Subject: soc.culture.nordic FAQ, part 3/8 (Denmark)
Date: 3 Oct 1995 22:38:07 +0200
Summary: This posting is a part of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
         file for the newsgroup soc.culture.nordic. Its purpose is to
         introduce new readers to the group, provide some general information
         about the Nordic countries (Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and
         Iceland) and to cover some of the topics frequently discussed in 
         the group.

Archive-name: nordic-faq/denmark
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Version: 1.3
Last-modified: 01/10/95 (dd/mm/yy)


 A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) -file for the newsgroup
 
 S O C . C U L T U R E . N O R D I C
 
 *** PART 3:  DENMARK ***
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Subject: 3.1  Fact Sheet
 
 
        Name: Kongeriget Danmark
        Telephone country code:  45 
        Area: 43,075 km2 / 16,631 sq mi.
        Terrain: low and flat to gently rolling plains
        Highest point: Yding Skovhj, 173 m (568 ft) 
        Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone
        Land boundaries: Germany
        Population: 5,163,955 (1992)
        Population density: 119.9 persons per sq km (310.5 per sq mi).
        Distribution: 84% urban, 16% rural. (1989)
        Life expectancy: women 78; men 72. (1992)
        Infant mortality: 7 per 1,000 live births. (1992)
        Capital: Kbenhavn (Copenhagen) (pop. 467,850. Metropolitan area:
                 1.4 million) (1989)
        Other major towns: rhus (245,000), Odense (170,000),
                           lborg (154,000)
        Administrative units: 14 counties (amter) 
        Flag: white cross on red background (the 'Dannebrog'; the oldest flag
              in the world to be still in use. All Nordic flags except the 
              Greenland flag are variations of the 'Dannebrog')
        Type: Constitutional monarchy
        Head of state: Queen Margrethe II
        Languages: Danish
        Currency: krone (Danish crown, DKK). For the current exchange
                  rate, see the URL  http://www.dna.lth.se/cgi-bin/rates
        Climate: temperate sea-climate. Average temp. in Copenhagen:
                 -3C - 2C in Feb., and 14C - 22C in June.
        Religion: Evangelic-Lutheran (91%, 1988) (official state-religion)
        Exports: meat, dairy products, fish, machinery, electronics, chemicals,
                 furniture
 
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Subject: 3.2  General information
 
 
3.2.1  Geography, climate, vegetation
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 Denmark is the southernmost of the Nordic countries. Located between the
 North Sea on the west and the Baltic Sea on the southeast, Denmark is 
 separated from Norway by the Skagerrak and from Sweden by the Kattegat
 and the resund.  In the south, it shares a 68km border with Germany.
 It consists of the peninsula of Jutland (Jylland) in the west, and an
 archipelago of 406 islands in the east, of which the most important ones
 are Zealand (Sjlland) on which Copenhagen is located, and Funen (Fyn).
 Denmark is part of Europe's temperate deciduous forest belt. The natural
 vegetation in most of the country is a mixed forest, with the beech most
 common tree. However, almost all parts of the country are under cultivation
 today, and virtually all the existing forests have been planted. Coniferous
 trees prevail in parts of the former heath areas in western Jutland, and
 the dune areas have been forested with spruce and pine. Denmark has a 12% 
 forest cover. 
 
3.2.2  Economy
       ~~~~~~~
       
 Denmark is one of the smaller states of Europe, only slightly larger than
 Switzerland. All of Denmark is very flat, the highest peak being only 173
 meters high. This, as well as the fertile soil and temperate climate, makes
 it very suitable for agriculture; about 70% of Denmark's land surface is
 used for agricultural production (but only about 7% of the labor force is
 in agriculture). Barley is the most important crop, followed by grass and
 green fodder, and root crops. Most of the barley and root crops are grown
 primarily for use as livestock feed (some, of course, goes to the world-
 famous Danish beers).  About 90% of all farm income is derived from animal
 products; sausages, bacon, cheese and butter are the most famous products
 of Danish animal husbandry. Danish design is world famous. Denmark doesn't
 have much natural resources, although limestone, clay, and gravel are mined in
 many areas.  In northern Jutland, salt deposits have been exploited since
 World War II, and granite and kaolin are mined on the island of Bornholm.
 Since 1972 the Danish sector of the North Sea has been worked for petroleum
 and gas deposits.
 
3.2.3  Population, language, culture
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 Denmark was settled already 10,000 years ago, when the ice retreated from
 Scandinavia. Danes descend from various Germanic tribes, including the Jutes
 and Angles who settled England in the 5th century. There is a small German
 minority living in southern Jutland and a Danish minority living in
 North Germany. Danish is a Germanic language of the Nordic branch, mutually
 intelligible (with some practice) with Norwegian and Swedish; for more
 information, see section 3.5.2.
 
 The kingdom of Denmark includes also the autonomous areas of Greenland
 (area: 2.2 mill. km2, pop. 53,000) and Faroe Islands (area: 1,400 km2,
 pop. 48,000). The inhabitants speak a language (Faroese) resembling
 Icelandic and some Western Norwegian dialects. Eskimos speaking Greenlandic
 (a lanaguge based on a mid-19th century creation of a single literary 
 language out of many Inuit dialects) form the largest group of Greenlanders;
 the inhabitants of Faroe Islands descend from the Viking settlers who arrived
 in the 9th century and the Irish monks and slaves who also made it to the
 Island.
 
 Danish culture could be called more Central European in character than that
 of other Nordic countries. Important figures include e.g the philosopher
 Sren Kierkegaard (1813-55), the composer Carl Nielsen (1865-1931), the
 astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), the authors Hans Christian Andersen
 (1805-75) and Karen Blixen (1885-1962), the architect Jrn Utzon (1918-),
 the painter P.S.Kryer (1851-1909), the sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen
 (1768-1844), and the physicist and Nobel Prize winner Niels Bohr (1885-1962).
 
3.2.4  Government
       ~~~~~~~~~~
 
 The parliamentary system has been unicameral since 1953; the parliament is 
 called the 'Folketing'. The 179 members (of which two are elected in
 Greenland and two in the Faroe Islands) are elected for four-year terms.
 The Prime Minister can call an early election. For the last 20 years there
 have never been fewer than 8 parties represented in the Folketing. Denmark
 is a member of the European Union, and elects 16 members of the European
 parliament. The Faroes and Greenland, on the other hand, are outside the
 EU. Since 1955 Denmark has had an ombudsman, who oversees the conduct of
 the cabinet and the decisions of the administration. All citizens have the
 right to appeal government actions to the ombudsman.
 
