcoholic drinks. It is honey with a sour aftertaste much like that or lemon rind. This drink also contains spices and herbs like cinnamon, nutmeg, fruit and cloves.

Taken from http://www.worldwidewebawards.net/Food/Denmark.html

Places to go in DENMARK

Copenhagen has excellent shopping facilities. Special purchases include Bing & Grøndal and Royal Copenhagen porcelain, Holmegård glass, Bornholm ceramics, handmade woollens from the Faroe Islands and Lego toys. Visitors from outside the EU can often claim back some of the MOMS (VAT) on goods purchased that are sent straight to their home country from the shop in Denmark. From upmarket shops with designer brands to intimate boutiques, Strøget is a car-free shopper's paradise where too much choice often leads to a badly bruised credit card.

There is a wide selection of nightlife, particularly in Copenhagen. Århus and Ålborg are also lively in the evenings. Jazz and dance clubs in the capital city are top quality and world-famous performers appear regularly. There are numerous cafés, beer gardens and speciality beer bars. Entertainment includes opera at the recently opened opera house in Copenhagen, ballet and theatre at a number of venues in the larger cities, and live music of all kinds.

Boasting stunning modern architecture, world-class restaurants and cutting edge design, Copenhagen has much to offer visitors. Canals, lakes and the sea form the backdrop to modern Copenhagen, and are a reminder of the city's heritage as a major Baltic port. Despite being the largest city in Scandinavia, Copenhagen nevertheless retains a disarmingly provincial, small-town atmosphere. Gabled houses, narrow streets and delicate spires add it its appeal.

Copenhagenis also Europe's greenest - much of the centre is reserved for pedestrians, strict anti-pollution laws are enforced and bikes often outnumber cars on the streets. Green spaces (including the world-famous Tivoli) abound, while, in the summer, locals throng to pavement cafés and restaurants.

Combine fiction and reality with an audio walk. Listeners choose a route and are guided around the city by an author. It's essentially an interactive podcast. Take in the pomp at Amalienborg Palace, the royal winter residence in the centre of Copenhagen. It is worth being there at 1200, when the daily changing of the ceremonial guard takes place.

In summer, do as the Danish royal family does and take a trip to Århus. Their summer residence is the Marselisborg Castle, whose grounds are open to the public when the Queen is not in residence. Visit the Århus Teater - the town's architectural pride and joy. Designed in art nouveau style by Hack Kampmann, it opened in 1900 and has been the venue for many critically acclaimed productions. It has five stages and its very own theatre troupe.

Contemplate how cluttered your house is after being inspired by typically sleek and minimal Danish interior design at the Dansk Design Centre.

The usually quiet harbour town of Frederikshavn lights up with artist installations for two weeks each October. Neon structures and lighting experimentation take over the small city creating a cultural buzz that transforms Frederikshavn into a 'city of light'.

Fisheries and Maritime Museum - outside Esbjerg, a strong tide often orphans seal pups. Many are rescued and taken to this museum where visitors can have a peek (and fall in love) with these irresistibly cute baby animals.

Keep the kids busy by tracing Denmark's geological history at the Geocentre Møns Klint, which opened in 2007 on Sjælland island. The centre illustrates how the modern land and seascape of the country were formed.

Take the kids to Legoland at Billund, which is open from April to October. The renowned ten-hectare (25-acre) amusement park located north of Billund features attractions and rides built from no less than 40 million plastic LEGO blocks. Shows are performed daily by the Children's Theatre, and there are also circus acts in high season. Adults and children can marvel at the detailed LEGO reconstructions of famous sights from around the world in Miniland; Duplo Land, with its chunkier bricks, is particularly popular with younger children. Other popular attractions include Pirateland and Castleland.

Relive childhood with a visit to the birthplace of the great fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen in Odense. Visitors can also have a look around the Hans Christian Andersen Museum and his childhood home. Assistens Cemetery is not just a resting place for the dead it is used by many as a park for picnicking. Residents of interest include Hans Christian Anderson and Søren Kierkegaard.

Follow in the fictional footsteps of Hamlet to Elsinore (Helsingør in Danish), where the mighty 16th-century Kronborg Castle watches over the waters of Øresund and the nearby Swedish coast. Kronborg Castle is of great historical importance playing a key role in the history of Northern Europe during the 16th to 18th centuries.

Retrace Denmark's Viking heritage at the Viking Ship Museum at Roskilde, around 30km (19 miles) from Copenhagen, featuring five ancient vessels rescued from the waters of the harbour.

Explore the largest-remaining Viking burial site at the city of Ålborg, which also counts a castle, a cathedral and a monastery among its attractions, and is the home of a well-known variety of akkevit spirit (a spiced schnapps-type drink).

Pay homage to one of the world's best-known beers at the famous Carlsberg Brewery, which is a short train ride from Copenhagen's central station, and has an extensive visitor centre telling the story of the company and its products.

