Denmark

Denmark is the country that occupies the Jutland peninsula, which extends north from the center of the Western European continent, and the archipelago of more than 400 islands east of the peninsula. Jutland covers more than two-thirds of the country's land area. The largest of the country's islands are Zealand, Vendsyssel-Thy and Funen. Together with Norway and Sweden, Denmark is part of the northern European region known as Scandinavia. The capital of the country, Copenhagen, is located mainly on the island of Zealand. Denmark has played a significant role in European history, despite its small size and population. In prehistoric times, deciduous forests of oak, elm, lime and beech covered much of the area before the land was cleared for agriculture. Today, about one-tenth of the area is covered by forest. After the ice age, huge numbers of large mammals, including moose, brown bears and wild boars, became extinct under the pressure of human expansion and intensive agricultural systems. However, deer are increasingly occupying the landscape, and large-antlered red deer can be seen in Jutland's forests. The country is also home to smaller mammals such as rabbits and hedgehogs. The number of birds is abundant, with more than 300 species, about half of which breed in the country. The Faroe Islands and Greenland, both in the North Atlantic, also belong to the Kingdom of Denmark. Each of these territories has its own history, language and culture. The Faroe Islands were granted home rule in 1948 and Greenland in 1979, but foreign policy and defense remain under Danish control.