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Subject: 3.3  History
 
 
3.3.1  A chronology of important dates
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
   800-ca.1050 Viking age. Danes raid e.g England, France and Spain.
      
           878 The Danes get control of northern and eastern England.
 
           983 Harald Bltand ("blue-tooth") unites Denmark and Norway as 
               a single kingdom.
 
          1013 The king Sven Tveskg ("double-beard") conquers England,
               which remains in Danish control until the year 1042.
 
       1018-35 Knud den Store (Canute the Great) ruled over a vast kingdom
               that included present-day Denmark, England, Norway and
               southern Sweden, and during his reign Christianity became
               widespread. After his death, the empire disintegrated.
 
          1219 King Valdemar II Sejr conquers northern Estonia. According to
               legend, the Danish flag 'Dannebrog' fell down from the sky
               while Valdemar was laying siege to the the Estonian fortress
               of Lindanise. He also conquered present-day Schleswig-Holstein,
               Pomerania, and Mecklenburg, and reestablished the nation as
               a great power in northern Europe.  Soon, however, a civil
               war between the nobles and the king vying for control of the
               country erupted.
              
      1320-32  King Christoffer II was forced to make major concessions to
               the nobles and clergy at the expense of royal power, which
               was also diminished by the influence of the German Hanseatic
               League.
 
      1340-75  King Valdemar IV Atterdag succeeded in restoring royal 
               authority.
 
          1346 After an Estonian uprising, Denmark sells its possessions in
               Northern Estonia to the Order of Teutonic Knights.
 
          1361 Valdemar IV Atterdag conquers Gotland.
 
          1397 The Danish Queen Margrethe I, a daughter of Valdemar IV,
               unites all the Nordic countries as a single kingdom, the
               Kalmar Union.
 
          1448 The house of Oldenburg was established on the throne in the
               person of Christian I and has continued to rule Denmark
               up to the present day.
               
       1460-74 King Christian I becomes Duke of the German duchies of
               Schleswig (1460) and Holstein (1474).
 
          1523 The Kalmar Union breaks apart when the Swedes revolt after
               the 'Stockholm bloodbath' performed by king Christian II of
               Denmark. Denmark and Norway remain united, however.
 
       1534-36 After the death of king Frederik I, the 'War of the Counts'
               between the rivals to throne follows. Frederik's son becomes
               king Christian III.
 
          1536 Reformation. Denmark becomes Lutheran.
 
          1645 Denmark-Norway has to cede Gotland, Jmtland, sel and
               Hrjedal to Sweden in the Brmsebro peace after king Christian
               IV had intervened in the Thirty Years' War. Halland is ceded
               for 30 years.
      
          1658 In the peace treaty of Roskilde, Denmark-Norway cedes Skne, 
               Halland, Blekinge, Bohusln, and Trndelag to Sweden 
               after a failed war against Sweden declared by king Frederik 
               III the year before.
 
       1658-60 After the peace treaty Sweden continues the war and besieges
               Copenhagen for two years. However, after an uprising Bornholm 
               returns to Denmark and Trndelag to Norway.
 
       1675-59 In the 'war of Scania' and later in the 'Great Northern War'
       1700-21 Denmark tries to conquer back the territory lost in 1658 
               but is unsuccessful due to pressure from the great powers 
               of Europe. Sweden's collapse after the Great Northern War
               does, however, return Denmark some of its earlier position
               as a northern power.
 
          1773 Denmarks obtains the whole of Schleswig in exchange for
               Oldenburg.
 
    April 1801 The battle of the Roadstead of Copenhagen (Slaget p Reden). 
               The British forced Denmark to retreat from the Armed Neutral 
               Alliance with Sweden and Russia. Nelson was in charge of the
               part of the British fleet participating in the battle. 
 
September 1807 The British under Wellington bombard Copenhagen, to make
               Denmark cede its navy. Denmark becoms a French ally.
 
       1813-14 The alliance with Napoleon becomes a disaster for Denmark:
               The country goes bankrupt. In the peace treaty of Kiel, 
               Denmark has to cede Norway to Sweden.  Iceland, Greenland, 
               and the Faroe Islands remain with Denmark. Denmark also gets 
               Swedish Pomerania which is traded with Prussia for Lauenburg.
  
       1848-51 After a Prussian-inspired revolt in Schleswig-Holstein, 
               the 'first war of Schleswig' ends with the status quo. Denmark
               still controls the duchies of Schleswig, Holstein, and
               Lauenburg.
 
          1849 King Fredrik VII authorized a new constitution instituting
               a representative form of government.  In addition, wide-
               ranging social and educational reforms took place.
               
       1863-64 Denmark adopts the 'November Constitution' which aims to
               unite Schleswig (but not Holstein) with the Danish Kingdom
               and therefore is a breach of the peace treaty of 1851 in
               which Denmark had promised not to separate the two duchies.
               Due to this, Prussia and Austria declare war and conquer
               Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg in the 'second war of
               Schleswig'.
 
          1901 'Parliamentarism' is introduced: No goverment can rule against
               the majority of the paraliament.
 
       1914-18 Denmark remains neutral during World War I.
 
          1917 Denmark sells its three Caribbean islands to the USA for
               25 million dollars (the present-day US Virgin Islands).
       
          1920 The northern part of Schleswig / Snderjylland is rejoined
               with Denmark after a referendum.
 
          1933 Great social reforms were instituted, beginning Denmark's
               modern welfare state.
 
          1940 9th of April, Germany occupies Denmark despite Denmark
               having declared itself neutral; the Danish government
               gives up military resistance.
 
          1943 It comes to a final break between the Danish Government and
               the occupying German forces. Most of the Danish Jews are
               evacuated to Sweden. Local resistance groups perform a number
               of sabotage actions during the war.
 
          1944 Iceland breaks away from union with Denmark and declares
               independence.
 
          1945 4-5th of May: The German forces in Denmark surrender to
               Britain. The end of World War II and the German occupation
               of Denmark. The German forces on Bornholm refuse to surrender
               to the Red Army, and Bornholm has to suffer Soviet bombardment
               before the Germans finally surrender a few days later.
 
