Denmark peoples and their main occupations. Dialects of Danish and minority languages

In the eyes of foreigners, the image of the Danes as liberated, very tolerant of dissent and an unconventional lifestyle of people has developed. In 1989, Denmark was the first in Europe to legalize homosexual marriages, giving them equal rights with heterosexuals. There is a lot of controversy about this, saying that Denmark was not the first to legalize homosexual marriages and so on. But it is worth noting that such a law was indeed adopted in 1989, and the first one or not is no longer important now. (Source: wikipedia)

The people of Denmark proudly wave their red flag with a white cross. Each rural house must have its own flag set in the middle of the garden. City residents rent a plot and also put a pole there (surrounded by broad-leaved parsley). Every Dane in the house has a list of dates attached to the refrigerator when the flag should be raised - these are officially non-working days, holidays, visits by heads of other states, their own birthdays, family celebrations, and so on. Twice a month, each town hangs flags on the main street so that everyone understands that this Saturday the shops will be open until late.

Those Danes who for some reason cannot hang flags at their doors put small flags on the table on holidays and weekends; the flags can even be affixed to cocktail straws or stuck into food. Danish football fans were the first in the world to think of painting their faces with the colors of the national flag.

There is no need to be afraid of such manifestations of nationalism. In general, as a nation, the Danes have not been a threat to anyone for many hundreds of years.

How do they see others

The crude individualism of the Americans sharply contradicts the social cohesion to which the Danes attach great importance. The Americans are considered useful allies, the Danes admire their scientific achievements, but as soon as things go too far - for example, if children start to be stuffed too much with hamburgers and hot dogs - then a Danish scientist-educator appears on the TV screen, declaring that Denmark is heading straight for the "American way of life".

The English are looked upon as Dickensian characters with their class prejudices; this attitude is strengthened by the often shown costume plays on television. But this does not prevent the Danes from enthusiastically accepting English pop music and the game of the British football league. If they treat the Germans with judgment and captiousness, and the Swedes with pity and compassion, then when it comes to the British, the Danes are simply angels of patience and tolerance. The drunken antics of English football fans are met with a knowing smile. But if a German or a Swede finds himself in such a situation, he will be arrested and heavily fined.

The Danes look at the world around them with the confidence that if they did not create a perfect society, then at least they came closer to it than other peoples. There are only two things in the world that the Danes can envy: warm winters and a beautiful language.

How do they see themselves

“We are a skilled people, we care about environment we strive to help those who are less fortunate,” these are the words that today's Danes would describe themselves and their society. Behind this idyllic description, however, is a Danish tax inspector, a "tax daddy" who has more power than Big Brother in Orwell's novel.

The huge taxes required to maintain a well-developed social security system (about 50%) seem to widen the gap between those who work and those who don't. So scratch off the top layer of varnish and you'll see that Danes don't have the same opinion of themselves.

At one end of the scale are Danes with their own business; in their own eyes they are freedom fighters. They have to cope with a lot of paperwork, which means their working day ends well after midnight, and in addition, part-time work, "coven", has already become just another national view sports. At the other end of the scale, a significant number of Danes are fattening on one of Europe's largest unemployment benefits. They take great pleasure in getting rejected at the next mandatory meeting at the employment office and leaving others to get a free place.

The majority of the population is merrily stomping on the very edge of Utopia, sometimes managing to exist right there and then.

The Danes believe that being Dane is a privilege that makes them human.
a special kind. They argue that if all of Scandinavia is a bowl of rice pudding, then Denmark is a golden hole in the middle full of melted butter.

The main mission of the Danes is to help the whole world see what a wonderful country Denmark is. They deeply sympathize with those unfortunates who were not born a Dane, who have never been to Denmark, or in some other way remained ignorant of this country with milk rivers and jelly banks. They hate to brag about how insanely talented they are, and therefore they spend a lot of time and effort trying to make others see the light of truth.

How do they see each other

Even in a small country like Denmark, there are significant regional differences. Copenhageners are trying in every possible way to show that they do not understand the inhabitants of Jutland with their noticeable local accent, and even go to them with great apprehension. All rural Jutlanders are considered skillful craftsmen to say nothing directly. It is widely believed that the Jutlander rarely utters affirmative phrases. For example, if you ask him if he wants coffee, he will not say "Yes", but "I will not say no." The Jutlanders, on the other hand, consider the Copenhageners to be slippery, soft-spoken and treated unfairly. Naturally, they consider themselves wonderful people.
In general, all Danes have a high opinion of themselves, but modesty does not allow them to express it out loud.

How others see them

The Danes are considered the epitome of order and common sense. They are not enthusiastic or romantic people; their houses are always carefully painted and set against a neat landscape; the Danes wear practical clothes and shoes - in general, they have everything, like in Switzerland, only there are no mountains.
It is impossible to learn their language, the originality of their culture is elusive, but everyone loves the Danes. And how can you not love the creators of "Lego", producers of huge amounts of bacon and butter, as well as the best (as they themselves consider) beer in the world.

Character

Today's Danes are a peaceful people. Helmets, that is, helmets, are worn only by motorcyclists. When the Danish Vikings set off to conquer the British Isles, they probably took the entire criminal element with them. And since then, the British often behave like Vikings, while the Danes have created a modern liberal welfare state, where everyone is taken care of and where even football fans are a model of decency.

Denmark is a country of modesty and moderation. This is partly a consequence of the Danish sense of social responsibility. Before starting any business, implementing any idea, the Danes must find an answer to the question of how useful all this is for society. The education of personal responsibility begins at a very early age. Danish children are brought up with tales of a bear cub, a chicken and a duckling, who regularly face the challenges of personal versus social good. The TV program shows how all these friends are having fun, so that the children are convinced that obligations to society are not too burdensome. Adults also watch such programs, not so much for the morality contained there, but for the pleasure of seeing how three adults dress up in bulky fur suits, puff and hiss, running through the forest, at the same time trying to sing in chorus and not fall down from overheating.

However, if you want to really understand what the Danish national character is, you need to learn two words: hygge and Janteloven.

