Denmark

Denmark, the Danes and their horses

Denmark is situated in the northern part of Europe with Germany as its closest neighbor to the south.

Denmark is a small country with some 5.3 million inhabitants. It is, however, also a very old country whose written history can be traced back more than 1,000 years. And furthermore, archaeological finds have revealed a Danish history that is over 6,000 years old.

Many people associate Denmark with the world-famous author, Hans Christian Andersen, and his wonderful fairytales. Even today, Denmark is widely known as a fairytale country.

Denmark is traditionally an agricultural country, but today it also embraces a high-tech industry based on state-of-the-art production methods. Danish brand names like Bang & Olufsen and LEGO need no further introduction. The Danish monarchy is the world's oldest and the royal family can be traced back more than 1,000 years. The present monarch, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, has ruled the country since 1972. She has two sons of which the oldest, HRH Crown Prince Frederick, will be the next king of Denmark.

Denmark has always had close relations to the United States. In the beginning of the 20th century many Danes emigrated to America in the pursuit of a better future. A large number of those emigrants settled in Minnesota.

Each year thousands of Danes and Danish-Americans celebrate the 4th of July. The celebrations take place in beautiful surroundings and features speeches by prominent Danes and Americans. Among them Jimmy Carter and the Danish queen, who is a frequent participant in the celebrations.

The capital of Denmark is Copenhagen, situated on the island Zealand - now connected to the rest of the country by the world's longest suspension bridge, Storebæltsbroen, which was completed in 1998.

A wealth of tourists and business people pay a visit to Copenhagen each year. The Danish capital is rich on attractions, entertainment and cultural events. And there is even a chance of meeting the Queen on a shopping trip.

The royal family is very devoted to the Danish equestrian scene. The Queen's sister, Princess Benedicte, is an experienced rider and a serious breeder of Danish horses. Her daughter, Princess Nathalie, is a skilled dressage rider who currently has good prospects of qualifying for a position on the Danish national team for the next Olympic Games in Sidney.