          1948 The Faroe Islands are granted autonomy within the Danish 
               Kingdom.
 
          1949 Denmark joins NATO as one of the founding members.
 
          1953 A new constitution changes the status of Greenland from colony 
               to a 'county' (amt) of Denmark. Parliament changes from a two-
               chamber system to a single-chamber system. By the same consti-
               tutional changes, Princess Margrethe becomes heir to the 
               throne. The Nordic Council founded.
 
          1972 Denmark joins the European Community (EC) after a referendum.
 
          1979 Greenland is granted home rule and starts taking over some of
               its internal affairs.
  
          1992 In a referendum Denmark votes "NO" to the Maastricht treaty
               which was aiming for a more federalized European Union. The
               "NO" shook the whole European Community.
       
          1993 A new referendum on the Maastricht treaty - allowing Denmark
               to opt out on issues like common European currency, citizen-
               ship, defense policy, and police - is arranged and Denmark
               votes "YES" to that.
 
 Note: Present-day (i.e., Swedish or German) spellings for the 
       former Danish/Norwegian landscapes and Danish controlled duchies have
       been used.
 
 
 Denmark is probably the only country in the world that can produce an uninter-
 rupted list of monarchs for more than thousand years. So here goes:
 
 
3.3.2  The list of Danish monarchs:
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
        Chochilaichus (Hugleik?)  mentioned 515
        Ongendeus (Angantyr? or Yngvin?), mentioned in the beginning
                                  of the 8th century 
        Sigfred                   mentioned in the end of the 8th century
        Gudfred                   died around 810, mentioned 804
        Hemming                   810-812
        Harald Klak               812-813
        Sons of Gudfred           mentioned 813-817
        Hrik I (Horik)           died 854, mentioned from 827
        Hrik II (Horik)          854-around 870
        Helge 
        Olav                      mentioned in the 890's
        Gnupa (Chnob) and Gurd    mentioned 909-919
        Sigtryg 
        Hardeknud (Hardegon) 
        Gorm den Gamle            died around 940
        Harald I Bltand          around 940-around 986
        Svend I Tveskg           around 986-1014
        Harald II                 1014-1018
        Knud I den Store          1018-1035
        Hardeknud                 1035-1042
        Magnus den Gode           1042-1047
        Svend II Estridsen        1047-1074
        Harald III Hen            1074-1080
        Knud II den Hellige       1080-1086
        Oluf I Hunger             1086-1095
        Erik I Ejegod             1095-1103
        Niels                     1104-1134
        Erik II Emune             1134-1137
        Erik III Lam              1137-1146
        Oluf II Haraldsen         1140-1143
        Svend III Grathe          1146-1157
        Knud III                  1146-1151 and 1154-1157
        Valdemar I den Store      1154-1182
        Knud IV (VI)              1182-1202
        Valdemar II Sejr          1202-1241
        Erik IV Plovpenning       1241-1250
        Abel                      1250-1252
        Christoffer I             1252-1259
        Erik V Klipping           1259-1286
        Erik VI Menved            1286-1319
        Christoffer II            1320-1326 and 1330-1332
        Valdemar III              1326-1330
        Valdemar IV Atterdag      1340-1375
        Oluf III                  1376-1387
        Margrethe I               1375-1412
        Erik VII af Pommern       1396-1439
        Christoffer III af Bayern 1440-1448
        Christian (Christiern) I  1448-1481
        Hans                      1481-1513
        Christian (Christiern) II 1513-1523
        Frederik  I               1523-1533
        Christian III             1534-1559
        Frederik  II              1559-1588
        Christian IV              1588-1648
        Frederik  III             1648-1670
        Christian V               1670-1699
        Frederik  IV              1699-1730
        Christian VI              1730-1746
        Frederik  V               1746-1766
        Christian VII             1766-1808
        Frederik  VI              1808-1839
        Christian VIII            1839-1848
        Frederik  VII             1848-1863
        Christian IX              1863-1906
        Frederik  VIII            1906-1912
        Christian X               1912-1947
        Frederik  IX              1947-1972
        Margrethe II              1972-
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Subject: 3.4  Main tourist attractions
 
 
<by Jens Chr. Madsen, except for the part on Copenhagen>
 
3.4.1  Getting there and getting around
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 Copenhagen Airport has a large number of connections to destinations within
 the Nordic Countries and the rest of the world. Numerous ferries connect
 Denmark to Britain, Norway, Sweden, Poland, and Germany; and of course
 there is also a 'land connection' from Germany. There are several daily
 direct trains to Denmark from Germany and Sweden. Due to the country's 
 modest size and general topography it is easy to get around in Denmark, be 
 it by bicycle, car, or public transportation.
 
 Denmark is an almost ideal country for cyclists: Relatively short distances,
 practically no steep roads, and a dense network of bike paths and small 
 country roads. Even large cities are bicycle-friendly (compared to many
 other countries at least) with bike paths on most major streets. The 
 reason for this, of course, is that a significant number of Danes from 
 all groups of society commute by bicycle. 
 
 There is not much to be said about travelling by car in Denmark, except
 that you should be aware of the large number of bicycles, as mentioned
 above. *Please* be careful and look for bicycles, especially when you
 make a right turn. Apart from that, the most special thing about driving
 a car in Denmark is that you will have to get on a ferry if you intend
 to travel between the western (Jutland, Funen) and eastern (Sealand,
 Lolland, Falster) parts of the country. The shortest and busiest crossing
 is between Halsskov on Sealand and Knudshoved on Funen. That crossing
 will be replaced by a bridge-tunnel system in a few years (train 
 connection to open in 1996). There are also a number of ferries between
 Sealand and Jutland - Ebeltoft-Odden is the shortest and most frequent.
 
 Travelling by air in Denmark is also possible of course; all domestic 
 flights go to/from Copenhagen and none of them is longer than 45 minutes. 
 You do save some time, but often at a rather high price. However, there 
 are often some good offers during the summer holiday period, so especially 
 if you are going to Bornholm, Billund or lborg from Copenhagen, flying
 there might be worth considering. 
 
 Otherwise, public long-distance travelling is done by train (there are,
 however, a few coach lines from Copenhagen to rhus, lborg, and 
 Fjerritslev; 2-3 departures per day and prices approximately as for the 
 train). There is an hourly intercity train service connecting cities on 
 'the main line' from Copenhagen via Odense and rhus to lborg. 
 Intercity services to other larger cities in Jutland normally run every two
 hours. (The intercity trains are transferred on the ferry between Sealand 
 and Funen. The concept of putting a passenger train on a ferry is possibly 
 unique to Denmark; international trains from Copenhagen to Sweden or Germany 
 also travel on board ferries.) In addition to the intercity, there are 
 regional trains every hour on most lines. Short distance travelling is 
 mostly done by bus. 
 
