DENMARK.

ROLCAM · Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:10 am Post subject: DENMARK.

Denmark is a small kingdom in northern Europe that is almost surrounded by water. It consists of a peninsula and 482 nearby islands. The peninsula, called Jutland, shares a 42-mile (68-kilometer) border with Germany. Greenland, off the northeastern coast of Canada, is a province of Denmark even though it lies 1,300 miles (2,090 kilometers) away. The Faroe Islands, north of Scotland, are a self-governing part of the Danish kingdom. Denmark, along with Norway and Sweden, is one of the Scandinavian countries.

More than half of the Danes (people of Denmark) live on the islands near the peninsula. Copenhagen, the capital and largest city of Denmark, is on the largest island. About a fourth of all Danes live in the Copenhagen area, and almost half of the country's manufacturing industries are located there.

Denmark has one of the world's highest standards of living. The Danes have achieved prosperity even though their land is poor in natural resources. They sell their products to other countries to pay for the fuels and metals they must import for their industries.

Denmark is famous for its butter, cheese, bacon, ham, and other processed foods. The country is also known for its beautifully designed manufactured goods. These goods include furniture, porcelain, and silverware. Since the Viking era, the Danes have been a seafaring people, and Denmark is still known as a great shipping and fishing nation.

Denmark is a land of small green farms, blue lakes, and white coastal beaches. The carefully tended farmlands make up about three-fourths of the country. In the farm areas, the roofs of most houses are made of red or blue tiles, or are thatched. Storks, which the Danes believe bring good luck, build nests on some rooftops. Castles and windmills rise above the rolling landscape. Visitors can enjoy Denmark's charm even in the busy, modern cities, with their well-preserved sections of colorful old buildings and cobblestone streets.

Government

National government. Denmark is a constitutional monarchy with a king or queen, a prime minister and cabinet, and a parliament. The government is based on the Danish Constitution of 1953, which divides the government into three branches--executive, legislative, and judicial. The monarch serves as head of state but has little real power.

The monarch appoints the prime minister of Denmark. The prime minister must have the support of a majority of the members of the Danish parliament. If one political party controls a clear parliamentary majority, the leader of that party normally becomes the prime minister. However, the large number of parties in Denmark makes it almost impossible for any single party to win a majority. If no party has a majority, the person who can gain the support of the strongest coalition (combination of parties) becomes the prime minister. A prime minister who receives a vote of no confidence from the parliament must either (1) resign, along with the rest of the cabinet; or (2) ask the monarch to dissolve the parliament and call a national election.

The prime minister heads the cabinet. The cabinet consists of a variable number of ministers, each of whom normally heads a government department. The monarch selects the members of the cabinet based on the prime minister's recommendations. The main executive powers are exercised by the cabinet in the monarch's name. However, the cabinet remains in power only as long as it has the support of a majority of the members of parliament.

Other high officials in Denmark, including judges, are named by the monarch on the advice of the cabinet. The parliament appoints an official called an ombudsman, who investigates citizens' complaints against actions or decisions by the government (see OMBUDSMAN).

The Danish parliament, called the Folketing, consists of one house. It has 179 members, who are elected to four-year terms. One hundred seventy-five are elected from Denmark, 2 from Greenland, and 2 from the Faroe Islands. Of the seats from Denmark, 135 are filled by elections in voting districts, and 40 are divided among the various political parties according to their share of the total votes in the election. All Danish citizens at least 18 years old may vote.

Members of the Folketing discuss and vote on proposed legislation. Certain kinds of bills passed by the Folketing are subject to approval by the Danish voters. The people of Denmark also must be given the opportunity to vote on a bill if one-third of the Folketing's members call for such action.

Courts. Denmark's highest court is the Supreme Court. It consists of 15 judges, at least 5 of whom must hear each case. There are also two High Courts, with a total of about 50 judges. At least 3 High Court judges and a jury of 12 persons hear serious criminal cases. A jury verdict of innocent is final, but the judges may reverse a verdict of guilty. The judges and jurors act together to set the length of prison sentences. There are more than 100 lower courts.

Local government. Denmark is divided into 14 counties and 2 large municipalities--Copenhagen and Frederiksberg. The 14 counties are subdivided into almost 300 smaller municipalities. In most cases, a municipality consists of an urban center and a rural area. Each county and municipality in Denmark has a council elected by the people. Each council selects a mayor to head the local government.

