Our journey brings us to Denmark, the southernmost of the Scandinavian countries and consistently ranked as one of the happiest nations on Earth. There are around 6 million people living in Denmark itself, but the Kingdom also includes the Faroe Islands and the massive island of Greenland. The capital is Copenhagen, a city famous for its colorful harbor, cycling culture, and the concept of hygge (a special feeling of coziness). The official language is Danish.
Denmark covers about 43,094 square kilometers (16,638 square miles), but when you include Greenland, the Kingdom becomes a global giant of around 2.2 million square kilometers (850,000 square miles). To imagine its total size, the Kingdom is roughly three times the size of the state of Texas in the U.S.. It is larger than the combined area of France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the UK. Most of this area is the ice-covered wilderness of Greenland, the world’s largest island.
Greenland became part of Denmark through a long history of Norse exploration and colonial expansion. It began with Viking settlers like Erik the Red in the 10th century, and later, in the 1700s, Denmark sent missionaries and traders to re-establish a presence. Over time, the relationship shifted from a colony to an equal part of the Danish Realm, and today Greenland is an autonomous territory with its own local government and parliament.
The most popular sports are Football and Handball, and the country is also a world leader in professional Cycling. Their national animal is the Mute Swan, a graceful bird that inspired the famous Danish author Hans Christian Andersen to write The Ugly Duckling.
The Danish flag features a red field with a white Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges, where the red represents the blood of battle and the white cross symbolizes Christianity. Greenland has its own flag with a red and white circle, where the white represents the glaciers and the red represents the sun and the ocean.
The food is focused on fresh, local ingredients and traditional preparation. You must try Smørrebrød, which are beautiful open-faced sandwiches built on dark rye bread. For a sweet treat, you can’t miss a real Danish Pastry (which locals actually call wienerbrød), made with flaky layers of butter and filled with jam or custard.
Denmark is home to LEGO, the world-famous building bricks that were invented in the small town of Billund. It is also the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, who wrote timeless stories like The Little Mermaid. Denmark is a leader in green energy, and you will see giant wind turbines spinning everywhere. In Greenland, you can find the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO site where massive icebergs break off from one of the fastest-moving glaciers in the world.
From the sandy dunes of Jutland to the towering icebergs of the Arctic, the Kingdom of Denmark is a land of incredible contrast and history. Tak! That means “Thank you!”