 
3.4.2  Copenhagen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Copenhagen's metropolitan area is the home of more than 25% of Denmark's
population.  The city lies on the eastern shore of the island of Sjlland
(Zealand), at the southern end of resund (The Sound), the waterway that 
separates Denmark from Sweden and links the Baltic with the North Sea.
Copenhagen is protected from the Baltic by the small island of Amager.
Between Amager and Sjlland there was formerly a group of sand flats. 
Drained and reclaimed, they now constitute the islet of Christianshavn,
which has been developed as the chief dock area of the city. The harbor of
Copenhagen occupies the narrow waterway between Christianshavn and Sjlland.
 
The nucleus of the city is Slotsholmen, or Castle Isle, where a fortification
was built in 1167.  Its site is now occupied by Christiansborg Palace,
constructed between 1907 and 1915 as a home for the legislature and
government ministries.  Nearby are the Thorvaldsen Museum and the Exchange
(Brsen), built from 1619 to 1640, with a twisting spire made up of the
interwoven tails of four sculptured dragons.  North of the old city is 
Frederikstad, a planned suburb built in the 18th century. In it is the
Amalienborg Palace, originally luxurious town houses but since 1794 the
residence of the Danish monarch; a ceremonial changing of guards takes
place every day at 12 noon. Nearby is the massive Marble Church started in
1749 but finished only almost 150 later, and to the west of the church is
Rosenborg Palace, built in the early 17th century as the summer residence
of the king but now acts as a museum. The city's university was founded in
1479 by King Christian I and was refounded in the 19th century. To the
southeast, beyond the dock quarter of Christianshavn, is the largely
residential suburb of Amager. The island of Amager, much of which is
low-lying and marshy, is the site of Copenhagen's Kastrup airport, one of
the largest in Europe.  A gigantic bridge has been planned for Amager across
resund to Malm in Sweden.
 
Copenhagen has many canals, wide boulevards and public parks and gardens.
Among these is the famous Tivoli, in the heart of the city to the southwest
of the old town, a highly sophisticated amusement park laid out in 1843,
with e.g 28 restaurants, music, dance, and theatre, fountains, carousels,
etc., as well as more modern amusement park devices. Other parks worth
a visit and maybe a picnic are the Botanical Gardens (Botanisk Have) and
Rosenborg Gardens with the palace. The famous pedestrian shopping street
Strget starts from The City Hall (Rdhuset), which is an impressive piece
of neo-gothic architecture, and runs to Kongens Nytorv where Charlottenborg
palace and the Royal Theatre are located. The pedestrian centre itself,
which includes many winding, medieval streets, is a marvellous place to
stroll around, but keep in mind that businesses close by early afternoon
on Saturday and aren't open on Sunday. There are a couple of old churches
in the pedestrian centre as well, e.g. Nikolaj Church and the neo-classic
Cathedral. In Christianshavn, be sure to climb to the spiral tower of
the baroque Vor Frelsers Kirke (Our Saviour's Church) for a great view. 
 
While you're in Christianshavn you may want to visit the "alternative city"
of Christiania. The story of Christiania began in 1971 when a large number
of hippies took over the abandoned military barracks in Bdmanstrdes
Kaserne; after futile attempts by police to empty the area, the matter ended up
in the parliament and Christiania got political exemption and acceptance as
a "social experiment" in return for agreeing to pay for the use of water
and electricity. After many colourful struggles against threats of closing
and "normalization" as well as hard drugs and violent motorcycle gangs,
Christiania's tale still continues. The Freetown's self-government is
arranged in an anarchist fashion, with common decisions being made in various
councils such as the Common Meeting, The Economy Meeting, The House Meeting,
etc. Christiania has no laws, but there's a series of bans put up by the
inhabitants of the Freetown: no hard drugs, no weapons, no violence, no
trading with buildings or residential areas. Christiania is probably best
known to the outside world for the free availability of cannabis products;
they are indeed being openly sold on the main street, but this does not mean
hash is legal in Denmark, or that you can't be punished for carrying or
using it. The Danish police have a policy of not fining for small amounts
of cannabis and for the most part tolerate the trade in Christiania, but
they do sometimes patrol the area. Tourists should think twice before
abusing the liberal attitudes and good will of the Danish officials. Also,
don't take photos of Christiania or Christianians, they won't like it and
you may have your film taken from you if do.
 
Legal intoxicants can be tried out by taking a guided excursion to the two
major Danish breweries, Carlsberg and Tuborg. Tuborg is located in the
suburb of Hellerup in northern Copenhagen, Strandvejen 54, excursions are
Monday-Friday 10 a.m, 12.30 and 2.30 p.m.  Carlsberg breweries are at Ny
Carlsbergvej (at the Elephant Gate; take bus 16 from Rdhuspladsen toward
Sydhavn), excursions Monday-Friday at 11 a.m and 2 p.m.  Carlsberg has 
always been a major patron of the arts in Denmark, and
the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (near the Tivoli gardens), which houses a 
collection of antique artifacts as well as French and Danish art, is well
worth a visit. Nyhavn canal close to Kongens Nytorv square is a popular
place to walk around; there's also a H.C.Andersen exhibition at Nyhavn 69.
Statens Museum fr Kunst (Slvgade 48-50) is the Danish National Gallery;
European masters and Danish art. Nationalmuseet (National Museum) has, among
other things, a splendid collection of unique prehistoric finds (rich, well-
preserved bronze age bog-finds, the Gundestrup Cauldron, the Solvagn, viking
age gold trasures, etc) and an exhibition of Eskimo culture. North of
Copenhagen lies Frilandsmuseet: open air museum of the history of folk
architecture in Denmark and the formerly Danish part of Sweden (Skne) -
it can be accessed by train or bus.
 
Copenhagen will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in the year
1996, which means that there'll be a lot of things going on in the city.
The organizing committee has set up a site on the WWW, which you may want to
check:    http://info.denet.dk/cph96/
 
 
3.4.3  Zealand and surrounding islands
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
From:  Durant Imboden
 
 - Hillerd: Frederiksborg Castle
 - Roskilde: the cathedral and, as long as you're there, the Viking Ship Museum.
 - Louisiana art museum has excellent collections of modern art, while
   Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek concentrates on older sculpture and painting.
 - The view from the top of the City Hall (Radhuset) is not to be missed.
 
