Denmark

Denmark is a country in northern Europe. It is made up of the Jutland Peninsula and more than 400 islands in the North Sea. It shares a border with Germany to the south. The country is almost two times the size of Massachusetts. Denmark's terrain is mostly flat, with gently rolling hills. During the Ice Age, glaciers moved slowly across the landmass and shaped the country that exists today. Denmark has a long coastline with many lagoons, gulfs and inlets. No part of Denmark is more than 32 miles from the sea. Denmark is a constitutional monarchy. It has a representative parliamentary system with a head of government - the prime minister - and a head of state - the monarch - who officially retains executive power, although duties are strictly representative and ceremonial. The capital city is Copenhagen, and the spoken languages are Danish and some German. English is the predominant second language. Faroese is spoken in the Faroe Islands, Greenlandic in Greenland, as mentioned, both dependencies of the kingdom.

The people of Denmark are known as Danes. They are Nordic Scandinavians, many of which are blond, blue-eyed and tall.

The "national dish of Denmark" is Stegt Flæsk - pieces of pork, fried until crisp, and then served with boiled potatoes and parsley sauce. To make Stegt Flæsk, a cut of pork with the rind still attached is sliced through the skin in narrow strips. The skin is then rubbed with salt, pepper, bay leaves, and cloves before being roasted in an oven. When the skin bubbles up and becomes crispy, the pork roast is ready to serve. Stegt Flæsk is often enjoyed with boiled white potatoes, caramelized potatoes, pickled red cabbage, pickled cucumber, and gravy. Medisterpølse refers to an aromatic and slightly sweet Danish sausage made with spiced minced pork, suet, chopped onions, and various spices like cloves, allspice, salt and pepper. It’s typically boiled for a few minutes and then fried in butter before being served with plain boiled or steamed potatoes, pickled beets, and a thick brown gravy. Frikadeller refers to the Danish version of pan-fried meatballs that’s also popular in the cuisines of Poland and Germany. It is typically made with minced veal, pork, or beef mixed with onions, eggs, milk, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. The mixture is formed into balls which are slightly flattened and then pan-fried in butter, margarine, or vegetable oil. It is often served as a main course or side dish, often with boiled white potatoes and cooked red cabbage.

Denmark was once covered with trees, but almost all of the original forest has been chopped down. The largest mammal living in Denmark today is the red deer. There are about 300 species of birds in Denmark. During the summer, many different butterfly species can be found in Denmark. Denmark has been named the ‘world’s happiest country’ by a number of international surveys. This accolade can be attributed to the country’s culture of collective responsibility, gender parity, excellent healthcare and education systems, high levels of parental leave, low crime rates and a love of outdoor pursuits. Like other Scandinavian cultures, equality, fairness and family time is fundamental to Danish society.

Activity 1: Read the text and answer the questions: