Things to know about Denmark before you visit ⋆ Lifeguin

Interesting facts about Denmark you should know

Denmark is a Scandinavian country consisting of various islands. Many don’t know that Denmark is an archipelago of more than 400 islands. In Old Norse, the country was called Danmǫrk, but according to popular legend, the name Denmark refers to the mythological King Dan. It is a county rich in history, dating back to around 800 AD. Their story begins with the Viking Age. By 878, the Vikings had conquered northern and eastern England, and by the 11th century, King Canute (1014-35) ruled over a vast kingdom that included present-day Denmark, England, Norway, southern Sweden, and parts of Finland.

Alright, enough of the history lesson. Let’s look at some important and interesting facts to know before visiting.

Basic Facts about Denmark

Name: Denmark (Danmark)
Full Name: The Kingdom of Denmark (Kongeriget Danmark)
Capital: Copenhagen (the largest city). The second-largest city is Aarhus.
Land area: 42,933 km² (16,580 square miles)
Population: 5,831,635 (June 2022)
Official language: Danish
Currency: Danish krone

Regions: Denmark is divided into 5 regions.
- - Capital Region of Denmark, Region Zealand, Region of Southern Denmark, Central Denmark Region, Region of Northern Denmark.
Denmark’s flag: is red with a white Nordic cross, which means that the cross extends to the edges of the flag and the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side.

Denmark is among the happiest countries in the world

Although in the last survey (UN World Happiness Report) Denmark didn’t place number one, it has been named the happiest county numerous times and has remained on the top of the Happiness Report for years.

Maybe you also heard the word Hygge, which grew in popularity over the recent years. Hygge is part of why the Danes are so happy. To describe it, it is the Danish way of enjoying quality time with friends and family. It can be many things, from small family dinners to visiting a restaurant. It’s a way of living.

The Danish flag is the oldest in the world

Also known as “Dannebrog,” it remains the oldest state flag in the world, still in use by an independent nation.

Legend says Dannebrog fell from the sky at the Battle of Lyndanisse in Estonia in 1219, leading the Danish King Valdemar II to victory during his crusade to the Baltic States.

The flag was acknowledged in 1219, and it has been used since.

Denmark has the oldest amusement park in the world

Maybe this is another reason why the Danes are so happy. They had known how to have fun since 1583 when they opened the first amusement park in the world Bakken (Dyrehavsbakken).

This early park was on royal hunting grounds and was not open to the public until 1756. The park’s most famous attraction is Rutschebanen, a wooden roller coaster open since 1932.

The Bakken amusement park is still open for you to visit and enjoy a ride.

And that is not the only amusement park. They also have the second oldest one, called Tivoli Gardens.

The park was opened on August 15, 1843, by Georg Carstensen after receiving approval from King Christian VIII. and it still operates today.

Famous fairytale author, Hans Christian Andersen, was one of the park’s first guests.

Also, Tivoli Gardens became so famous worldwide that Walt Disney visited the park several times for inspiration before opening Disneyland in 1955.

Denmark consists of 444 islands, but only 76 of them are inhabited

Denmark is surrounded by the sea and made up of hundreds of small islands, and each one has its own character. If you are looking for an island getaway, Denmark is perfect. With the relaxing nature, a slower tempo, and a chance to tune out from everyday life’s hustle and bustle, you just have to find your small island. Among the popular ones are the islands of Ærø, Rømø, Bornholm, and Læsø.

Another interesting fact is that Bornholm and Samsø were voted the EU’s most sustainable islands in 2020. So if you like green living, then those are the ones you should visit.

Extra letters in the alphabet

As you might have already noticed, there are some weird letters in some Danish words. Well, it’s because the Danes made it a little bit more interesting and have three extra letters you won’t find in the English alphabet: Æ, Ø, and Å. Of the three letters, the Å is the youngest one. It was introduced as part of the spelling reform of 1948 by the Danish Ministry of Education, as a substitution for the ‘AA’.