 
3.4.4  Bornholm
       ~~~~~~~~
 
From:  Durant Imboden
 
 - Bornholm: an island in the Baltic, easily reached by overnight ferry from  
 the Copenhagen waterfront. Well worth a few days--or even a week, if you're in  
 a mood for leisurely exploration. (There's also a ferry from Bornholm to  
 Sweden, making Bornholm a convenient stopover on a tour through Scandinavia.)
  
 
3.4.5  Fyn and surrounding islands
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 - Odense, the largest town of Fyn, has Hans Christian Andersen's birthplace
 [someone could add something here]
 
3.4.6  Jutland
       ~~~~~~~
 
 Compared to Sealand and Copenhagen, Jutland has not many castles etc. to 
 offer. Jutland's main asset is nature, which spans a wide spectrum from 
 lakes, hills, and forests (very like the landscape of Sealand and Funen) to
 heaths, moors, marsh and dunes, unique to the Jutland landscape. Some of 
 Europe's finest beaches are found on Jutland's North Sea coast.
 
 Here is a brief description of some of the attractions in Jutland - going
 from south to north. 
 
 - Snderjylland:
 
 This part of the country was the northern part of the duchy of Schleswig -
 a Danish 'dominion'. It was ceded from 1864 to 1920 (see history section) 
 and became reunified with Denmark after a referendum. Close to Snderborg, 
 the windmill and embankments of Dybbl is part of the national heritage. 
 It was here that Denmark was defeated in the 1864 war against Austria and 
 Prussia. Further west, the marshlands and dikes form a unique landscape with 
 an abundant bird life. The islands of Rm and Fan are popular 
 resorts.
 
- Vejle and the Jelling Stones:
 
 In south-east Jutland the city of Vejle is a good starting point for an 
 excursion. On both sides of the Vejle Fjord there are beautiful beech 
 forests with some (for Danish conditions) unusually steep hills. The train 
 from Vejle to Jelling will take you through the Grejs Valley; again with 
 some unusually hilly terrain and beautiful forests. In the village of 
 Jelling the 'Birth Certificate' of Denmark can be studied: Two large stones 
 with runic inscriptions set by King Harald Bltand for his father Gorm 
 den Gamle (Gorm the Old) and his mother Thyra. The inscriptions on the 
 stones are some of the oldest known writings in 'Danish' translating 
 approximately as: "Harald had this stone made, for his father Gorm and his 
 mother Thyra; the Harald who united all of Denmark and Norway and 
 christianized the Danes". Two large burial mounds adjacent to the stones 
 are popularly believed to be the graves of Gorm and Thyra. 
 
- Billund:
 
 About 28 km west of Vejle is the small (but world famous) town of Billund -
 home to the Lego factories and Legoland. It's not just for kids.  The
 centerpiece is "Miniland", a great many models of cities, palaces, and
 harbors, all made of Legos and constructed in scale of 20-to-1.  The
 Amalienborg Palace is there, and Bavaria's Neuschwandstein Castle, and a
 Dutch town, and a Norwegian fishing village, and an oil refinery, and
 trains, and Mount Rushmore, and the U.S. Capitol, and zebras, and rabbits,
 and much more.  Many of the exhibits have moving parts:  boats are drawn
 up into dry dock, trucks pick up loads, bridges rise and fall, and so on.
 The DSB (state railway) sells a very attractively priced ticket at the
 central train station in Copenhagen:  DKK 344 round trip (as of May 1994),
 including transfer to the Vejle-Billund bus and admission to the park.
 
 The town also has Denmark's second largest airport with many European
 connections. 'Museum Center Billund' houses a collection of vintage cars
 and aircraft.
 
- "Lake District":
 
 Further north-east you enter the 'Jutland Highlands' and the 'Lake 
 District' - the area between Horsens, Silkeborg, and Skanderborg. The
 world's oldest still-operating paddle steamer will take you on a 
 sightseeing tour of the lakes. On the southern shore of one of the lakes
 is 'Sky Mountain' (Himmel-bjerget), so named for its astonishing height
 -- 147 metres! There is a nice look-out from the tower on top of
 Himmelbjerget.
 
- rhus:
 
    North-east of the Lake District is rhus, Denmark's second city, which 
 offers a wide range of things worth seeing.
 
    The Moesgaard Museum is located in a forest some 15 km south of the city 
 center (bus #6) and it gives a splendid display of prehistoric Denmark. The
 museum's main attraction is the Grauballe Man, a ~2000 year old body found
 in a bog in eastern Jutland in 1952. Also in the city center you will find
 museums, e.g. the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Art, both 
 located in the southern part of the university campus (which BTW is well
 worth visiting in its own right). You will also find lots of restaurants,
 cafes, places with live music etc. The concert hall (Musikhuset) opposite
 the City Hall was completed in 1982 and is home to the Jutland Opera and the
 rhus Symphony Orchestra. 
 
    The university campus is both a beautiful park and a good example of
 Danish architechture (by Danish architecht C.F.Mller). The university
 is an architectural unity where there is no random mixing of different styles
 as at many other campuses; the same simple (some might say barren) design
 with yellow bricks has been maintained right from the first buildings of the
 1930's to present-day new constructions. 
 
    rhus' main attraction, however, has to be the museum 'The Old Town'
 (Den Gamle By). This is a collection of old houses from all over Denmark,
 carefully dismantled at their original sites and re-erected at this open-air
 museum adjacent to the Botanical Gardens, within walking distance from the 
 city center.
 
- The "Mid West":
 
    In the central and western parts of Jutland you find the infertile moor
 which is probably the closest Denmark has to a 'wilderness'. In late summer
 the purple heather provides a nice setting for a long hike. Last century
 large parts of the moor were converted into plantations and farmland. This
 was a consequence of the defeat in the war in 1864; the pioneer of moor
 plantation E. M. Dalgas put it like this (approximately): "What was lost
 abroad must be won at home".
 
    West of Viborg there are two old chalk mines (Daugbjerg and Mnsted)
 with guided tours. Further west there is an open-air museum at Hjerl Hede
 with a display of iron age life. At the west coast the large lagoon
 Ringkbing Fjord is home to a bird sanctuary - Tipperne. Also the tongue
 of land separating the Fjord from the North Sea is a popular resort.
 