Hygge

An important part of the Danish soul is the love for hygge or the need for hygge. Usually this word is inaccurately translated as "coziness" or "comfort". But this is a clear simplification: "coziness" and comfort "refer to physical existence: you can be comfortable in a knitted sweater or in a warm bed. But hygge implies rather attitude people to each other. This is the art of creating an intimate atmosphere, this feeling of camaraderie, festive mood and complete satisfaction - all at the same time.

If friends meet on the street, they can say that they were hyggeligt to see each other, and a person with whom it is pleasant to spend time can be called hyggelig fyr - and this does not mean "comfortable man" at all. To understand the full emotional depth of the word byggelig, it is useful to understand the opposite concept of uhyggeligt, which means anything bad: from "joyless" to "sinister" and even "shocking" or "terrifying".

In Denmark, spending hyggelig time means immersing yourself in real nirvana. To enhance the byggelig atmosphere, candles are lit. The Danes are crazy about candles and light them wherever possible: in in public places, such as cafes, bars and restaurants, as well as at home. The dim lighting softens the crisp, overly smooth surfaces of objects and the uncompromisingly white walls so typical of Danish living rooms. Every Dane dreams of an old Norwegian stove kakelovn or a fireplace, so that, sitting by them, enjoy their byggelig warmth.

You usually feel hygge while sitting with friends or family when you eat and drink. Older Danes are horrified to hear that today's youth can feel hygge sitting alone on the couch in front of a rented TV and eating sweets from a huge bag.

Janteloven

Wherever Danes gather, at work, in a sports club, in a cafe, everywhere you will see signs of groupthink. They even applaud in unison.

This code of universal conformity was first described by Axel Sandermose, a Dane who was so fed up with the feeling he had in Jutland, where he resided, that he even moved to Norway. There he wrote a book about life in the fictional Danish town of Jante, which was governed in full accordance with the laws (loven means "law"), which laws expressed the deeply rooted social habits of the Danes.

The very essence of these laws was that any person who wanted to place himself above the rest of the members of his social group would be immediately knocked off his perch. There are ten commandments such as "You must not think that you are anything", "You must not deceive yourself that you are better than all of us" and "You must not think that you can teach us anything."

This code is so rooted in the minds of the Danes that many believe that it dates back to the Middle Ages. But in fact, it was recorded in writing only in 1933. For the sake of justice, it should be noted that Sandermosa had to obey much more stringent requirements than the current ones. Today, the pressure of this code has become much more positive, but no less conformist. The new Janteloven for the new millennium goes something like this:

1. You must believe that everyone is something.
2. You must believe that every person is as important as any other.
3. Maybe you are smarter than some, but this does not mean that you are better than them.
4. You must believe that any person is as good as you.
5. You must believe that every person knows something worth knowing.
6. You must think of every person as your equal.
7. You must believe that every person can do something well.
8. You shouldn't make fun of others.
9. You must think that every person deserves care and attention.
10. You can learn something from everyone.

From time to time the media raises the question of whether Janteloven still exists. Although many claim that he is no more, the behavior of the Danes indicates that he is very much alive. For example, if a writer is so naive that he can give a Dane friend a manuscript of the story he is currently writing, the Dane will read it and return it with the words: "Last year I read another book on the same subject." And will begin to retell it in detail. If someone has worked hard and made enough money to buy a great car, the minute he parks it in the driveway, he will be bombarded with questions:

“Is this a car of your company?”, “Did you buy a used car?”, “Did someone leave you an inheritance?” - and all this for the reason that no one can work so well to get more than anyone else.

It would never occur to anyone to break into a friend's house and, beaming with excitement, declare: "Just think, I just signed a contract for the sale of a new water softener!" On the contrary, the Dane will walk in looking haggard and announce that he has just returned from a very difficult meeting. Then he will wait for the news to be pulled out of him - just like a rotten tooth.

The spirit of Janteloven makes the issue of copyright very difficult. Companies don't like to draw attention to their successes or make their great opportunities public. They feel out of place if they are forced to say that they have received a "decent" income. They hate using personal pronouns like "we".

Rather, they simply use the name of the company in every sentence of their advertising brochure. This tactic is thought to put some distance between workers and their accomplishments, and that everything sounds acceptably modest as a result. Another tactic is to write about your actions in impersonal sentences:

"The production and distribution of the product in one hundred countries is coordinated from Denmark", which means "We are very successful in manufacturing and selling goods through our network in one hundred countries around the world."

Language of Denmark

The Danish language cannot be classified as beautiful. But it is economical. Why invent a new word when two old ones will work just fine? Here are some of the concepts in literal translation: "dust sucker" (vacuum cleaner), "pork meat" (pork), "body burning" (cremation), "flying machine" (airplane) and "pectoral wart" (nipple). Wherever possible, the words are duplicated: "Hej" means "Hi!", and "Hej hej" means "Bye!". The number of polysemantic words is large: the verb "at lide" can mean "suffer", or maybe - "like". "Fur" - "fire", "pine" or "young man". "Brud" - "gap", "bride" or "weasel" (animal). The listener has to pay close attention to the general context and intonation if he wants to avoid misunderstanding. Perhaps that is why the share of 25% in the world production of hearing aids belongs to Denmark.

Danes, Norwegians and Swedes can understand each other, each speaking their own language, although Danish and Norwegian do not sound very similar. It is noticed that those who live in the hilly part of the country speak with a jumping intonation. In flat areas, people speak with even intonation. Denmark is a flat country.

It is almost impossible to correctly convey the features of oral Danish in transcription. Consonants are often pronounced so softly that only a trained ear can catch them, while at the same time there are vowels that require that during their pronunciation the speaker make sounds that are unacceptable in polite society any civilized country.

Well, then there is another problem with the sound [r]. Italians and Scots roll their [g] on the tip of the tongue; the German guttural [r] occurs at the back of the throat. Danish [r] has to be extracted from somewhere under the tonsils, which requires special muscles.

