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THE UNIVERSITY OF LAHORE

KINGDOM OF DENMARK
History & Culture
Sir, REHAN TARIQ KHAN
1/1/2012

MUHAMMAD ALI SALEEM

KINGDOM OF DENMARK

KINGDOM OF DENMARK
Denmark officially the Kingdom of Denmark is a sovereign state in Northern Europe, with two additional overseas constituent countries also forming integral parts of the kingdom; the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic and Greenland in North America. Denmark proper is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, located southwest of Sweden, with which it is connected by the oresund Bridge, and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. The country consists of a large peninsula, Jutland, and many islands, most notably Zealand, Funen, Lolland, Falster and Bornholm, as well as hundreds of minor islands often referred to as the Danish Archipelago. The Kingdom of Denmark is a constitutional monarchy organized in the form of a parliamentary democracy, with its seat of government in the capital city of Copenhagen. The kingdom is unitary, with powers to manage internal affairs being devolved from the central government to Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Denmark proper is the hegemonial area, where judicial, executive, and legislative power reside. The Faroe Islands are defined to be a community of people within the kingdom, and the Greenlandic people are defined as a separate people with the right to self-determination. One of the results of this arrangement is that Denmark became a member of the European Union in 1973, but both Greenland and the Faroe Islands have opted to remain outside of the EU. Originally the home of the Vikings, Norse seafaring explorers who invaded and settled in many parts of Europe and Russia, Denmark emerged as a unified kingdom in the Middle Ages. Denmark's later history has particularly been influenced by its geographical location between the Northand Baltic seas. This meant that it was between Sweden and Germany and thus at the center of the mutual struggle for control of the Baltic Sea; before the digging of the Kiel Canal, water passage to the Baltic Sea was possible only through the three channels known as the Danish straits. Denmark was long in disputes with Sweden over control of Sknelandene (Scanian War) and Norway, and in disputes with the Hanseatic League over the duchies of Schleswig (a Danish fief) and Holstein (a German fief). Eventually Denmark lost the conflicts and ended up ceding first Sknelandene to Sweden and later Schleswig-Holstein to the German Empire. A founding member of the United Nations, NATO and the OECD, Denmark is also a member of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. With a highly developed mixed market economy and a large welfare state, Denmark ranks as having the world's highest level of income equality, and has the one of the world's highest per capita income. It has frequently ranked as the happiest and least corrupt country in the world. In 2011, Denmark was listed 16th on the Human Development Index (8th on the inequality-adjusted HDI), 3rd on the Democracy Index and 2nd on the Corruption Perceptions Index. The national language, Danish, is closely related to Swedish and Norwegian, with which it shares strong cultural and historical ties. Denmark, along with Sweden and Norway, is part of the cultural region known as Scandinavia and is also a member of the Nordic Council.

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KINGDOM OF DENMARK
HISTORY OF DENMARK
The Weichsel glaciation covered all of Denmark, except the western coasts of Jutland. It ended around 13,000 years ago allowing humans to move back into the previously ice-covered territories and establish permanent habitation. During the first post-glacial millennia the landscape gradually changed from tundra to light forest and a varied fauna including now extinct Megafauna appeared. Early pre-historic cultures uncovered in modern Denmark include the Maglemosian Culture (9500-6000 BCE); the Kongemose culture (6000-5200 BCE); the Erteblle culture (5300-3950 BCE); and the Funnelbeaker culture (4100-2800 BCE). The first inhabitants of this early post-glacial landscape in the so-called Boreal period, were very small and scattered populations living from hunting of reindeer and other land mammals and gathering whatever fruits the climate was able to offer. Around 8300 BC the temperature rose drastically, now with summer temperatures around 15 degrees, and the landscape changed into dense forests of aspen, birch and pine and the reindeer moved north, while aurochs and elk arrived from the south. With a continuing rise in temperature the oak, elm and hazel arrived in Denmark around 7000 BC. Now boar, red deer, and roe also began to abound.[1] With the rising temperatures sea levels also rose, so that in the Atlantic period Denmark, which had been a contiguous landmass around 11000 BC, by 4500 BC was a series of islands. Humans then shifted to a seafood based diet, which allowed the population to increase.

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KINGDOM OF DENMARK
Geography
Located in Northern Europe, Denmark consists of the peninsula of Jutland and 443 named islands (1,419 islands above 100 m in total). Of these, 72 are inhabited, with the largest being Zealand and Funen. The island of Bornholm is located east of the rest of the country, in the Baltic Sea. Many of the larger islands are connected by bridges; the Oresund Bridge connects Zealand with Sweden; the Great Belt Bridge connects Funen with Zealand; and the Little Belt Bridge connects Jutland with Funen. Ferries or small aircraft connect to the smaller islands. The largest cities with populations over 100,000 are the capital Copenhagen on Zealand; Arhus and Aalborg in Jutland; and Odense on Funen. Denmark occupies an area of 43,094 square kilometers (16,638.69 sq mi).The size of the land area of Denmark cannot be stated exactly since the ocean constantly erodes and adds material to the coastline, and because of human land reclamation projects (to counter erosion). It shares a border of 68 kilometers with Germany to the south and is otherwise surrounded by 7,314 km (4,545 mi) of tidal shoreline .No location in Denmark is further from the coast than 52 km (32 mi). On the southwest coast of Jutland, the tide is between 1 and 2 m (3.28 and 6.56 ft), and the tide line moves outward and inward on a 10 km.