The most famous Dane is Hans Christian Andersen

We all grew up on his fairy tales, and now they are famous thanks to Disney.

The fairytales of Hans Christian Andersen, such as ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘The Ugly Duckling’ have been translated into more than 160 languages. We read almost all of his stories, and they are simply lovely.

LEGO® brick was invented by a Dane

Yep, the world-famous LEGO comes from Denmark. More precisely, it was invented by Ole Kirk Christiansen in the town of Billund in 1949. He began making wooden toys in 1932. Two years later, he named his company LEGO after the Danish phrase leg godt (“play well”).

The company today also moves toward sustainability and has started to produce its bricks from recycled plastic bottles, among others. And they continue to become even more sustainable.

You are never far from away from the sea

Denmark is surrounded by sea. It borders both the Baltic and North seas. Denmark has been a seafaring nation even before the Vikings, and the sea always played an important role. Interestingly, you can never be further than 50 km (31 miles) from the sea. There is no such point in Denmark.

Another compelling place good to know about is Denmark’s Grenen, near the city of Skagen, right on top of Denmark. Here you can stand between two clashing seas.

The Danish pastry is not Danish

We all know it, and we all love it. The multi-layered crusty pastry known as the “Danish” became famous in Denmark, but according to history, the first bakers who made it were from Austria.

It was in the 1840s when some Austrian bakers settled in Denmark and introduced the beloved pastry. For this reason, Danish pastry is actually called “wienerbrød” or “Viennese bread” in Denmark.

The words “please” and “thank you” do not exist

When you have a conversation with a Danish person in English, you might notice that they don’t say “please” or “thank you.” Note that this is not because they are being rude but because there is no Danish word for “please” or “thank you.” People simply don’t have the habit of using those. There is no direct translation for those words.

They know how to make energy

80% of the country’s electricity comes from renewable sources: 57% from wind power, 20% from biomass and other combustible renewables, and 3% from solar power. Out of all the OECD countries, Denmark produces twice as much wind energy per capita as the runner-up.

Other sources of electricity produced domestically are coal (10.5%), natural gas (6%), oil (under 1%), and other combustibles (2.5%).

Denmark is very clean, especially the water

It is best seen on the water. First of all, you can drink water from the tap. Denmark’s water is among the cleanest waters in the world. Secondly, a good indicator is that the Copenhagen harbor is clean enough to swim in. There are plenty of sandy beaches within 30 minutes of the city center, but you can also just take a dip in the harbor.

They even involve tourists in a very smart way to clean the canals. You can book a kayak for free with the GreenKayak environmental non-profit. You can enjoy leisurely trips on the canals, all for free, with one small condition – to pick up trash as you kayak.

They are Denmark-based, but you can find them also in other European countries such as Ireland, Sweden, Germany, and Norway.

Denmark is a flat country

In Denmark, you won’t find any mountains. The highest point is 172 meters! It is a hill called ding Skovhøj and, more precisely, reaches merely 172,54 meters (566 feet) above sea level.

In Copenhagen, there are more bikes than cars

Denmark is widely known for its bike culture, but you won’t really break a sweat as you will never bike uphill.

They have over 12,000km of cycle tracks and lanes throughout the country. People are used to biking, making it a safe way to travel around.

The bicycle is the preferred mode of transport in Denmark – only 4 out of 10 Danes own a car, but 9 out of 10 own a bike. Some have more than one! This may also be related to the fact that Denmark charges a 150% tax on all purchases of new cars.

The citizens of Copenhagen pedal a combined 1 million kilometers per day.

Although there are no designated bicycle lanes in Denmark, special elevated roadways are dedicated solely to bicycle usage.

It’s interesting to note that while it’s one of the most cycle-friendly nations on Earth, they also have one of the lowest levels of helmet use.