Knowledge of the Danish alphabet can be classified as an esoteric, incomprehensible science, but if you start rummaging around looking for words in a dictionary, or names in a phone book, or geographical name on the map, note: "v" and "w" are sometimes considered the same letter, "aa" is the same as "a", and that the letters "oe", "0" and "a" end alphabet. So those who look up the word Aabenraa on the first pages of the dictionary will be wasting their time.

The Danes have one undeniably positive quality: they are infinitely tolerant of anyone who tries to speak their language. Perhaps it's because they find Danish so difficult that no foreigner can make it any more difficult.

The country is home to 20,000 Swedes and 10,000 Norwegians.

In terms of ethnogenesis, language and culture, the Danes have many common features with Norwegians and Swedes, as well as with Icelanders and Faroese, making up with them a single group of Scandinavian peoples. As part of this group, the Danes early took shape as an independent group.

Among the Scandinavian languages, Danish is second only to Swedish in terms of prevalence. In the past it was even more common, this influence is preserved in the Norwegian language (bokmål) and some dialects. rural population Southern Sweden.

The dialectal differences in Danish are very large, despite the small size of the country. The inhabitants of Zeeland and Funen hardly understand Jutland, throughout Denmark they poorly understand the Bornholms, the Copenhagen dialect is very peculiar. Recently, thanks to the widespread use of newspapers, radio broadcasting and television, dialect differences have been smoothed out, giving way to a national language norm.

The population of Denmark in 1979 was a little over 5 million people, which is about 3.5 times higher than in the middle of the last century. The rapid growth of the population was due to a decrease in mortality, especially among children, thanks to the improvement in the state of health and well. high birth rate. In addition, there was little emigration from Denmark: only 350 thousand people left the country all the time (four times less than from Sweden). It is also important that during the Second World War there were relatively few human losses in this country.

AT post-war years natural increase The population of Denmark was higher than in the 30s, and mainly due to a reduction in mortality. However, the gap between birth and death rates is gradually decreasing. If in the early 1950s the birth rate was 18 people per 1000, and - 9 people, then in 1978 these figures were 12.2 and 9.9, respectively. Consequently, the country's population is now growing at a rather slow pace.

In the population of Denmark, there are slightly more women than men (50.3 and 49.7%). A significant number of women from rural areas move to cities, where they work in the light industry and in the service sector. On the contrary, in the highly developed agriculture of Denmark, men are widely used, and there are few men in the cities, unlike in several other Western European states.

Denmark - populous country. By medium density population of 118 people per 1 sq. km. km, far ahead of other states of Northern Europe. The most densely populated Danish, where 2/3 of all the inhabitants of the country are concentrated. Here, the density indicators exceed 200 people per 1 sq. km. km, and on the island of Zeeland they approach 300. In some eastern regions of Jutland, it is approximately the same as in the Danish Islands, while in the western regions it does not exceed 15-20 people per 1 sq. km. km.

The system of rural settlement on the territory of Denmark arose in ancient times, when villages were created on the site of the reduced forests. The study of toponymy made it possible to outline some of the history rural settlements. For example, villages whose names end in -inge, arose in the first centuries of our era. The appearance of villages with endings in - (500-800), -bu (800-1000), -thorpe (J000-1200) etc.

For a long time, up to early XIX in., Denmark was a country of villages. The disintegration of the community was accompanied by the massive separation of farms, which gradually became the predominant form of rural settlement. On the site of former villages, in many cases, local administrative and distribution centers and industrial settlements were formed.

With the development of capitalism, the rural population began to decline rapidly. In 1930, about 40% of the total population lived in rural areas, and now less than 20%. Many farms are abandoned, most often in the marginal areas of Western Jutland. Some small islands of the Danish archipelago are now completely deserted.

Danish cities mostly have a long history. The most ancient of them arose in the hinterland as religious centers, residences of bishops. These include Viborg in the north of Jutland and Roskilde in the island. In the XI-XII centuries. cities associated with maritime trade were founded: Ribe, Aarhus, Tönner, etc. Many of them were surrounded by fortress walls to protect against attacks from outside. The growth of these centers was especially facilitated by the rapid development of shipping and trade in the 17th century. However, a century later, sharp differences emerged in the life of these cities: some of them, and above all Copenhagen, began to expand rapidly, others, such as Ribe, Tönner, and others, gradually fell into decay.

In my own way appearance Medieval cities, which have preserved remarkable architectural structures, differ significantly from the younger cities that arose during the period of industrial and railway construction in the 19th century. Cities of the first type are typical for the eastern coast of Jutland and the Danish Islands, cities of the second type - for the central and western regions of Jutland.

The metropolitan Copenhagen, together with the suburbs, has more than 1.8 million inhabitants. It continues to grow at the expense of the province, which has an impact on the rapid growth of the population of the entire island of Zealand. Even at a considerable distance from the capital in cities such as Nest-Ved, Korser, Ringsted and others, the number of inhabitants is increasing. On the large islands, and located south of Zealand, the influence of the capital practically does not affect, and there the population of cities is declining.

AT geographically Copenhagen, together with the suburbs, can be considered as a large conurbation, stretching both (Danish and Swedish) shores of the strait. Total population The population of this emerging conurbation exceeds 2.3 million. Cooperation is being established between the Danish and Swedish authorities on the creation of recreational areas, the organization of water supply and transport; for example, it is planned to build a large one on the island of Saltholm and across the Øresund.

The population of other large urban agglomerations in Denmark is also rapidly increasing, especially in the area of ​​the city and its suburbs, where more than 240 thousand people live. Skanderborg and the most picturesque areas of the Jutland ridge, where recreational areas have been created, fall into the sphere of influence of Aarhus. In Odense, with about 170 thousand inhabitants, most of the population is concentrated. Aalborg merged with its satellite Nörresunibo, after which its population grew to 155 thousand people and it became the fourth largest city in Denmark.

The city has grown significantly, the number of inhabitants of which has reached about 80 thousand. Ancient Ribe and Barde fall into its sphere of influence. In East Jutland, the cities of Randers, Kolding,

The economically active population of Denmark exceeds 2.6 million people, of which at least 4/5 are employed. The largest share in the economically active population of the country in the mid-70s was the worker - 45 %. Employees are growing rapidly, reaching 42%. The bourgeoisie, large, medium and small, accounts for only 13% of the economically active population of Denmark.