Politics. Denmark's main political parties are the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party. The Social Democrats support strong social welfare programs, full employment, and public ownership of the means of production. The Liberals support free trade and the adoption of a general social security system.

Denmark's other political parties include the Centre Democrats, the Conservative People's Party, the Progress Party, the Red-Green Alliance, the Social Liberals, and the Socialist People's Party.

Armed forces. A total of more than 30,000 people serve in Denmark's army, navy, and air force. Men from 20 to 25 years of age may be drafted for nine months' service in the armed forces.

People

Copenhagen, Denmark's capital, is also the country's largest city. About a fourth of all Danes live in Copenhagen or its suburbs. Three other cities in Denmark have populations of more than 100,000. These cities are, in order of size, arhus, Odense, and alborg.

Ancestry. The Danes make up more than 99 percent of Denmark's population. The Danes are closely related to the Norwegians and the Swedes. Denmark's only ethnic minority group consists of people of German ancestry. These people live in southern Jutland, along Denmark's border with Germany.

Language. Danish, the official language of Denmark, is closely related to the Norwegian and Swedish languages. Regional dialects abound and are especially noticeable in northern Jutland and on the island of Bornholm. German is spoken by the ethnic German minority. Virtually all adult Danes also speak English.

Way of life

City life. The principal cities of Copenhagen, arhus, Odense, and alborg feature a striking combination of medieval structures, such as castles and cathedrals, and modern office buildings and homes. Denmark's high standard of living and extensive social welfare services ensure that the cities have virtually no slums or substandard housing. Most city dwellers live in apartment buildings. Many suburban residents live in single-family houses. Service industries employ most people in urban areas.

Danish cities are served by an extensive network of public transportation. Modern trains whisk people from the suburbs to the city centers. Trains also link cities to one another. Bicycles, buses, and automobiles provide the chief means of transportation within the cities. The growth of the urban population and the resulting increase in the number of cars and trucks have led to problems of traffic congestion and pollution, especially in Copenhagen. Industrial pollution, however, has decreased, as many urban factories that once burned coal for power now rely on natural gas.

Rural life. Although cities dominate Denmark's economic and social life, the nation's many farms and rural villages show the continuing importance of agriculture. Danish farms are not large, and most are owned and operated by the people who live on them. Most of Denmark's rural residents live in modernized single-family homes.

Food and drink. Most Danes eat four meals a day--breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a late-evening supper. Breakfast generally consists of cereal, cheese, or eggs. Dinner, which includes fish or meat, is usually the only hot meal. A favorite traditional Danish dinner consists of roast duckling stuffed with apples and prunes, served with red cabbage and boiled potatoes.

The chief part of the other Danish meals consists of open-faced sandwiches called smorrebrod. One sandwich may be a pyramid-shaped pile of about 20 small shrimps on thin bread. The Danes often prepare a plate of smorrebrod almost as a work of art, with many attractive sandwiches.

Denmark is famous for rich, flaky raised sweet rolls that are often called Danish pastries. Danes especially enjoy a nut-filled coffeecake called kringle. Typical desserts eaten by Danes include berry puddings and rice pudding.

The Danish people typically drink coffee with breakfast and during morning and afternoon breaks from work. Many Danes drink beer with meals. On special occasions, they also may drink aquavit, a strong liquor slightly flavored with caraway.

Religion. About 97 per cent of the Danish people belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the official church of Denmark. The monarch is required by law to belong to the church, but the people have complete freedom to worship as they please. The church is supported largely by a national tax paid only by members. The Evangelical Lutheran Church has no supreme spiritual leader. Ten bishops manage church affairs. The Danish parliament has control of the church but does not interfere in its religious practices. Roman Catholics make up Denmark's second largest religious group.

Education. Almost all adult Danes can read and write. Danish law requires children to attend nine years of school. Elementary school consists of the first seven grades, and high school lasts from three to five years. A five-year high school education makes a student eligible to enter a university. Denmark has three universities. The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest. It was founded in 1479 and has about 24,000 students. The other universities are those of arhus and Odense.

The famous Danish folk high schools operate separately from the public educational system. They are private schools, but are supported largely by government funds. These schools provide young adults with a general education in Danish government, history, and literature. Courses last up to six months, and the students live at the schools. Denmark has about 20 folk high schools. The first ones were founded in the mid-1800's to help young farmers take a more active part in Denmark's political and social life. Today, the schools also attract many young adults of the cities and towns.