- The Limfjord and Himmerland:
 
    The western part of the Limfjord is great for yachting. The island of
 Mors in the Limfjord has many splendid landscapes, e.g., the cliff of
 Hanklit at the northern part of the island. The porous clay (called mo-ler)
 of this cliff consists of zillions of fossilized diatomers, and this type
 of clay is not found anywhere else in the World. Another large bird
 sanctuary can be found at Bygholm Vejle 20 km east of the city of Thisted.
 This marshland is a result of a failed draining project, and the would-
 have-been farmland is now left in a "neither land nor fjord" state.
    Close to the city Hobro between rhus and lborg you find the
 remains of a circular viking fort called 'Fyrkat'. A viking house has been
 rebuilt there as accurately as possible. 
    In the middle of Himmerland (the landscape between Hobro and lborg)
 the Rold Forest and the Rebild Hills (Rebild Bakker) are found. Every year,
 the beautiful hills at Rebild are home to what is said to be the largest 
 4th of July celebration outside the USA. There is also a small museum
 showing aspects of life of Danish immigrants in the USA in the 19th century.
 
- lborg and Nrresundby:
 
    Like rhus, the city of lborg at the eastern part of the Limfjord
 provides lots of city entertainment like bars, restaurants, museums, a zoo
 and an amusement park. On the northern side of the Limfjord in Nrresundby
 is one of Scandinavia's largest Viking burial sites, the 'Lindholm Hills'
 (Lindholm Hje). The remains of a big town from 600-1100 AD have been
 found.
    For more information on lborg have a look at:
    http://www.iesd.auc.dk/general/aalborg_guide.html
 
- North of the Limfjord - Vendsyssel:
 
    As mentioned, the west coast of Jutland is more or less one long beach.
 Especially the beaches of northern Jutland - facing the Skagerrak - are
 exellent. But treat the ocean with respect; each year people unfamiliar with
 the North Sea do silly things like drifting to sea on air mattresses etc.
 Also, the surf and current can be strong some days. The resorts of Blokhus
 and Lkken are among the most popular (and thus the most crowded) in
 Scandinavia. Lkken offers a range of hotels and camp grounds as well 
 as restaurants and some night life. 
 
    Further north, the small hamlet of Lnstrup is a scaled-down version
 of Lkken; however, the coast line is somewhat different with rather
 steep slopes and cliffs. Just south of Lnstrup there is an old light-
 house at Rubjerg Knude. The lighthouse was abandoned in 1968 when the sand
 dunes grew taller than the lighthouse itself. Some years ago it was
 converted into a museum with displays on the problems of sand migration,
 but it will now have to close because of ... yes, sand migration.
 
    The city of Hirtshals is one of Denmark's most important fishing ports
 and a gateway to Norway with ferries to Kristiansand and Oslo. In 1981 a
 large North Sea research center was built, housing a lot of Denmark's
 fishing research. The center also houses the North Sea Museum - a nice
 exhibition and aquarium (including seals), situated close to the highway
 leading to the ferry terminal. The Hjrring-Hirtshals railway also stops
 at the North Sea Center.
 
    The coast line between Hirtshals and Skagen also has some excellent
 beaches, which are generally much less crowded than the ones in Blokhus
 or Lkken. Approaching Skagen, one passes the migrating dune of
 'Rbjerg Mile'. It is the largest of its kind in northern Europe and
 gives you a small-scale Sahara feeling. The dune migrates a distance of
 8-10 m per year. Also, between Rbjerg Mile and Skagen you will find
 "the buried church"; a church abandoned due to problems with sand migration.
 
    Skagen at the very top of Denmark was probably the first Danish holiday
 resort. In the last century it became popular with a school of Scandinavian
 painters, who were attracted to Skagen because of the special light and
 reflections the two seas (Skagerrak and Kattegat) give. (If the weather
 conditions are right you can see waves from the two seas engage in a
 head-on collision off the tip of Grenen.) The Museum of Skagen houses a 
 fine collection of the work of the Skagen painters. Another - partly
 outdoor - museum 'Skagens Fortidsminder' gives a good impression of the 
 local culture and history, which is almost 100% based on fishing. 
 
    Approximately 40 km south of Skagen is the city of Frederikshavn, naval
 base and home to Denmark's ice breakers. Frederikshavn has ferry connections 
 to Larvik, Oslo, and Moss (Norway) and to Gteborg (Sweden).
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Subject: 3.5  Danish literature, language, etc.
 
 
 3.5.1  The Danish alphabet
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 Danish has three additional letters compared to the English alphabet: ,
 ,  and  (see the section on the Nordic graphemes for more details).
  
 A question often asked by non-Danes is: "Why are rhus and lborg 
 sometimes spelt with double-a and sometimes with a-with-circle? What's the
 difference?" Well, it is a matter of old and new spelling conventions.
 According to Sren Hornstrup (horn@login.dkuug.dk) the 'Nudansk ordbog'
 (Concurrent Danish) quotes 'Retskrivningsordbogen' for the proper usage of
  versus aa:
 
    The letter  was substituted for aa in 1948 as the token for
    -sound. It is still possible to use aa for  in Danish personal
    and place names. In personal names you should follow the way the named
    person uses. [...]
 
    In Danish place names ,  is always the correct spelling, e.g., 
    rhus, Tstrup, Gren. Only if you want to respect strong local
    traditions you could use Aa, aa, e.g., lborg or Aalborg, benr 
    or Aabenraa. In Nordic place names you should use , , e.g.,
    lesund, Skne.
 
    And from 'Hndbog i Nudansk':
    It is always correct to use  in Danish place names. But you should
    know that you might offend the local residents. [...]
 
    Until 1984 the central administration (statsadministrationen) had to 
    use , but in 1984 it was allowed to follow local traditions.
 
    More from the same book:
    The Danish alphabet has 29 letters in the following order:
    a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z    (aa)
 
    The letter aa is placed in parentheses. This is because it is not
    normally used in the language, only in names. Also note that the
    capitalization of the double-a is 'Aa' and not 'AA'.
 
 rhus was among the first cities to adopt the a-ring; lborg on the
 contrary, has been insisting on using the double-a. Since the central 
 administration between 1948 and 1984 only recognized the -spelling,
 all road signs etc. said 'lborg'. After 1984 when a number of cities
 successfully readopted the old spelling with double-a, the new road signs
 said 'Aalborg'. So if you see a sign with the old spelling (double-a) it
 is probably a new sign, and if you see a sign with the new spelling
 (a-ring) it is probably an old sign ... confused?  
 