The number of people employed in agriculture is declining: if in the mid-1880s they accounted for more than half of the economically active population, then by the mid-1970s their share had fallen to 8 %. The share of people employed in industry and construction was 40% by the mid-1970s. These figures, of course, reflect only the most general trends. For example, in Jutland (except for the eastern regions) Agriculture attracts more than 50% of the active population.

For Denmark, as well as for other capitalist countries, the specific employment in the service sector is typical, especially in urban areas. For example, in the areas of Greater Copenhagen and Aarhus, at least half of the economically active population works in this area.

The population of Denmark is over 5.5 million people.

In the 1st century A.D. The territory of Denmark was inhabited by nomadic Germanic tribes (Dans, Angles, Saxons). Thanks to these tribes, it was formed modern population Denmark, which today is very homogeneous.

The national composition of Denmark is represented by:

• Danes (98%);
• other nations (Dutch, Eskimos, Germans, Swedes, Norwegians).

The Danes, along with the Norwegians, Swedes, Icelanders and Faroese, have a lot in common (ontogeny, language, culture), so they form a single group of Scandinavian peoples.

118 people live on 1 sq. km, but high density The population is characterized by the Danish archipelago (2/3 of the population of the whole country lives here: population density is 200-250 people per 1 sq. km), and the western regions of the country are least populated (population density is 15-20 people per 1 sq. km).

The official language is Danish, but wide use in the country have German and English languages.

Large cities: Copenhagen, Odense, Aarhus, Aalborg, Esbjerg, Odense, Randers, Kolling.

The inhabitants of Denmark profess Lutheranism (90%), Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam.

Lifespan

The male population lives on average up to 73, and the female population lives up to 79 years. A fairly high life expectancy is due to the fact that the Danish state spends $ 4,460 on health care per year for 1 person.

Despite the fact that Denmark is one of the most drinking countries, the Danes practically do not use strong drinks. alcoholic beverages(only low alcohol). Good indicators of average life expectancy are also affected by the fact that Danes smoke 2 times less than Russians, Greeks, Bulgarians, Serbs. In addition, the level of obesity in the country reaches 13%, while the European average is 17%.

Traditions and customs of the inhabitants of Denmark

All Danish families honor and live according to ancient traditions. For example, the Danes love to celebrate religious holidays - Easter, Christmas and Trinity. In addition, it is customary to celebrate pagan holidays here - Maslenitsa and the day of Ivan Kupala.

The Day of St. Hans (Ivan Kupala) is accompanied by folk festivals and the kindling of bright bonfires on the seashore (this rite is a manifestation of gratitude to St. Hans for all good deeds).

If you visit the city of Frederiksssunne (the island of Zeeland), you can get acquainted with the ancient traditions of the Danes - a Viking festival is held here with enchanting performances, in which bearded men in traditional costumes (more than 200 people) take part, calling themselves the descendants of the Vikings. Here you can see men competing in strength and competing in archery.

And at the final stage of the festival, everyone can join the feast and taste traditional Viking dishes and drinks.

Are you going to Denmark?

• do not smoke in public places (special rooms are reserved for this);
• be punctual if the Danes invited you to visit or to a business meeting;
• when going to a formal event, carefully choose your wardrobe (Danes like people who dress with taste).

The official name is the Kingdom of Denmark (Kongeriget Danmark). Located in Northern Europe. The area is 43 thousand km2, the population is 5.4 million people. (2002). The official language is Danish. The capital is Copenhagen (with suburbs over 1.3 million people, 2002). Public holidays - Queen's Birthday (April 16, 1940), Constitution Day (since June 5, 1849). The monetary unit is the Danish krone.

Denmark includes the Faroe Islands and the island of Greenland, which enjoy internal autonomy.

Member of the UN (since 1945), NATO (since 1949), Nordic Council (since 1952), EU (since 1973), OSCE, OECD, IMF, IBRD, EBRD, etc.

Landmarks of Denmark

Geography of Denmark

It is located between 8-13° east longitude and 54-58° north latitude on the Jutland peninsula and nearby islands. It is washed in the west by the North Sea, in the north by the Skagerrak Strait, in the east by the Kattegat and Øresund straits, in the southeast by the Baltic Sea. The coast of Denmark, especially in the east, is heavily indented, and nowhere can you move more than 52 km from the coast. The total length of the coastline reaches 7314 km, half of which falls on the share of 406 islands, which together occupy 40% of the country's area. Most of the islands are concentrated in the east of the country and are combined into the Danish archipelago. The largest islands are Zealand, Funen, Lolland, Bornholm. In the south it borders on Germany. The length of the land border is 68 km.

The main part of the relief is plains subjected to glaciation. The prevailing heights are 30-50 m above sea level. Highest point- Iding-Skovkhoy hill (173 m). The surface is strongly dissected in places.

Since 1972 in the Danish sector North Sea began to produce oil, and since 1984, natural gas, which fully meet the country's needs for these types of fuel. The reserves of hydropower are insignificant. Deposits of peat and brown coal are of local importance. Large reserves of limestone and clay.

Soils - podzolic and brown - have undergone strong cultivation.

The climate is temperate oceanic. Summers are not hot, winters are mild. The average temperature in February is approx. 0o C, July - approx. +15o C. The average annual rainfall ranges from 800 mm in the west to 450 mm in the east.

Denmark has a dense network of small rivers, which are mainly fed by rainwater. Floods happen in winter. The most long river- Good. Numerous predominantly flowing lakes are small in size. Groundwater plays an important role.

Broad-leaved forests have survived only in the form of separate arrays. The main breed is beech. There are two types of oak: sessile and pedunculate. The need to expand livestock grazing largely led to the destruction of forests. From Ser. 19th century forests are being restored, spruce is being planted first of all. The animal world has changed a lot under the influence of economic activity person. For example, beavers have completely disappeared, and the number of deer and roe deer has decreased. Many species of predatory animals were destroyed. The last wolf was killed in 1813. Fallow deer, spotted deer, pheasant were introduced.

