Facts about Denmark

Location:    

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Zealand and Funen)

Area:  

• Total: 43,094 sq km
• Land: 42,434 sq km
• Freshwater: 660 sq km
• Coastline: 7,314 km

Population:    

5,500,510 people (July 2009 est.)

• Median age: total: 40.5 years
• Population growth rate: 0.28% (2009 est.)
• Urban population: 87% of total population (2008)
• Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.3 years
• Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Religion:    

Protestant Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Christian denominations (includes other Protestants and Roman Catholics) 3%, Islam 2%

Language:    

Danish.

Note: English is the predominant second language

Literacy:   

Total population: 99% (definition: age 15 and over who can read and write)

Food:    

Based on comments from previous Global Line participants, it is important to state that the food in Denmark is different from the what students are used to.

There are three main meals in Denmark: breakfast, lunch and dinner. The large hot meal of the day is usually served in the evening. It normally consists of meat (pork, beef, lamb or fish) with gravy and a source of starch (non-sugar carbohydrates) such as boiled potatoes, rice or pasta, supplemented by salad and/or cabbage. For lunch it is very common to serve a variety of open sandwiches consisting of rye-bread with slices of roast pork or beef, ham and cold meat balls, liver pâté, cheese, spread, eggs etc.

Meal time in Denmark is usually seen as quality time. The day’s activities are debated over the meal, and plans for the next day are laid. The Danes enjoy inviting family and friends home for dinner, because sharing a meal offers a chance to connect and celebrate family life.

Climate and weather:   

The Danish weather can be rather unpredictable. During the Global Line course you will experience three out of four seasons: late summer, autumn and winter.  

Therefore you will have to endure variations in average temperature from 15.7°C in August to 1.6°C in December. Precipitation varies from 67 mm in August to 79 mm in November. The change in seasons in Denmark also means that the days get shorter and shorter until 21 December. In August the sun rises around 5.30 am and sets at 9.30 pm, but in December the sun rises at around 8.30 am and sets at 3.45 pm, providing only 7 hours of daylight.