 Surprisingly perhaps, the reason for cities like lborg, benr,
 and Gren to readopt the double-a is not one of internationalization
 (though double-a is surely more 'ASCII-friendly' than a-ring) but rather
 one of nostalgia, it seems.
 
 The alphabetical sorting is not affected by the aa/ controversy; Danish 
 person names and place names with aa are alphabetized as if they were spelt
 with  (i.e. last in the alphabet), but _only_ when the aa represents 
 the  sound rather than a 'long a'. Thus, in a Danish encyclopedia the
 city Aabenraa and the author Jeppe Aakjr are at the end of the ency-
 clopaedia, while the German city Aachen and Finnish architect Alvar Aalto 
 are found in the beginning!
 
 A comment from Byrial Ole Jensen:
 
  This is not quite correct. aa should be alphabetized as  when it is
  pronounced as one sound even if it is an "a" sound. So the right place
  to search for Aachen in a Danish encyclopaedia is a little after
  benr near the end of the encyclopaedia.
 
  This is according to official rules for the Danish language which is
  found in Retskrivningsordbogen (The Dictionary of Correct Writing??).
  But I must admit that only few people know this alphabetizing rule and
  it is likely that even not dictionaries follow it in order to not
  confuse people not knowing the rule. Retskrivningsordbogen itself
  places the word "kraal" BOTH between "kr." and "krabask" AND between 
  "krsus" and "krse".
 
 
 3.5.2  The Danish language
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 This is a brief description of some of the characteristics of the Danish
 language and some of the differences and similarities between Danish and
 the other North Germanic languages.
 
- How do I identify a Danish text if I don't know the language?
 
 Look for the letters , , and . If you find all three of them,
 you have narrowed your choices down to Danish or Norwegian (both bokml
 and nynorsk). Telling written Danish from Norwegian (especially bokml)
 can be fairly difficult; you sometimes come across whole sentences that are
 absolutely identical in the two languages. The easiest might be to look for
 double consonants at the end of words, Norwegian often has words ending
 in -ss, -kk, etc. while this is never the case in Danish.
 
- How is Danish pronunciation different from Swedish/Norwegian?
 
 The spoken Danish has a rather poor reputation for some reason. The many
 soft d's and g's are often a cause of much amusement among other Nordics
 (of course, _their_ languages sound pretty funny in our ears too :-).
 The soft Danish d's and g's are reasonably close to their Spanish (!)
 equivalents; this might give you an idea about the pronunciation. D's and
 g's tend to get soft between vowels but never at the beginning of a word.
 
 On the other hand, modern Danish does not have the Swedish or Norwegian 
 'soft k' (in Swedish/Norwegian a k/kj is pronounced something like sh/ch
 before a front vowel - e, i, y, /, or /). In Danish
 (probably due to German influence) the k is always pronounced as a 'hard k',
 i.e. like the English 'key'. However, this is a fairly recent thing; old
 spellings like 'Kjbenhavn' indicate that also Danish had 'soft k'
 (only a century ago?). And also the dialects of Bornholm and Northern
 Jutland (these areas are often the last to pick up pronunciation trends
 originating in the capital) still follow 'Swedish pronunciation rules'
 with regard to k (and g).
 
 The glottal stop ('std' in Danish) is another characterstic feature.
 It is similiar to the non-pronunciation of 'tt' in the Cockney 'bottle'. 
 
- Genders and definite articles.
 
 Like Swedish, Danish has two genders: The common gender (originally there 
 were both masculine and feminine) and the neuter gender. Some Danish
 dialects (e.g. in North Jutland) still have all three genders; dialects in
 western and southern Jutland have only the common gender.
 
 Like the other North Germanic languages Danish has the definite article at 
 the end of the word, thus 'a man' = 'en mand', but 'the man' = 'manden'.
 Surprisingly, dialects of western and southern Jutland follow the more
 usual system of English, German, French, etc.: 'A man' = 'en mand', 'the
 man' = ' mand'. It is not clear why one of Europe's most significant
 linguistic borders (separating areas having the definite article before/after
 the word) is running straight through Jutland!
 
 
3.5.3  Danish literature
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
 Skaldic poetry in the Danish language no doubt existed already in before
 the Viking age, but none of it was written down except for some Latinized
 versions later rendered by Saxo Grammaticus. Saxo's Gesta Danorum (History
 of the Danes), which recounts the history of Denmark up to 1186 and includes
 Danish versions (in a somewhat Christianized form) the Scandinavian myths
 and sagas, including the earliest version of the Hamlet story, is the first
 major Danish contribution to world literature. In the middle ages also a
 large number of religious poetry in Latin was written, as well as a great
 variety of folk ballads in Danish, which are among the more significant
 achievements of medieval Danish literature. German influence remained
 strong, however, up until the Reformation, and only in the 1600's did
 Danish poets really start writing in their own language.
 
 In the early 18th century the French Enlightenment and English rationalism
 started to influence Danish literary circles, and satires became fashionable.
 As a result, the Danish drama was created by Ludvig Holberg (born in Norway),
 whose joyous and witty comedies had an enormous impact on all Scandinavian
 playwrights of the following generations. Holberg may perhaps be called
 the father of modern Danish literature.
 
 In the latter half of 18th century, Johannes Ewald, a writer of lyric poetry
 and heroic tragedies written in verse, was the foremost of Danish authors.
 In the early 19th century Adam Oehlenschlager introduced Romanticism in
 Denmark, while Steen Steensen Blicher represented bleak, Danish realism.
 Among their contemporaries were the two perhaps most famous figures of
 Danish literature throughout the ages: the fairy tale writer Hans Christian
 Andersen (1805-75) and the philosopher Sren Kierkegaard (1813-55) whose
 influence was fully felt only with 20th-century existentialism. In the
 1870's, romanticism was replaced by naturalism, the most ardent advocate
 of which was the famous literary critic Georg Brandes. He had much influence
 on e.g the novelist Jens Peter Jacobsen, the poet Holger Drachmann, and
 the Nobel Prize winners of 1917, Henrik Pontoppidan and Karl Gjellerup.
 
 Major early 20th-century figures Danish literature were the proletarian
 novelist Martin Andersen Nexo and the poet and novelist Johannes V. Jensen
 (who won a Nobel Prize in 1944). The most famous of all modern Danish
 writers was Karen Blixen (pseudonym Isak Dinesen), who wrote her gothic
 tales and African memoirs in English.  In the 1940s and 1950s, H.C. Branner
 wrote brilliant short stories; the poet Thorkild Bjrnvig and the novelist
 Klaus Rifbjerg won fame in the following decades. Among the young generation
 e.g Peter Heg has recently won international fame with his best-seller
 _Smilla's Sense of Snow_.
 