Spoil yourself with a relaxing treatment from a health resort, which are widespread throughout the country. Some offer medical and physiotherapeutic treatments, others simply offer recreation in beautiful quiet surroundings.

Be daring, and go nude bathing. This is quite common at Danish seaside resorts. The only beaches where it is actually prohibited are Henne Strand and Holmsland Klit (both on Jutland's western coast).

Stop at a pølsevogn (sausage stall) to savour the nation's favourite snack, the hot dog. These can be found almost anywhere there are people, and at any time of day or night.

One of the most cycle-friendly countries in the world, exploring Denmark by bike is easy. For details, contact the Danish Cyclists' Association, Dansk Cyklist Forbund.

Denmarkhas excellent facilities for both freshwater and saltwater angling. Sea-fishing tours can be arranged with local fishermen at many Danish harbours.

Ever heard of kayak polo? Well, you soon will as it's a popular sport in Denmark and the largest facility to learn it is in Copenhagen. You need to be in good shape though, if not, opt for a kayak tour through Christianhavn's canals and the Harbour.

Denmark(whose Thomas Bjørn is one of Europe's best-known golfers) has numerous courses, many of championship standard, among them Holstebro, in the northwest, and Simon's, north of the capital.

Taken from www.worldtravelguide.net

Doing business in DENMARK

Denmark's mixed economy features above average European living standards^[69]^[70] and high amount of free trade. Denmark ranks 16th in the world in terms of GDP (PPP) per capita and ranks 5th in nominal GDP per capita.

According to World Bank Group, Denmark has the most flexible labour market in Europe; the policy is called flexicurity. It is easy to hire and fire (flexibility), and between jobs, unemployment compensation is very high (security). Denmark has a labour force of about 2.9 million. Denmark has the fourth highest ratio of tertiary degree holders in the world.^[71] GDP per hour worked was the 13th highest in 2009. Denmark has the world's lowest level of income inequality, according to the UN, and the world's highest minimum wage, according to the IMF. As of June 2010 the unemployment rate is at 6.6%, which is below the EU average of 9.6%.^[72]

Denmark is one of the most competitive economies in the world according to World Economic Forum 2008 report, IMD and The Economist.^[73] According to rankings by OECD, Denmark has the most free financial markets in EU-15 and also one of the most free product markets.

Denmark has a company tax rate of 25% and a special time limited tax regime for expatriates.^[74] The Danish taxation system is broad based, with a 25% VAT, in addition to excise taxes, income taxes and other fees. The overall tax burden (sum of all taxes, as a percentage of GDP) is estimated to be 46% in 2011.^[75]

Denmark's national currency, the krone (plural: kroner), is de facto linked to the Euro through the ERM.^[76] The exchange rate is pegged at approximately 7.46 kroner per euro. While Denmark in a September 2000 referendum rejected replacing the Danish kroner with the euro, the country in practice follows the policies set forth in the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union (EMU) and meets the economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase (the Euro) of the EMU. The majority of the political parties in the parliament are for the Euro, but as yet a new referendum has not been held, despite plans;^[77] skepticism of the EU among Danish voters has historically been strong.

Denmark is known for the Danish cooperative movement within among others farming, the food industry (Danish Crown), dairy production (Arla Foods), retailing (Brugsen), wind turbine cooperatives and co-housing associations.

Support for free trade is high – in a 2007 poll 76% responded that globalisation is a good thing.^[78] 70% of trade flows are inside the European Union. Denmark has the 9th highest export per capita in the world. Main exports include: machinery, animals and foodstuffs, chemicals and oil and gas.^[79] Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and has for a number of years had a balance of payments surplus while battling an equivalent of approximately 39% of GNP foreign debt or more than 300 billion DKK.^[80] Also of importance is the sea territory of more than 105,000 km² (40,000+ sq mi).

Denmark has ranked as the world's 11th most free economy, of 162 countries, in an index created by the Wall Street Journal and Heritage Foundation, the Index of Economic Freedom 2008. The Index has been categorised as using inappropriately weighted indicators for economic freedom, leading to wealthy and/or conservative countries with barriers to trade placing high on the list, while poor and/or socialist countries with fewer restrictions on trade place low.^[81] The Index has only a 10% statistical correlation with a standard measure of economic growth at GDP per capita.^[82] Neither does the Index account for the actions of governments to nurture business^[83] in the manner of the Japanese Zaibatsus during the late 20th century that helped lead to the Japanese economic miracle.

StatBank is the name of a large statistical database maintained by the central authority of statistics in Denmark. Online distribution of statistics has been a part of the dissemination strategy in Denmark since 1985. By this service, Denmark is a leading country in the world regarding electronic dissemination of statistics. There are about 2 million hits every year.

Taken from wikipedia