Denmark
Climate
The Danish climate is moderated by the warm Gulf Stream and is therefore milder than surrounding Scandinavian countries. Denmark has four distinct season. The spring months, April to May, are the mildest, while the summer months of June, July and August are the hottest. Autumn, from September to November, tends to be rainy and more overcast. Winter runs from December to March and is normally cold, with frost and snow.
Temperatures
Denmark is located in the North Temperate Zone and has a mean temperature of 7.7˚C (46˚F) . Statistically, February is the coldest month (mean 0.0˚C/32˚F) and August the warmest (mean 15.7˚C/ 60˚F).
Winds
The prevailing wind is westerly, which means that the west coast of Denmark receives more rainfall than the rest of the country. The annual rain fall in Denmark averages 61 cm (24 in) of precipitation.
Sea temperatures
Denmark is surrounded by coastline and swimming in the sea is a popular pastime. The seawater temperature around Denmark, from June to August, is between 17˚C (63˚F) and 22˚C (72˚F). In August, this can rise to around 25˚C (77˚F).
Geography
An island kingdom
Denmark is made up of the mainland peninsula called Jutland and over 400 scattered islands. The largest of Denmark’s islands, Sealand, is where you’ll find the capital city, Copenhagen.
Neighbouring countries
Denmark is part of Scandinavia and shares a similar geography with the south of Sweden, to which it is attached via the Oresund Bridge, and Germany, with which it shares a land border.
Coast-to-coast
Apart from the 68km-long border (42 miles) with Germany to the south, Denmark is surrounded entirely by water. The furthest you can be from the coast at any point in Denmark is only 52km (32 miles). At its West Coast, it touches The North Sea and this coastline is dominated by long, windswept stretches of sand and dunes. The North Coast runs up into the Kattegat and Skagerrak seas and is also a dynamic coast, with some of Northern Europe’s biggest shifting sand dunes. To the east, you’ll find a more sheltered coast and the calm waters of the Baltic Sea.
Well-known islands
Around 80 of Denmark’s 407 islands are populated. Some of Denmark’s main islands include Funen, Lolland, Falster and Bornholm, which lies off the coast of Sweden. The island of Møn is famous for its towering white cliffs, the highest in Denmark.
Other territories
The Kingdom of Denmark also includes the enormous, self-governing territory of Greenland, situated near North America and the autonomous territory of the Faroe Islands.
Natural features
Total area: 43.098km²
Total length of coastline: 7.314km (4545 miles)
Highest point: 170,086m (Møllehøj)
Biggest lake: Arresø (39,5km²)
Longest river: Gudenå (158km/ 98 miles)
Land use
Agriculture: 67 %
Forest and heathland: 16 %
Cities, roads and construction: 10 %
Lake, meadow and marsh: 7 %
Biggest cities
Copenhagen (Greater metropolitan area): 1,213000 inhabitants
Aarhus: 252,000 inhabitants
Odense: 169,000 inhabitants
Aalborg: 105,000 inhabitants
Esbjerg: 71,000 inhabitants
Language
Knowing your Ås from your Æs!
The national language of Denmark is Danish, a Germanic language. Danish has three special characters that come at the end of the alphabet: Æ, Ø and Å. The letter Å can also be written as AA, and you will notice many Danish cities start with this combination, such as Aalborg and Aarhus.
Speaking English in Denmark
Danish people tend to have a very good level of English and it is easy to get around the country, even if you don’t speak Danish. You will find that Danes are happy to stop and help you in English. Foreign language films are always shown in the original version with Danish subtitles, both in cinemas and on television.
Population
Where are all the people?!
Though it doesn’t seem like it, Denmark is the most densely populated country in Northern Europe, with 128 residents per km². Only 20% of its landmass is populated and nearly 20% of the population lives in the capital, Copenhagen.
Danish age demographics
Denmark’s population of 5.5 million people is divided into the following age groups:
0 to 19-years-old: 24.4 %
20 to 59-years-old: 52.5 %
60 and above: 23 %
In 2009, life expectancy for men was 76.5 years and 80.8 years for women.
Cultural Experiences
Middle-age masterpieces
Danish churches, and in particular village churches, house an impressive wealth of visible murals and frescos. Around 1,800 of Denmark’s 2,400 churches date as far back as the Middle Ages and church frescos have been uncovered in over 600 of them so far. This is estimated to be the highest concentration of surviving church murals anywhere in the world.
Public paintings
Many murals were uncovered in the 19th and 20th centuries from under layers of lime and restored, having been hidden for centuries. They are a unique and easily accessible attraction and they’re free to admire. The oldest frescos date back to the 12th century and were painted in the Romanesque style by artists from elsewhere in Europe. The frescos painted from the 14th century onwards are Gothic, a style favoured by native Danish painters. These frescos are an extremely valuable Danish cultural and artistic resource.
Information Courtesy Of www.visitdenmark.com/denmark/tourist-frontpage