The Faroe Islands are located in the Norwegian Sea, roughly halfway between Scotland and Iceland. They include 24 islands, the largest being Streymoy, Esturoy and Suvuroy. Territory - 1399 km2. All the islands are of volcanic origin and are composed of basalts and tuffs. The climate is maritime with plenty of rain, with winds and fogs. There are no forests. Lots of birds. Coastal waters are rich in cod, halibut, herring. The administrative center is Torshavn (16 thousand people).

The world's largest island, Greenland, is located in the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. Territory - 2176 thousand km2. Almost the entire territory of the island is covered with continental ice. The administrative center is Nuuk (Gothob) (13 thousand people). Reserves of many minerals have been identified, but only zinc, lead and silver are mined.

Population of Denmark

Population growth rate 0.29% (2002). Ethnic composition- Danes (98%), Faroese, Greenlanders, Germans, Turks, Persians, Somalis. Languages ​​- Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic, German. Birth rate 11.74 ‰, mortality - 10.81 ‰, infant mortality - 4.97 people. per 1000 newborns, the average life expectancy for men is 74 years, for women - 80 years (2002). Age structure population: under 14 years old - 19%, 15 - 64 years old - 66%, 65 years and older - 15%. There are more women than men, by about 60 thousand people, women in old age predominate. Net migration - 2.01‰. Literacy is 100%.

The state religion is Lutheranism (95%); Protestants and Catholics make up 3%, Muslims - 2% of the believing population.

The population of the Faroe Islands is 47 thousand people, mainly Faroese. official languages- Danish and Faroese. The main religion is Lutheranism.

The population of Greenland is 56 thousand people, incl. 45 thousand - Inuit Greenlanders. The official languages ​​are Greenlandic and Danish.

History of Denmark

In the 2nd floor. In the 1st millennium, small tribal groups gradually began to unite into a state. In the beginning. 9th c. tribal leader Godfred subjugated Denmark, southern Sweden and Schleswig. In the 10th century Harald Bluetooth introduced Christianity to Denmark.

Back in the 8th c. Viking raids began. These campaigns not only pursued trade goals, but were often conducted for the sake of robbery. In 811, under Godfred, the Danish Vikings attacked the army of Charlemagne, and in 994 undertook a siege of London. In the beginning. 11th c. part of the Danish state were East End England and Norway.

In the 12th-13th centuries. under kings Valdemar I the Great, his sons Knud VI and Valdemar II the Victorious, the Danes conquered the lands of the Pomeranian Slavs, northern Estonia and the West Estonian islands, but they failed to hold these territories for a long time.

14th c. - a troubled time in the history of Denmark. The struggle of the feudal lords for the royal throne, civil strife, conspiracies, uprisings led to a weakening of centralized power. In 1332-40 there was even a period of interregnum, when the country was ruled by the nobles. German feudal lords seized part of the Danish lands. In this situation, King Valdemar IV, nicknamed Atterdag (1340-75), at the cost of a number of concessions, managed to defend the integrity of the country.

The desire to create a united front in the fight against the Hanseatic League led to the political unification of the Scandinavian countries under the auspices of Denmark, enshrined in the Kalmar Union of 1397. Valdemar VI's daughter Margarita (1375-1412) became the queen of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Under Margaret's heir, Eric of Pomerania, from 1429, the collection of duties from ships passing through the Øresund Strait (Sund) began. The Sound Duty was the “gold mine” of the country for several centuries.

The Kalmar Union proved to be fragile. From Ser. 15th c. Danish kings effectively ceased to rule Sweden. The positions of the Danish nobility were so strengthened that the power of the king was controlled state council(rigsrod), consisting of the largest landowners. King Christian II (1513-23) tried to remove this body from administration and limit the privileges of the nobles. He granted the townspeople the right to foreign trade and forbade the landlords to sell the peasants. The attack on the rights of the Swedes gave impetus to their national liberation movement, which grew into an uprising led by Gustav Vasa. It ended with the victory of the rebels and the exit of Sweden from the union. Disgruntled Danish nobles deposed Christian II and his reforms were cancelled.

In 1534-36 Denmark was invaded internecine war, unleashed by the deposed Christian II, who enlisted the support of the Hanseatic city of Lübeck and the largest Danish cities of Copenhagen and Malmö. At the same time, the peasants in Jutland came out against the feudal lords, but this movement ended in the complete defeat of the rebels. The protégé of the nobles, King Christian III, brutally dealt with them. Under Christian III, a church reformation was carried out. Lutheranism became the state religion. Earth catholic church were confiscated mainly in favor of the nobility.

In the 17th century Denmark was defeated in several wars with Sweden, lost all territories in the south of the Scandinavian Peninsula, the islands of Gotland and Oesel, and also renounced its rights to Schleswig.

During the reign of Frederick III in Denmark, established absolute monarchy: from 1660 royalty was declared hereditary. The nobility was forced to pay taxes and duties.

In the 1st floor. 18th century Denmark remained secondary European state, whose position was weakened due to the continuous disputes with Prussia over Schleswig and Holstein.

The participation of Denmark in the Napoleonic wars on the side of France entailed human and material losses. After the defeat of Napoleon in 1814, Denmark was forced to cede Norway to Sweden. In 1814 Denmark was the first among European countries introduced compulsory schooling for all children between the ages of 7 and 14. After the abolition of the Sound tax in 1857, freedom of trade was established in the country.

Under the influence of the European revolutions of 1830 and 1848, a struggle began in Denmark for the Constitution, which was adopted in 1849 and allowed wealthy strata to take part in elections to representative assemblies of estates. In the war with Prussia in 1864, Denmark was defeated and lost Holstein, Lauenburg and almost all of Schleswig.

During the 1st World War, Denmark adhered to a policy of neutrality and successfully traded with both warring parties. By Treaty of Versailles in 1920, a plebiscite was held in Schleswig, as a result of which the northern part of Schleswig was annexed to Denmark. Since then, the land border of the country has not changed.