Libraries and museums. The chief libraries include the Royal Library in Copenhagen, founded in the mid-1600's. It is Denmark's national library, and has about 21/2 million books. Other leading libraries in Denmark include the University Library in Copenhagen, and the State and University Library in arhus. The Danish government supports a nationwide system of about 250 public libraries.

Denmark also has about 280 museums. Many important museums are located in Copenhagen. The National Museum houses exhibits that document Danish history from prehistoric through modern times. Fine paintings and sculptures by Danish and other European artists are on display in the State Museum of Art. The New Carlsberg Glyptotek features ancient Egyptian, Etruscan, Greek, and Roman art. The Louisiana Museum, south of Helsingor, is noted for its collection of modern art. The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde houses five Viking ships dating from the A.D. 1000's.

Arts. Many Danes have won fame in the arts, especially in literature. Ludvig Holberg is known as the father of modern Danish literature. During the early 1700's, he wrote poems and plays that poked fun at Danish society (see HOLBERG, LUDVIG). Johannes Ewald, who did much of his writing during the 1770's, became one of Denmark's greatest lyric poets.

Important literary works of the 1800's include the romantic poems of Adam Oehlenschlager and the hymns of N. F. S. Grundtvig. Hans Christian Andersen won world fame for his fairy tales and is probably Denmark's best-known writer (see ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN). The books of Soren Kierkegaard strongly influenced the development of the modern philosophy called existentialism (see KIERKEGAARD, SOREN).

Henrik Pontoppidan and Johannes V. Jensen rank among the most important Danish novelists of the early 1900's. Each won the Nobel Prize for literature, as did Karl Gjellerup. Other noted Danish writers include Thorkild Bjornvig, Isak Dinesen, Martin A. Hansen, and Martin Andersen Nexo. See DINESEN, ISAK.

Carl A. Nielsen is considered Denmark's greatest musical composer. He wrote six symphonies and many other works, including the comic opera Maskarade (see NIELSEN, CARL A.). In the field of dance, the ballet master August Bournonville made the most significant Danish contribution. The Royal Danish Ballet flowered under his direction during the mid-1800's, and today it enjoys a worldwide reputation.

Noted Danish painters include Michael Ancher, C. W. Eckersberg, Oluf Host, Christen Kobke, P. S. Kroyer, Theodor Philipsen, and William Scharff. Denmark's leading sculptor was Bertel Thorvaldsen. His statue of Christ in the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen is one of his most famous sculptures (see THORVALDSEN, BERTEL).

The Danish film director Carl Dreyer is regarded as a major figure in cinema history. His film The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) is considered a masterpiece. In recent years, two Danish films have won the Academy Award for best foreign-language film: Babette's Feast (1987), directed by Gabriel Axel, and Pelle the Conqueror (1988), directed by Bille August.

Outstanding works of Danish design include the silverware of Georg Jensen and the furniture of Kaare Klint and Arne Jacobsen. As an architect, Jacobsen became known for his precise grouping of simple structural elements. Jorn Utzon designed the famous saillike vaults of the Opera House in Sydney, Australia.

Recreation. Soccer is the most popular sport in Denmark. Other favorite sports include bicycling, gymnastics, rowing, sailing, swimming, and tennis. Danes have won Olympic and other world championships in mostof these sports, and also in archery, boxing, diving, fencing, riding, weightlifting, and wrestling.

Copenhagen is world famous for its Tivoli Gardens amusement park, which opened in 1843 in the heart of the city. The park offers ballet and pantomime, rides and shooting galleries, restaurants, circus acts, concerts, and fireworks displays.

Social welfare. Since the 1890's, Denmark has developed many social welfare programs. The country has social insurance plans that cover accidents, handicapping injuries, illness, old age, unemployment, and the death of husbands. Any person living in Denmark may join these programs. Most plans are managed by private, government-approved organizations, with costs shared by insured persons, employers, and the government. The government manages some plans, including aid for the aged and for widows, and pays the total cost.

The land

The peninsula of Jutland accounts for almost 70 per cent of the land in Denmark. However, most Danes live on about 100 nearby islands. The land is low throughout Denmark. The highest point, the hill of Yding Skovhoj on Jutland, rises only 568 feet (173 meters) above sea level. The land is covered mainly by moraine, the earth and stone deposited by melting glaciers thousands of years ago. The underlying rock can be seen in only a few areas.

