Fun Facts about Denmark

As you may know or as you may have experienced already, Denmark has many interesting traditions and fun facts that make us a unique society. This article would like to explore at least 10 of these fun facts and perhaps make you fall in love with Denmark all over again.    

  1. We have been voted the happiest country in the world on many different occasions. We are currently second on the UN World Happiness Report, but that’s still something and we are proud of this fact!    

  1. The Danish language is very direct which is described perfectly by the fact that we don’t have a word for “please”. This may sound strange but there is no direct translation for this word in Danish, and therefore we are not used to saying it. So, if the Danes are forgetting to say please in English, don’t take it personally.   

  1. We have the oldest flag in the world. “The Dannebrog” was first acknowledged in 1219, and is used to celebrate national holidays but also special occasions especially birthdays or graduations or even welcoming someone home from the airport. The Flag is a happy symbol in our society and we are proud to be celebrating 800 years as an independent nation with its own flag.   

  1. As previously mentioned, we have a word that encapsulates the feeling of being included and of feeling cosy, it is the word “hygge”. Hygge is a big part of our culture, and is felt in every home, family, and every street in Copenhagen. The creation of social wellness, the intimate togetherness with family and friends, the warm atmosphere you create around you, this is what Hygge is all about.   

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  1. Danish pastries have been made famous around the world, but this typical Danish delicacy was invented by Austrian chefs in the 1840s who had settled in Denmark at the time. It is our well-kept secret but our famous Danish pastry or “Wienerbrød” directly translated to “Vienna bread   

  1. Denmark has no mountains. We are an incredibly flat country which makes it possible and more convenient to ride your bike everywhere. We are a country made for bicyclists and have a very advanced bike infrastructure including bike lanes and traffic lights. We even have a cycling embassy and more than 50% of the population bikes every day to work or school with an average of 3km per day. Biking is the preferred method of transportation, only 4 out of 10 Danes owns a car, but 9 out of 10 Danes own a bike.   

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  1. Danish Alphabet has 3 additional vowels: Æ, Ø, Å . It is commonly known that Danish is one of the hardest languages to learn due to its silent letters and difficult pronunciations. These three letters are a challenge to pronounce, and you will not come across it in any other languages besides those from Scandinavia.   

  1. There are some interesting traditions in Denmark that are based on historical events and folklore. For example, instead of Halloween, we celebrate “Fastelavn” which comes from the Roman Catholic tradition of having a carnival several days before Lent. Denmark does not typically celebrate Lent as we are a Protestant country but instead, we celebrate “Fastelavn”. “Fastelavn” is mostly a fun carnival for children and includes hitting a barrel with a bat while dressed in costume. The barrel is decorated and filled with candy for the children. Whoever breaks the barrel is crowned the “King of cats” and the person who hits the last piece of the barrel is crowned the “Queen of Cats”. Another interesting tradition to mention is the party we have on Midsummer’s Eve, June 23, which is the summer solstice and is tied to the feast of Saint John the Baptist, which is why the day is called “Sankt Hans”. We celebrate Sankt Hans by gathering around to watch the burning of a large bonfire, which is a way to typically ward off evil spirits.   

  1. Denmark has the two oldest amusement parks in the world. Bakken is the oldest operating amusement parks in the world; it was opened in 1583 and is just a 20 minute train ride from Copenhagen. Tivoli Gardens, is the next oldest amusement park and pleasure garden in the world, and is based in the center of Copenhagen. It opened in 1843 and has said to have been inspiration to the famous “Disney World” amusement park.   

  

  1. Denmark has 444 islands, but only 76 are inhabited with residents. There are so many opportunities to go on an island getaway that you can easily reach by train, car, bike, ferry or even plane. Some favourite islands to go and see are: Bornholm, Samsø and Læsø.    

  1. The harbour in Copenhagen is clean enough to swim. In fact, the way the docks are designed, they encourage you to take a dip, such as in Islands Brygge, Kalvebod Brygge, or in Nordhavn.   

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  1. “Jantelov” is basically an unspoken Danish law that no one is better than the other. This plays a key part in our culture and mentality which is that everyone is accepted and equal. For example, you will not boast about a big promotion to colleagues or be celebrated by others for your purchase of a new Ferrari.   

I hope you enjoyed finding out more about Denmark. Please let us know in the forum discussion if you have experienced any of these fun facts or if you would like to mention another experience that you found out on your trip to Denmark. 


Last modified: Thursday, 23 February 2023, 12:27 PM