In 1924, the Social Democratic Party won the parliamentary elections, formed its own government, and since then, with short interruptions, has been the leader in government power.

During the 2nd World War, Denmark experienced the oppression of the Nazi occupation for 5 years. After the war, the ruling circles of Denmark in their policy were guided by the Western powers and joined NATO, abandoning their traditional neutrality.

During World War II, Iceland gained independence from Denmark.

The Faroe Islands have enjoyed internal autonomy since 1948 (they became part of Denmark together with Norway in 1380).

The Danish colonization of Greenland began in 1721; under the Constitution of 1953, it received the status of an overseas municipality; on May 1, 1979, Greenland was proclaimed "a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark."

State structure and political system of Denmark

Denmark is a constitutional monarchy. The constitution was adopted in 1849, amended in 1915 and 1953, when a unicameral parliament was created and women were allowed to become heads of state.

Administrative division - 14 amts - Bornholm, Vejle, Viborg, West Jutland, Copenhagen, Aarhus, Ribe, Ringkoping, Roskilde, North Jutland, Storstrom, Frederiksborg, Funen, South Jutland; the cities of Copenhagen and Frederiksberg are separated into independent administrative units. Most big cities: Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg, Odense.

The head of state is the king, who exercises legislative power in conjunction with a unicameral parliament. supreme body legislature - the Folketing. Executive power belongs to the monarch and is exercised on his behalf by the government. The Government is appointed by the Prime Minister, approved by the Folketing and is responsible to it. It consists of 24 ministers (their number may vary). The head of state is Queen Margrethe II (since January 14, 1972). Head of Government - Anders Fogh Rasmussen (since November 27, 2001).

179 deputies (including 2 from the Faroe Islands and 2 from Greenland) of the Folketing are elected by universal (from the age of 18), direct and secret suffrage according to the proportional system for a period of 4 years. As a result of the 2001 parliamentary elections, the Venstre party received 56 seats, the Social Democratic Party of Denmark - 52, the Danish People's Party - 22, the Conservative People's Party - 16, the Socialist People's Party - 12, the Radical Left - 9, the Christian People's Party - 4, the Single List - 4.

In administrative-territorial units - communes (there are 275 of them in Denmark) there are elected municipal councils headed by burgomasters. In their competence the decision of all local questions. In addition, 14 amts (districts) are governed by elected district councils headed by a chairman. Their functions include the implementation of projects that are beyond the power of individual communes, such as the construction of roads and hospitals. Elections to district and municipal councils, as well as to parliament, are held every 4 years.

Major political parties. The Social Democratic Party of Denmark, founded in 1871, is the largest party in the country. It unites workers and employees, small proprietors, part of the intelligentsia. Member of the Socialist International. Venstre, founded in 1870, is a left-wing liberal party that expresses the interests of large and medium landowners and part of industrial entrepreneurs. The Conservative People's Party was founded in 1916 and represents the interests of business and financial circles, part of the landowners and leaders of the state apparatus. The Radical Left Party arose in 1905 and unites the middle strata of the city and countryside, and part of the intelligentsia. The Christian People's Party was founded in 1970 as a clerical party. The Socialist People's Party, founded in 1959, unites part of the workers, employees, and intelligentsia, and takes positions close to social democracy. The Danish People's Party (formerly the Progress Party) was founded in 1972, a populist movement representing the interests of right-wing smallholders who oppose state regulation of the economy and restrictions on the freedom of enterprise. The Single List is a bloc of the left-socialist persuasion, uniting in its ranks former communists(The Communist Party of Denmark dissolved itself in 1991) and representatives of other left-wing organizations - the Left Socialist Party and the Socialist Workers' Party.

The leading business organization, the Danish Employers' Association, has approx. 30 thousand members (early 2000s).

The largest branch trade unions, uniting up to 85% of the country's workers, are part of the Central Association of Trade Unions of Denmark. Civil society also includes cooperatives and various other interest unions.

Foreign policy. Based on the experience of the 2nd World War, Denmark abandoned the policy of neutrality and joined NATO. The Danish Government adheres to the principles of non-deployment in Peaceful time on the territory of the country of nuclear weapons and foreign military bases. However, Denmark has given the United States the opportunity to conduct military activities at bases in Greenland.

Danish activities in the EU - priority in the country's foreign policy. Denmark plays an active role in the development of European cooperation. Denmark provides assistance to developing countries, which in the 1990s. was 1% of GDP. The traditional northern cooperation continues to develop.

The armed forces are made up of ground forces, Navy, Air Force. The draft age is 18 years. Military spending - 1.4% of GDP. After World War II, St. 40 thousand Danish soldiers served in the UN forces, incl. as observers in different parts of the world.

Denmark has diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation (established with the USSR on June 18, 1924, interrupted on June 22, 1941, restored on May 10-16, 1945).

In the Faroe Islands, the legislature is the Lagting with 32 deputies elected by popular vote for a term of 4 years. The supreme executive body is the Landsture. The Danish government on the islands is represented by a rigsombudsman appointed by royal decree. In 1984, the Lagting decided to declare the Faroe Islands a nuclear-weapon-free zone. Denmark has a naval base on the islands, as well as a radar complex, which is part of the NATO warning system. The Faroe Islands have never been part of the EU. The main political parties are the Social Democratic Party (founded in 1925), the Republican Party (founded in 1945), the People's Party (founded in 1936), and the Union Party (founded in 1906). Republicans and the People's Party are in favor of strengthening independence.

In Greenland, the legislature is the Landsting, and the self-governing government is the Landsture. Elected in 18 communes local authorities power for a period of 4 years. Denmark on the island is represented by rigsombudsman. In 1973, Greenland, along with Denmark, joined the EU, but after a referendum in 1982, it left it on February 1, 1985. Political parties of various directions operate on the island: the social democratic Siumut (Forward, founded in 1977) advocates the expansion of autonomy; the left-socialist "Inuit atakvatigiit" ("Community of the Inuit-Eskimos", created in 1977) advocates complete separation from Denmark; moderate bourgeois party Atassut ("Cohesion", founded in 1978).