Land regions. Denmark has five main land regions: (1) the Western Dune Coast, (2) the Western Sand Plains, (3) the East-Central Hills, (4) the Northern Flat Plains, and (5) Bornholm.

The Western Dune Coast consists chiefly of great sandy beaches that extend along almost the entire western coast. These beaches close off many long, narrow inlets called fiords that once were connected to the sea. In the southwest are marshes that the tide covers regularly.

The Western Sand Plains are almost flat. Water from ancient melting glaciers flowed over this region and deposited much sand, forming the plains.

The East-Central Hills make up Denmark's largest land region. This gently rolling region includes much of Jutland and almost all the nearby islands. Long, narrow fiords form natural harbors along the coastlines of the region.

The largest inlet is Lim Fiord, which winds across northern Jutland for 112 miles (180 kilometers). This fiord forms an inland lagoon 15 miles (24 kilometers) wide. A beach on the Western Dune Coast closes off the fiord's outlet to the North Sea. Small vessels use the Thyboron Canal to travel between Lim Fiord and the sea.

The islands in the region lie close together. Their deep moraine soils are the best farmlands in Denmark. The largest island, Sjaelland, is 2,713 square miles (7,027 square kilometers). Sjaelland is the most thickly populated part of Denmark. On this island stands most of Copenhagen, Denmark's capital and largest city. The rest of the city is on the island of Amager. Falster, Fyn, and Lolland are other important islands.

The Northern Flat Plains were once a part of the sea bottom. The region rose from the water when the weight of ancient glaciers was removed by melting. Many farms are in this region.

Bornholm and nearby small islands lie much closer to southern Sweden than to the rest of Denmark. Granite rock covers most of this region.

Lakes and rivers. Denmark has many small lakes. They formed in small hollows left in the ground by melting ice from the glaciers. Lake Arreso, the largest lake, covers 16 square miles (41 square kilometers). Denmark also has many short rivers. The longest one, Guden River, is 98 miles (158 kilometers) long.

Climate

Denmark has a mild, damp climate, chiefly because it is almost surrounded by water. In winter, seas are not so cold as land, and in summer they are not so warm. As a result, west winds from the seas warm Denmark in winter and cool it in summer. These winds affect Denmark's weather throughout the year. Also in winter, west winds bring some warmth from the North Atlantic Current of the Gulf Stream (see GULF STREAM). Denmark is small, so the climate does not differ much from area to area.

Winter temperatures average about 32 °F (0 °C) in Denmark, with the coldest days from 15 to 20 °F (-9 to -7 °C). The waters on the east may freeze over during especially cold winters. At these times, the waters cannot warm the cold winds and the weather may become bitterly cold. Summer temperatures average 63 °F (17 °C). The warmest weather usually varies from 75 to 82 °F (24 to 28 °C). Winds from eastern Europe may cause higher temperatures in especially hot summers.

Denmark receives a yearly average of about 24 inches (61 centimeters) of precipitation (rain, melted snow, and other forms of moisture). Western Denmark gets a little more precipitation than eastern Denmark because the moisture-bearing west winds reach it first. Rain falls throughout the year, with the most during August and October. Snow falls from 20 to 30 days a year, but usually melts quickly. Fog and mist occur frequently, especially on the west coast in winter.

Economy

Denmark has a strong economy, even though the country is poor in natural resources. Denmark obtains some natural gas and petroleum from wells in the North Sea. However, it still must import petroleum. Other mineral products of Denmark include chalk and industrial clays. Coal, as well as iron and most other metals, must be imported. Much of the soil in Denmark lacks nutrients, so it requires heavy use of fertilizers to make it productive. The land is flat or gently rolling, so the rivers cannot be used to generate hydroelectric power. Forests cover only about a tenth of the land and supply less than half of Denmark's wood. The seas that almost surround the country provide an inexpensive means of transportation by which Denmark can import its industrial needs and export its products. The seas are also rich in fish.

Service industries employ more than two-thirds of the Danish labor force. Service industries are economic activities that produce services, not goods. They include schools, hospitals, shops, hotels, restaurants, and government services. Banking, real estate, transportation, and communication are also service industries.

Manufacturing in Denmark has expanded rapidly since the mid-1900's and has replaced agriculture as the nation's second largest economic activity. The government has done much to promote manufacturing by expanding educational programs to train engineers, technicians, and skilled workers.

