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To the south of Norway and Sweden, separated from them by the North Sea, is the country of Denmark, connected to Europe by a narrow portion of land which is part of Germany. Denmark "juts" out into the North Sea, hence the name for this particular piece of land, Jutland. However, Denmark also consists of a few large islands, and several smaller ones. Indeed, the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen, is located on the country's largest island, Zealand - which is closer to Sweden than to Jutland. Zealand is separated from Jutland by another island entirely, Fyn, but is only separated from Sweden by a narrow strait.

History
Humans have lived in what is now Denmark since pre-historic times, but the country's ancient history is perhaps most famous for its Viking explorers and conquerors, from the 700s to the 1100s AD. In the 1800s there was war with England, and by the end of the century the country adopted a policy of strict neutrality, which saw it through WWI and WWII (although there was much secret resistance activity toward the Nazis during WWII.

After the war, Denmark, as well as the rest of the Scandinavian countries, became quite prosperous. Today, their industries include exporting crude oil, windpower, aircraft and machinery. Tourism is also a thriving industry.

Attractions in Denmark
The capital city of Copenhagen, located on the island of Zealand, is as old as the country itself, having been founded around the 11th century. Today, its inner city still has many medieval buildings. Ancient castles and churches abound, and lovers of history will visit dozens of museums covering all aspects of Danish and European life.

Copenhagen is famous for its amusement park, the Tivoli, which has one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the world (it was built in 1914) and the world's tallest carousel. Visitors to the Tivoli can enjoy music, walk along fragrant gardens, take sophisticated roller coaster rides, and enjoy fireworks twice a week. Copenhagen is also famous for its nightlife - its jazz clubs open around midnight and really get rocking in the wee hours.

Roskilde, another ancient Danish city, also on the island of Zealand, is rich in maritime heritage. About 40 years ago, five 11th-century Viking ships were found in Roskilde Fjord. They had been sunk to act as a barrier against pirates trying to attack the city. The ships were well-preserved in the cold water, have been raised, and are on display at the Roskilde Museum.

The island of Fin has the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, among other delights.

Arhus, Denmark's second largest city, located on Jutland, is one of the oldest in the country. It has the country's largest cathedral - indeed, the second largest in all of Europe. Construction on the Arhus Cathedral began in 1190.

The Aarhus Kunstmuseum, has Denmark's largest art collection - outside the city of Copenhagen. Aarhus also has an Open Air Museum of Urban History and Culture, which features 75 historical houses from across Denmark, along with gardens and a toy museum.

Lovers of old and new will find something to enjoy in Denmark.

Copenhagen Copenhagen - The city of Hans Christian Andersen.