Economy of Denmark

Denmark is a highly developed industrial and agricultural country. It is characterized by highly developed agriculture, modern industry, a wide range of social measures, high level welfare and high dependency from the foreign market. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and has a positive balance of payments.

After successful development in post-war period Denmark is facing economic problems from the beginning 1970s Economic growth slowed down. After a period of full employment, unemployment rose sharply (up to 9%), which over the next 20 years became chronic and became a key socio-economic problem. Inflation has intensified. The state budget deficit and external debt increased.

In the 1990s the situation has improved. In 1993-2000 average annual growth GNP - almost 3%. GNP growth in 2002 amounted to 1.2% and slightly exceeded the figure previous year, GNP amounted to 1358 billion kroons, GNP per capita - 253 thousand kroons. The economically active population is 2.9 million people. Unemployment in 2002 - 5%. Inflation almost did not go beyond 2-3% per year (2.4% in 2002).

Sectoral structure of the economy: in terms of contribution to GDP - agriculture - 3%, industry - 26%, services - 71%; in terms of employment - agriculture - 4%, industry - 17%, services - 79%.

The industry is dominated by small and medium enterprises. The leading industries are mechanical engineering, food, chemical, pharmaceutical, and textile industries. They account for approximately 80% of the gross value of industrial production. St. 40% of the total production is exported. Mechanical engineering has long specialized in the production of ships, various agricultural machines, production equipment and instruments. The share of production of electronic equipment has increased. Chemical enterprises produce fertilizers and medicines (insulin, antibiotics, vitamins, etc.) on the basis of waste and by-products of slaughterhouses. Among other industries, the electronic, brewing, furniture, construction, and shipbuilding industries stand out.

Energy is based mainly on the consumption of oil and coal. A smaller role is played by natural gas, hydroelectric power and wind sources. In 1986, the Folketing decided to completely abandon the use of nuclear energy. In 2000, electricity generation was 35.8 billion kWh.

Agriculture is one of the most productive sectors of the economy. The volume of agricultural and livestock production exceeds the needs of the country's population by more than 3 times. Denmark has long been a country with developed agriculture, which was facilitated by favorable natural conditions. The leading branch of agriculture is meat and dairy cattle breeding and bacon pig breeding, which provide 80-90% of the marketable value of agricultural products, as well as poultry farming. Highly productive breeds predominate in the composition of the cattle population: red Danish, which makes up almost half of the herd, black-and-white and Jersey. The average Danish cow gives 7-8 thousand liters of milk per year. Almost 2/3 of dairy products are exported. Denmark remains one of the world's largest suppliers of butter, cheese and milk powder, with the majority going to the UK. The feed base of pig breeding is mainly dairy production waste. Pig products account for about half of agricultural exports. The main consumer of Danish bacon is the UK.

Almost 3/4 of the country's territory is occupied by agricultural land, of which 90% is plowed. Forage crops predominate in crop production. St. 1/2 of the arable land is occupied by grain crops, mainly barley, which is used for fattening pigs, and also serves as a raw material for the production of beer. Of the other crops, the most common are fodder grasses, oats, wheat, rye, and sugar beets. Large yields give gardens in Denmark. Fruits and berries are used mainly for canning. From fruit crops, apple trees predominate, from vegetables - carrots, tomatoes and celery, from berries - strawberries.

Fishing is carried out in coastal waters, mainly in the North Sea. They catch herring and flounder. Rainbow trout are bred in the rivers and lakes of Denmark.

The main part of cargo transportation is carried out merchant navy- 301 large vessels with a total displacement of 6.3 million gross tons. Total length railways- OK. 3000 km, almost all electrified; highways - 71 thousand km; oil pipelines - 688 km, gas pipelines - 700 km. The main ports are Copenhagen, Aalborg, Aarhus. The country has 116 airports, 4.8 million phones and 1.5 million mobile phones, 26 TV stations, St. 3 million TVs. In 2002 there were 3.37 million Internet users in Denmark.

All R. In 1998, in connection with the threat of "overheating" of the economy, the Folketing adopted a package of laws aimed at reducing domestic demand and attracting labor to the labor market. As a result of these measures, domestic demand fell markedly, which, together with the growth of exports, markedly improved the balance of payments. The government is pursuing a policy aimed at further privatization of state assets. Denmark remains outside the European Monetary System for the time being.

The Central Bank in its policy follows the European Central Bank, and interest rates on long-term obligations - the rates in Germany. A strict credit and financial policy is being pursued. Among commercial banks, Den Danske Bank, created as a result of the merger of three large banks in 1990, stands out.

In general, the Danish economy is balanced in good health public finance. In 2002, the state budget surplus amounted to 1.9% of GNP. In 2002, the public debt fell to 44% of GDP. The maximum personal income tax rate is 59%. Corporate income tax rates are 30%. A policy of "freezing" taxes is being pursued.

Since 1997 wages in Denmark have risen noticeably faster than the EU average. Household savings rate - approx. 5%. In 2000, the richest 10% of households accounted for 24% of income, while the poorest 10% accounted for 2%.

Denmark trades with almost every country in the world. Exports, which amounted to 601 billion kroons (2002), are dominated by machinery and equipment, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, chemical products, furniture, ships. In 2001, 65% of exports went to the EU countries (Germany - 20%, Sweden - 12%, Great Britain - 10%, France - 5%, the Netherlands - 5%), to the USA - 7%, to Norway - 6%. Imports, which amounted to 521 billion kroons (2002), are dominated by machinery and equipment, industrial raw materials and semi-finished products, chemical products, grain and food products, consumer goods. In 2001, 70% of imports came from EU countries (Germany - 22%, Sweden - 12%, Great Britain - 8%, the Netherlands - 7%, France - 6%, Italy - 5%), from the USA - 4%.

In 2002, the remaining positive balance of payments amounted to 2.2% of GNP.

In the Faroe Islands most of population is engaged in fishing. Fishing fleet - 260 vessels. Animal husbandry specializes in the production of milk and lamb. Sheep are bred.