Nearly half of all Danish manufacturing is concentrated in the Copenhagen area. Danish factories produce high-quality goods, including stereos, television sets, furniture, porcelain, and silverware. Among Denmark's other products are diesel engines, machinery, pharmaceuticals, ships, textiles and clothing, and processed foods, which include bacon, butter, cheese, ham, and beer.

Agriculture. Farmland makes up about two-thirds of Denmark's total land area. Farms cover an average of about 100 acres (40 hectares). Until the 1880's, wheat was Denmark's most important farm product. Then wheat prices fell, and Danish farmers began to stress the production of eggs, hogs, and milk. They organized cooperative dairies and slaughterhouses, and shared equipment and profits. Today, cooperatives cover all branches of farming.

Raising hogs and beef or dairy cattle is the major activity on most Danish farms. Most crops are used for livestock feed. They include barley, potatoes, sugar beets, and rape (a leafy herb). Barley is grown on more of the nation's farmland than any other crop. About 60 percent of the country's farm production is exported as meat and dairy products.

Fishing. Danish fishing ships catch about 2 million short tons (1.8 million metric tons) of fish each year. Important fish include cod, herring, Norway pout, sand lances, sprat, and whiting. More than half the catch is taken from the North Sea. Esbjerg is Denmark's major fishing port.

Transportation. Denmark has an excellent road system. There are about 11/2 million automobiles in Denmark, or about one car for every four people. At least half of the people use bicycles for transportation, and many roads have separate bicycle lanes.

A government-owned railroad provides fast passenger service to most cities and towns. Train-carrying ferries connect many Danish islands with each other and with the mainland. The islands of Sjaelland and Falster are linked by the 10,535-foot (3,211-meter) Storstrom Bridge.

Denmark has many busy seaports, of which Copenhagen is the most important. Kastrup Airport, near Copenhagen, is one of Europe's largest air terminals. It handles about 12 million passengers a year.

Communication. Denmark has about 50 daily newspapers. The largest dailies include the Berlingske Tidende, B.T., Ekstra Bladet, and Politiken, all of Copenhagen.

Almost all Danish families own at least one radio and one television set. All radio and television broadcasting is handled by Radio Denmark, a public organization responsible to the Danish Ministry of Cultural Affairs. No advertising is allowed on the programs. The Danish people pay a yearly license fee for each radio and television set.

The government owns and operates the Danish telegraph system and long-distance telephone service. Most local telephone service is privately owned.

History

Early days. As long as 100,000 years ago, people lived in what is now Denmark. Great changes in the climate occurred, and the region became too cold for human life. The climate started to become warmer about 14,000 years ago, and continuous settlement began. Farming developed in the region about 3,000 B.C.

By the time of Christ, trade by sea had brought the people into close contact with leading civilizations. The contact expanded for hundreds of years. During this period, the Danes lived in small communities governed by local chieftains. About A.D. 950, all Denmark was united by King Harald Bluetooth. Harald fostered the spread of Christianity in Denmark.

About 800, Danish seafarers began raiding European coastal towns and sailing away with slaves and treasure. The Danish Vikings spread terror throughout much of western Europe for about 300 years. The Vikings gained control of England in 1016, and Danish kings ruled that country until 1042. See VIKINGS (The Danish Vikings).

A great power. During the late 1100's and early 1200's, Danish power expanded along the southern coast of the Baltic Sea to Estonia, which Denmark conquered in 1219. But a long period of civil wars and struggles with north German cities, beginning in the 1240's, greatly weakened the country.

Denmark regained its power under Queen Margaret, who became ruler of Denmark as regent for her young son in 1375. Margaret was also the wife of King Haakon VI of Norway. After he died in 1380, Margaret became regent of Norway as well as Denmark. In 1388, during political confusion in Sweden, Swedish nobles elected her to rule that country, too. In 1397, Margaret united Denmark, Norway, and Sweden in the Union of Kalmar, with power centered in Denmark. Sweden broke away from the union in 1523.

In 1536, during the Reformation, King Christian III established Lutheranism as the official religion of Denmark. That same year, Christian made Norway a province of Denmark.

Wars with Sweden. During the 1600's and 1700's, Sweden defeated Denmark in several wars fought for control of the Baltic Sea. In the Danish-Swedish War (1657-1660), Sweden won a great deal of Danish and Norwegian territory in what is now Sweden. Only pressure from England, France, and the Netherlands prevented Sweden from dividing Denmark itself. In the Great Northern War (1700-1721), Denmark tried unsuccessfully to win back the territory it had lost to Sweden.