Denmark is very progressive

It was the first country to legalize same-sex unions in 1989. Later in 2012, also same-sex marriage was granted.
Denmark has some of the world’s lowest income inequality. And when it comes to gender equality, women play a prominent role in business, while men get involved in childraising.
Denmark was the first country to appoint a Tech Ambassador. Since September 2017, the Danish Tech Embassy has elevated technology to a foreign policy priority as part of the ‘TechPlomacy’-initiative.
The country is one of the world’s most digitized countries, according to the biennial UN E-Government Development Index (EGDI) 2020. Hence, most of the transactions in Denmark are already cashless.
Danish hierarchy is the flattest in the world; this is because people relate to one another as equals regardless of job titles and formal positions. There is even an unofficial law for “no one is better than the other,” also called “Janteloven.” It’s an essential part of the Danish culture – everyone is accepted as an equal. Because of this, you are not as free to name your kid whatever you want, and names are regulated. Parents can choose from about 7000 pre-approved names for boys and girls.
Denmark tops the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index as the least corrupt country in the world.
They have been the first country to appoint a female minister. It was Nina Bang who became the Minister of Education back in 1924.
The world’s first Ministry of Environment was Danish.
Denmark’s literacy rate is 99%.
Denmark also provides a lavish parental leave. Women receive paid leave for 18 weeks and men for two weeks. Additionally, parents split up to 32 weeks of paid leave.
The Danes are a little more relaxed when it comes to sexually explicit images than some other countries. In 1969, Denmark became the world’s first country to legalize pornography.

Food plays an important role in more than one way

Denmark is a huge hood exporter. Despite its small size, Denmark is the world’s fifth largest exporter of food. Their main food exports are wheat, barley, pork, and dairy products.

Interesting fact – Denmark has been exporting bacon to England since 1867.

The cuisine in Denmark has earned 35 Michelin stars. It was in 2020, 28 Danish restaurants received 35 Michelin stars in total.

Danish ‘Geranium’ is one of only two restaurants in Scandinavia with three of these prestigious stars.

Especially the citizens of Copenhagen are big fans of fine dining, which may explain why they have more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city in Scandinavia.

It is thanks to the New Nordic cuisine, with its focus on seasonal food, that has put Denmark on the gastronomic world map.

Denmark is one of the world’s leading pork industry

For over 100 years, pigs and pork meat production has been a significant source of income for Denmark. Around 90% of Denmark’s production is exported. There are more pigs in the country than people. Nearly 5000 pig farms in Denmark produce approximately 28 million pigs yearly, compared to Denmark’s population of 5.79 million.

The Danes also consume more pork than anyone in the world. The average citizen packs away 142 pounds of pig a year.

But, the slaughterhouses in Denmark slaughter pigs in the most humane way possible. Due to the structure of the slaughterhouses, the pigs walk voluntarily, taking advantage of the pig’s curiosity, as compared to the traditional slaughterhouse where they force the pig to move, making them feel the danger ahead. Finally, it uses a machine where death can be swift, ensuring the pig will not undergo a miserable slaughter.

The Danish monarchy is one of the oldest in the world

The Danish monarchy dates back to the first Viking kings of Denmark more than 1000 years ago. The current monarch, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, can also point to the oldest European lineage, dating back to the early 900 AD and Viking King Gorm. She has been Denmark’s reigning monarch since 1972.

Odd Danish traditions

The traditions surround milestone birthdays. For example, if you turn 25 and are still unmarried, the tradition is to throw fistfuls of cinnamon all over the person. And if you’re not wed by the age of 30, then you are doused with pepper!

And it’s not a sprinkle. You would be covered from head to toe in the spices.

More facts worthy to know

Danes are sticklers for rules. For example, they wait patiently for the green light to cross; even when no car or bike is around, they still wait.
Bats are protected by law, so don’t dare whack them with a broom. You cannot harm or kill a flagermus.
The Danes are beer lovers. Nearly everyone is a beer drinker.
They respect the individual’s privacy and won’t just like that come to you and talk with you. They perceive it as an invasion of the individual’s privacy, so don’t mistake their standoffishness as rudeness.

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