Denmark, officially the Kingdom of Denmark, is a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe, encompassing the Jutland Peninsula and over 400 islands—primarily Zealand, Funen, and Bornholm—with a total area of ~43,100 km² and a population of around 6 million. It is the southernmost of the Scandinavian nations, bordering Germany and flanked by the North and Baltic Seas.

Politically, Denmark operates under a Folketing system—an elected unicameral parliament—led by a prime minister. The hereditary monarch, currently Frederik X, holds largely ceremonial roles. The country ranks high in indices of social welfare, governance, and democratic stability, epitomizing the Nordic model with strong public services and broad consensus-style policymaking .

Denmark is a leader in global warming and sustainability efforts. It established the world’s first environmental ministry in 1971, passed landmark environmental legislation in 1973, and ranks first in the Climate Change Performance Index since 2020 . Recent initiatives include phasing out new oil and gas licenses (from 2020) and a bold push toward plant-based agriculture with ~$200 million allocated to promote sustainable food systems .

The history of Denmark dates back to the Vikings and eighth-century consolidation. It led the Kalmar Union (1397) with Norway and Sweden until 1523; later it governed Norway until 1814. After abolishing absolutism in 1849, Denmark transitioned to constitutional democracy, survived WWII occupation, joined NATO in 1949, and entered the EU in 1973 . It maintains deep cultural, political, and linguistic ties with Sweden and Norway, emphasizing shared Scandinavian values and mutual intelligibility of their languages.