In 1788, Denmark began freeing its serfs. These peasants had been bound to the land on which they worked. Educational reforms were begun during the early 1800's. Denmark sided with France in the Napoleonic Wars of that period and was defeated by Sweden in 1813. By the terms of the Treaty of Kiel in 1814, Denmark gave Norway to Sweden but kept Greenland and other Norwegian colonies.

The Schleswig wars. In 1848, the pressure of public opinion forced King Frederik VII to accept a democratic constitution for Denmark. The constitution was adopted in 1849. It granted the highest power of government to an elected two-house parliament.

Also in 1848, a revolt broke out in Holstein and Schleswig, two Danish duchies that were located just south of Denmark. These regions were ruled by the Danish king, though they were not part of Denmark. A revolutionary government of Schleswig-Holstein was established. This government wanted to throw off Danish control and join the German Confederation, of which Holstein was already a member. Danish troops defeated the rebels in 1850. In 1863, Schleswig was made a part of Denmark. Prussia and its ally, Austria, invaded Denmark in 1864. They won a quick victory and took over Schleswig and Holstein.

Social and political reforms. During the late 1800's, education, industry, and trade were expanded in Denmark. The Danes also developed cooperatives and improved their farming methods. At this time, the upper classes had special rights that gave them control of the upper house of the parliament. The small farmers and industrial workers formed political parties and struggled for political equality. A new constitution was adopted in 1915 during the reign of Christian X, who served as king from 1912 to 1947. By the terms of the constitution, the special rights of the upper classes were abolished, and Denmark became a parliamentary democracy.

Denmark remained neutral during World War I (1914-1918). After the war, Denmark granted independence to Iceland, a Danish colony. However, Iceland stayed united with Denmark until 1944, when it became a republic. In 1920, the Allies transferred North Schleswig to Denmark from Germany. Most people of the region had voted for the transfer.

World War II began in 1939. On April 9, 1940, German forces invaded Denmark, and the Danes surrendered after a few hours of fighting. The Germans allowed the Danish government to continue as long as it met their demands. But resistance groups developed and blew up factories and transportation facilities. The Germans took over the government of Denmark in August 1943.

In September 1943, the Danes organized the secret Freedom Council to lead the resistance movement. They also helped about 7,000 Danish Jews escape to Sweden. On May 5, 1945, after the fall of Germany, Allied troops entered Denmark and the Germans there surrendered. See WORLD WAR II.

Denmark became a charter member of the United Nations in 1945 and of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949. During the late 1940's, the United States gave Denmark much aid. The Danes rebuilt industries that had been damaged during the war, and the nation's economy became strong again.

Postwar years. Political reform and economic expansion in Denmark continued during the 1950's and 1960's. In 1953, a majority of Danish voters approved a new constitution that abolished the upper house of parliament. The constitution also made Greenland a province of Denmark, rather than a colony. In addition, Danish voters approved a law that permitted both males and females to inherit the throne.

In 1960, Denmark and six other European countries, including Britain, Norway, and Sweden, formed the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). EFTA regulates and promotes trade among its members (see EUROPEAN FREE TRADE ASSOCIATION). Denmark resigned from EFTA in 1972. In 1973, the country entered the European Community, an economic association of European nations.

In 1966, Denmark launched a massive economic development program in Greenland. The program called for the expansion and modernization of Greenland's towns and of its fishing and food-processing industries. In 1979, the Danish parliament granted home rule--that is, the power of local self-government--to Greenland.

King Frederik IX died in 1972. His oldest daughter, Margrethe, succeeded him to the throne.

Recent developments. During the 1970's and early 1980's, Denmark--like many countries--faced an economic recession. Economic growth slowed, and unemployment and inflation increased sharply. A number of political parties gained support as many voters expressed their frustration over the condition of Denmark's economy. In 1982, a Conservative-led coalition government replaced the government of the Social Democrats.

In 1993, Denmark and the other members of the European Community formed the European Union to increase economic and political cooperation among themselves. At that time, the European Community was incorporated into the European Union (see EUROPEAN UNION).

A coalition led by the Social Democrats regained control of the government in 1993. The economy has improved under the coalition, but Denmark still faces problems of environmental pollution, unemployment, and the high cost of welfare services.
_________________
Roland Camilleri

Moderator

Sydney , Australia.