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| Satellite imagine of Denmark in July 2001 |
Denmark is the
smallest and southernmost of the Nordic countries. It lies just north of its
neighbor Germany, southwest of Sweden, and south of Norway, and also includes a
small Arctic territory bordering Canada known as Hans Island. Denmark is
regarded as a Scandinavian country, even though it is not located on the
Scandinavian Peninsula—both because it historically encompassed territories on
the peninsula and due to its close cultural kinship with Norway and Sweden. To
the west lies the North Sea, while the Baltic Sea stretches to the southeast.
The straits of Øresund and the Kattegat separate Denmark from Sweden, whereas
the Skagerrak forms the maritime boundary between Denmark and Norway.
Denmark consists
of the Jutland Peninsula and approximately 1,419 islands larger than 100 m², of
which 443 are officially named. As of January 1, 2007, 72 of these islands were
inhabited. The largest include Zealand, the North Jutlandic Island (Vendsyssel-Thy),
and Funen. The island of Bornholm lies to the east of the rest of the country
in the Baltic Sea. Many of the larger islands are linked by bridges: the
Øresund Bridge connects Zealand with Sweden, the Great Belt Bridge links Funen
and Zealand, and the Little Belt bridges connect Funen with Jutland. Smaller
islands are served by ferries and light aircraft. Denmark’s largest cities are
Copenhagen (on Zealand), Aarhus, Aalborg, and Esbjerg (in Jutland), as well as
Odense (on Funen). Together with Equatorial Guinea, the United Arab Emirates,
and The Gambia, Denmark is among the few countries connected to a continent
whose capital is nevertheless situated on an island.
The northernmost
point of Denmark is Skagen Nordstrand, while the southernmost point is Gedser
Odde (the southern tip of the island of Falster). The westernmost point is
Blåvands Huk, and the easternmost is Østerskær, part of the Ertholmene
archipelago located 18 km northeast of Bornholm. The country spans 452 km from
east to west and 368 km from north to south.
Denmark is a
predominantly low-lying country with minimal variation in elevation. Its
average elevation is just 31 meters above sea level. The highest natural point
is Møllehøj (170.86 meters), located in the hilly region of Ejer Bjerge, which
also includes Yding Skovhøj (170.77 meters) and Ejer Bavnehøj (170.35 meters).
The lowest point is the reclaimed Lammefjord, where the land surface reaches as
much as 7.5 meters below sea level.
Extreme points
Coordinates in EUREF89; elevations in DVR90
- Northernmost
— Skagen Nordstrand: 57°45′ N
- Southernmost
— Gedser Odde: 54°34′ N
- Easternmost
— Østerskær (Christiansø): 15°12′ E
- Westernmost
— Blåvandshuk: 8°05′ E
- Highest
(natural) — Møllehøj: 170.86 m
- Highest
(artificial) — Rø transmitter: 431 m
- Lowest
(natural) — 0 m
- Lowest
(artificial) — Lammefjord: −7.5 m
The country’s latitudinal extent is approximately 350 km, while its longitudinal span is about 400 km. The peninsula itself reaches a maximum width of 175 km, narrowing to just 50 km near the border with Germany.
Owing to its many
islands, Denmark has an extensive coastline measuring 8,750 km. Virtually all
parts of the country lie close to the sea, and no location is more than 52 km
from the coast. The shoreline is highly dynamic, as the sea continuously
reshapes it—most notably along the west coast of Jutland—eroding some areas
while depositing new sandy formations elsewhere. Along the southwestern coast
of Jutland, tidal ranges vary between 1 and 2 meters, and the coastline can
shift landward and seaward by as much as 10 km on a daily basis.
The total land
area is estimated at 43,094 km² (16,639 sq mi), although pinning down an exact
figure is easier said than done. The coastline is a moving target: marine
erosion steadily wears it away in some places, while sediment deposition builds
it up in others, and human-driven land reclamation further complicates the
picture.
Along the
southwestern coast of Jutland, tidal ranges vary between 1 and 2 meters
(3.28–6.56 ft), and the tidal line can shift landward and seaward across a
stretch of up to 10 km (6.2 miles). Recent global remote sensing analyses
indicate that Denmark contains approximately 607 km² (234 sq mi) of tidal
flats, placing it 42nd worldwide in terms of tidal flat extent.
Denmark’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers 105,989 km² (40,923 sq mi). However, when the Faroe Islands and Greenland are factored into the equation, the EEZ expands dramatically to 2,220,093 km² (857,183 sq mi), ranking among the 15 largest in the world—proof that, in maritime terms, Denmark punches well above its weight.
Denmark shares
borders with the following countries:
- Germany
– 68 km of land border
- Sweden – to the east, across the
Øresund Strait, approximately 80 km
- Canada – via Hans Island in
Greenland, constituting a remote Arctic boundary
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