The Kingdom of Denmark (Danish: Kongeriget Danmark),commonly known as Denmark , is a country situated in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries . The mainland is bordered to the south by Germany; Denmark is located to the southwest of Sweden and the south of Norway. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea. The country consists of a large peninsula, Jutland (Jylland) and a large number of islands, most notably Zealand (Sjælland), Funen (Fyn), Vendsyssel-Thy, Lolland, Falster and Bornholm as well as hundreds of minor islands often referred to as the Danish Archipelago. Denmark has long controlled the approach to the Baltic Sea, and these waters are also known as the Danish straits. The Faroe Islands and Greenland are autonomous provinces of Denmark with home rule.

Denmark is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. It is a member of NATO and the European Union, having joined the European Economic Community in 1973. The national capital and the largest city is Copenhagen. Originally a seafaring nation relying on fishing, farming and trade, Denmark experienced steady industrialization in the 19th and 20th centuries and developed the Scandinavian model welfare state. In 2006 and 2007, surveys ranked Denmark as "the happiest place in the world," based on standards of health, welfare, and education. In 2007 Copenhagen was ranked the third most livable city in the world by Monocle magazine.

Christiansborg Palace, the Danish Parliament building
Colorful Nyhavn section of Copenhagen		Queen Margrethe II (head of state since 1972)

Danish cities are filled with gracious plazas, statues, fountains, gardens crisscrossed with wide, tree-lined walkways, open-air markets, flower vendors on street corners, museums, galleries, and little cafes offering strong coffee and delectable pastries. In Copenhagen, the traditional changing of the guard ceremony takes place in front of the queen's palace.

Danes are friendly ("If you have to throw yourself on the mercy of anyone," it has been said, "let it be a Dane"), English-speaking, and fun-loving. And they come from a great literary and artistic heritage that includes the writers Hans Christian Andersen and Isak Dinesen, the philosopher Soren Kierkegaard , the choreographer August Bournonville, and the designer Georg Jensen.

The Opera House in Copenhagen
Hans Christian Andersen's childhood house in Odense		The statue of Little Mermaid in Copenhagen Harbor

• 3-Letter abbreviation: DEN
• 2-Letter abbreviation: DK
• Country common name: Denmark
• Country official name: Kingdom of Denmark
• Continent: Europe
• Capital: Copenhagen
• Other major cities: Århus, Odense, Ålborg, Esbjerg, Randers, Elseneur, Kolding, Herning, Horsens, Vejle, Roskilde, Naestved
• Currency: Danish korone
• Official languages: Danish
• Motto: "The help of God, the love of people, the greatness of Denmark."

• Surface area: 43,094 km²
• Highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m
• Neighboring countries: Germany
• Neighboring seas and oceans: North Sea, Baltic Sea