Climate
Denmark has a temperate climate, characterized by mild winters, with mean temperatures in January and February of 0.0 C (32.0 F), and cool summers, with a mean temperature in August of 15.7 C (60.3 F). Denmark has an average of 121 days per year with precipitation, on average receiving a total of 712 millimeters (28 in) per year; autumn is the wettest season and spring the driest. Because of Denmark's northern location, there are large seasonal variations in daylight. 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

Environment
Denmark has historically taken a progressive stance on environmental preservation; in 1971 Denmark established a Ministry of Environment and was the first country in the world to implement an environmental law in 1973.To mitigate environmental degradation and global warming the Danish Government has signed the following international agreements: Antarctic Treaty; Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol; Endangered Species Act.

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KINGDOM OF DENMARK
Political system
The Folketing is the national parliament, the supreme legislative body of the kingdom. In theory it has the ultimate legislative authority according to the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty, it is able to legislate on any matter and not bound by decisions of its predecessors. However questions over sovereignty have been brought forward because of Denmark's entry into the European Union. Parliament consists of 175 members elected by proportional majority, plus two members each from Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Parliamentary elections are held at least every four years, but it is within the powers of the prime minister to ask the monarch to call for an election before the term has elapsed. On a vote of no confidence, the parliament may force a single minister or the entire government to resign. The prime minister is formally appointed by the monarch, on the advice of party leaders following an election or collapse of a government.

Foreign relations and military


Danish foreign policy is based on its identity as a sovereign nation in Europe. As such its primary foreign policy focus is on its relations with other nations as a sovereign independent nation. Denmark has long had good relations with other nations. It has been involved in coordinating Western assistance to the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). Following World War II, Denmark ended its two-hundred year long policy of neutrality. Denmark has been a member of NATO since its founding in 1949, and membership in NATO remains highly popular. There were several serious confrontations between the U.S. and Denmark on security policy in the so-called "footnote era" (198288), when an alternative parliamentary majority forced the government to adopt specific national positions on nuclear and arms control issues. Denmark's armed forces are known as the Danish Defense. During peacetime, the Ministry of Defense in Denmark employs around 33,000 in total. The main military branches employ almost 27,000: 15,460 in the Royal Danish Army, 5,300 in the Royal Danish Navy and 6,050 in the Royal Danish Air Force.

Economy
Denmark has a modern, prosperous and developed mixed market economy, ranking 16th in the world in terms of GDP (PPP) per capita and 5th in nominal GDP per capita. A liberalization of import tariffs in 1797 marked the end of mercantilism and further liberalization in the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century established the Danish liberal tradition in international trade that was only to be broken by the 1930s. Property rights have enjoyed strong protection. Denmark's economy stands out as one of the most free in the Index of Economic Freedom[68] and the Economic Freedom of the World. The economy has high levels of international trade and Denmark is known as a free trade advocate in the European Union. Denmark is one of the most competitive economies in the world according to World Economic Forum 2008 report, IMD and The Economist.

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KINGDOM OF DENMARK

Transport
Significant investment has been made in building road and rail links between regions in Denmark, most notably the Great Belt Fixed Link, which connects Zealand and Funen. It is now possible to drive from Frederikshavn in northern Jutland to Copenhagen on eastern Zealand without leaving the motorway. The main railway operator is DSB for passenger services and DB Schenker Rail for freight trains. The railway tracks are maintained byBanedanmark. Copenhagen has a small Metro system, the Copenhagen Metro, and the Greater Copenhagen area has an extensive electrified suburban railway network, the S-train. Denmark's national airline (together with Norway and Sweden) is Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), and Copenhagen Airport is the largest in Scandinavia. A ferry link to the Faroe Islands is maintained by Smyril Line. Other international ferry services are mainly operated by DFDS(to Norway and the UK), Scandlines (to Germany and Sweden), Stena Line (to Norway, Sweden, and Poland), Color Line (to Norway), and FjordLine (to Norway).

Technology
In the 20th century, Danes have also been innovative in several fields of the technology sector. Danish companies have been influential in the shipping industry with the design of the largest and most energy efficient container ships in the world, and Danish engineers have contributed to the design of MAN Diesel engines. In the software and electronic field, Denmark contributed to design and manufacturing of Nordic Mobile Telephones, and the now-defunct Danish company DanCall was among the first to develop GSM mobile phones.

Religion
According to official statistics from January 2011, 80.4% of the population of Denmark are members of the Church of Denmark. Lutheran church that was made the Church and state religion by the Constitution. This is down 0.6% compared to the year earlier and 1.2% down compared to two years earlier. Denmark's Muslims make up approximately 3% of the population and form the country's second largest religious community and largest minority religion.

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KINGDOM OF DENMARK
Education
The Danish education system provides access to primary school, secondary school and higher education. All college and university education in Denmark are free of charges; there are no tuition fees to enroll in courses. Students in secondary school or higher and aged 18 or above may apply for student support which provides fixed financial support, disbursed monthly. As of 2012 it is approximately 6000 DKR or $1000 pr. Month.

Currency
The krone has been the official currency of Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, since 1 January 1875. Both the ISO code "DKK" and currency sign "kr." are in common use.

Culture
Historically, Denmark, like its Scandinavian neighbors, has been one of the most socially progressive cultures in the world. For example, in 1969, Denmark was the first country to legalize pornography, and in 2012, Denmark replaced its "registered partnership" laws, which it had been the first country to introduce in 1989,with gender-neutral marriage.Modesty, punctuality but above all equality are important aspects of the Danish way of life.

Cuisine
The cuisine of Denmark, like that in the other Nordic countries as well as that of Northern Germany, consists mainly of meat and fish. This stems from the country's agricultural past, as well as its geography and climate of long, cold winters. With 145.9 kg of meat per person in 2002, Denmark is the country with the largest meat consumption of the world.

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.

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