In Greenland economic life focused on free continental ice coastal strip of approx. 15% of the island. Approximately 1/4 of the able-bodied population is employed in fishing and fish processing enterprises. The fishing fleet includes approximately 440 vessels. Seal fishing is underway. Sheep and deer are bred. The main export item is fish products, primarily shrimp.

Science and culture in Denmark

In 1972, a nine-year education for children was introduced in Denmark, starting at the age of seven. To continue education, there are real schools and gymnasiums. Graduates of gymnasiums receive the right to enter universities. Among the higher educational institutions 5 universities stand out, the largest and oldest (founded in 1479) of which is the University of Copenhagen. The rest are in Aarhus, Odense, Roskilde and Aalborg. There are also several specialized institutions of higher education, in particular, the Higher technical school, Higher Engineering Academy, graduate School pharmacists, Higher Veterinary and Agricultural School, Higher Trade School, Higher pedagogical school, Academy of Arts, Conservatory.

Among Danish scientists, the most famous physicists are Niels Bohr (1885-1962) and his son Aage Bohr (b. 1922) - Nobel Prize winners in physics in 1922 and 1975, respectively. Five Danish scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology: Niels R. Finsen (1903), A. Krogh (1920), J. Fibiger (1926), Henrik Dam (1943), N.K. Yerne (1984).

The first Scandinavian writer to gain European fame was Ludwig Holberg (1684-1754). An outstanding place in Danish and world literature is occupied by the work of Hans Christian Andersen (1805-75), who became famous for his fairy tales and stories. Denmark gave the world the philosopher Soren Kierkegaard (1813-55), whose works formed the foundation of modern existentialism. Prominent representatives of realism in literature were the brothers Brandes - Georg (1842-1927) and Eduard (1847-1931), the writer Jens Peter Jacobsen (1847-85). The authors are well known historical novels Johannes W. Jensen (1873-1950, Nobel Prize in Literature 1944) and social novels by Martin Andersen-Neckse (1869-1954).

Sculptor Kai Nielsen, composer Karl Nielsen, architect Jorn Utson, artists Asker Jorn, Herluf Bidstrup, Viktor Brockdorf, writers Klaus Riefbjerg, Hans Scherfig, film directors Bille August and Lars von Trier, chess player Bent Larsen, football players brothers Mikael and Brian Laudrup.

As of today, the population of Denmark, taking into account Greenland, is just over 5.6 million people. At the same time, the number of women and men living in the country is approximately the same. The average life expectancy in this country is quite high and reaches 77 years.

Origin

The first documentary memories of the appearance of people on the territory of modern Denmark date back to the first centuries of our era. Then German nomadic tribes appeared here - Danes, Angles and Saxons. Over a long period of time, migrants gradually assimilated. In other words, the current population of Denmark descended precisely from these nomads, while retaining minor linguistic, anatomical and linguistic differences. The share of immigrants in the state is only 6%.

resettlement

In total, about two million families live in the country, most of which have separate houses. The largest share local residents is between the ages of 18 and 66. Only 15% of Danes are representatives of the City of Denmark, along with this, they are mainly small villages in which the number of inhabitants does not exceed 15 thousand people.

The largest city in the country is its capital, Copenhagen. Taking into account the surroundings, about two million people live here. More than 42% of the state's inhabitants are on the island of Zealand, on which Copenhagen is located. Other major cities of the country are Aarhus with a population of 275 thousand people, Odense (183 thousand) and Aalborg (160 thousand). Almost 2.4 million citizens live in the Jutland region, and their population density per each square kilometer here is 81 people.

Employment

Thanks to a well-developed economy, Denmark is one of the European leaders in this indicator. The occupations of the population here are mainly related to the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises, of which there are more than 430 thousand in the country. This kind of business structure makes the state economy very flexible and able to respond quickly to changes in the market. A significant proportion of the population is employed in the public sector. Agriculture and high technologies are considered quite developed. In general, it can be said about the Danes that they work little, because here it is 33 hours, which is the minimum figure in the European Union. Due to the high level of social protection in the country, many local residents do not work anywhere at all. The high level of local wages in relation to labor productivity should also be noted.

Language

The population of Denmark speaks state language. In addition to it, many local residents (especially young people) speak English, French and German quite well, because they are included in the compulsory school curriculum. The Danish language can be briefly described as not very beautiful, but economical. It contains a large number of words with different meanings, so intonation and context play an important role in communication. Its features cannot be clearly conveyed in transcription. Since it is customary to pronounce consonants very softly, it can be very difficult to catch them. Despite the fact that it is not very similar to the languages ​​of other Scandinavian countries, Swedes, Norwegians and Danes understand each other quite well. Be that as it may, the locals are very tolerant of all people who make efforts to speak with them in their native language.

Religion

Almost the entire believing population of Denmark belongs to Evangelical Lutherans. About 84% of local residents are members of the Danish Folk Church, which enjoys a strong state support and refers to one of the forms of Lutheranism. Be that as it may, freedom of religion in the country is guaranteed by law. AT last years characteristic was the trend of some decline in the number of its adherents, who become fans of the ancient pagan Scandinavian beliefs. The Danes are forced to formalize their departure legally, which allows them to avoid paying mandatory taxes, which are provided for in all Lutheran states. As for other faiths, the most significant religious minorities in the country are Muslims, Catholics, Baptists and Jews.

Peculiarities

In general, the Danes can be called quite peaceful, reserved and calm people. They are very tactful, honest, literate and not boring, like some other Scandinavians. Another feature that the people of Denmark can boast of is beauty. This is not surprising, because they are descendants of the Vikings. Local children are very fond of playing with dolls, and many even collect them. It is not customary to refuse food out of politeness. It is considered bad manners to visit Danes for dinner without taking a bottle of wine with you. However, if you bring another drink with you, no one will be offended by this. Along with this, it should be remembered that strong drinks in this country are quite expensive in value, so it is customary to drink wine here on holidays. In the whole state it is difficult to meet a Dane who does not like beer. As a rule, Carlsberg and Tuborg are preferred here.