 For electronic versions of some of the works of Nordic literature, see
 the collection of Project Runeberg:
 
  World Wide Web:       http://www.lysator.liu.se/runeberg/
  Gopher:               gopher.lysator.liu.se  /project-runeberg
  FTP:                  ftp.lysator.liu.se  /pub/runeberg
 
 
3.5.4  Books for learning Danish
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Dictionaries:
 
 Gyldendals rde ordbger (Gyldendal's red dictionaries)
    Dansk-engelsk,  ISBN 87-00-73972-3 (niende udgave, 10. oplag)
    Engelsk-dansk,  ISBN 87-01-09312-2 (11. udgave, 6. oplag)
 
 These dictionaries are very much the standard dictionaries in use.
 In the same series Gyldendal publishes Danish-German and Danish-French
 dictionaries plus a couple of others.
 
 They are, however, rather expensive in the States (over 100 dollars the
 pair).  Persons who are just starting out might buy the yellow pocket-size
 Berlitz dictionary (ISBN 2-8315-0946-7), available in many bookstores.
 Unlike the Gyldendals books, it does indicate pronunciation, which can be
 a help to students. Readers might want to stay away from the Hippocrene
 Practical Dictionary, which does not indicate the genders of nouns. 
 
Books for learning Danish:
 
    Teach Yourself Danish, by H. A. Koefoed. Reissued as a paperback in 1995.
 
    Colloquial Danish, by W Glyn Jones and Kirsten Gade
       (available in pack of book + 2 cassettes, from the
        publisher, Routledge: +1 212 244-3336 in New York;
        there's also a London office)
 
    Danish: A Grammar (same authors) (published by Gyldendal)
        (available with cassettes and workbook)
 
A source in the U.S. for dictionaries and grammars of Nordic and other
languages is
             IBD limited
             24 Hudson Street
             Kinderhook NY 12106
             phone in USA: 1-800-343-3531
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Subject:  3.6  Faroe Islands
 
 
<From: Jens C. Madsen & Jacob Sparre Andersen>  (sparre@connect.nbi.dk)
 
 
3.6.1  Fact Sheet
       ~~~~~~~~~~
 
     Name: Froyar / Frerne
     Telephone country code:  298
     Area: 1,399 km2
     Terrain: 18 islands of volcanic origin, steep cliffs,
         along most coasts, pastures in the valleys
     Natural resources: fish, sheep, potatoes, whaling
     Land boundaries: None
     Population: 48,065 (1993)  - Much lower today, because of economic crisis
     Life expectancy: male: 74.5 years, female: 81.5 years
     Capital: Trshavn (pop. 13,636)
     Other major towns: Klaksvk (4923) (in year 1987)
     Administrative units: 7 counties (s.slur) each with several municipalities
     Flag: a red Nordic cross outlined in blue on a white background,
         dimensions (6-1-2-1-12 * 6-1-2-1-6) (see "http://meyer.fys.ku.dk/~sparre/Merkid.gif")
     Type: Autonomous region of Denmark
     Head of state: Queen Margrethe II represented by High
         Commissioner Bent Klinte (until April 1995)
     Languages: Faroese, Danish (both official)
     Currency: krna (Danish crown, DKK). The Faroes issue their
         own bank notes but use Danish coins.
     Climate: temperate sea-climate. Average temp.: 3 C in the
         coldest month, 11 C in the warmest.
         Annual precipitation: 1430 mm
     Religion: Evangelic-Lutheran (ca. 75%)
     Exports: fish and fish products (88% of total export), transport equipment
         (ships), stamps
 
 
3.6.2  General information
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
The Faroe Islands consist of 18 islands of which only Koltur and Ltla
Dmun are unpopulated. The largest islands are Streymoy, Eysturoy,
Vgar, and Suuroy.
 
The inhabitants of the Faroe Islands descend from the Viking settlers who
arrived in the 9th century and the pre-existing Celtic population.
Apart from fishing and sheep husbandry the Faroese have traditionally
also been netting birds, gathering eggs, and hunting the small pilot
whale. These activities remain an important supplement to the economy
in the Faroese society today. The Faroese have a rich cultural heritage;
language and customs (such as the old traditional Faroese chain dance)
are kept very much alive.
 
The parliament (Lgtingi/Lagtinget) consists of 27-32 members. The
government (Landsst.ri/Landsstyret) has executive power in all local
affairs. The political parties in the Faroe Islands cover the traditional
left-right spectrum. But in addition to that (and independent from that)
there is another political spectrum regarding the relations to Denmark;
from unionists over more-home-rule advocates to republicans. The Faroes
elect two members to the Danish parliament.
 
These days the Faroese must cope with the decline of the all-important
fishing industry and one of the world's heaviest per capita external
debts of nearly 30,000 USD. The fishing industry has been plagued with
bankruptcies. Denmark has threatened to withhold its annual subsidy
of 130 million USD - roughly one-third of the islands' budget revenues -
unless the Faroese make significant efforts to balance their budget.
In addition to its annual subsidy, the Danish government has (through
the Faroese government) bailed out the second largest Froya Banki 
to the tune of 140 million USD since October 1992.
 
 
3.6.3  History
       ~~~~~~~
       
  ca.600 ?   Celtic settlers (Irish monks) make it to the Faroes.
 
  ca.900     The Faroe Islands are colonized by Norwegian settlers.
 
    1035     The Faroe Islands become a Norwegian dependency.
 
    1380     Along with Norway, the Faroes become united with Denmark.
 
    1709     The Faroes become (technically) a part of Sealand, Denmark.
 
    1814     When Denmark cedes Norway in the peace treaty of Kiel, the
             Faroes remain with Denmark.
 
    1880     The independence movement starts.
 
    1940-45  The Faroes are occupied by British forces during WWII. Trade
             with the UK leads to economic growth. The Faroese flag is
             commonly used since the UK does not tolerate the flag of
             German-occupied Denmark.
 
    1948     The Faroe Islands are granted autonomy within the Danish
             Kingdom.
 
    1973     When Denmark joins the European Community (EC) the Faroe
             Islands choose to stay outside the EC.
 
    1980s    Good prospects in the fishing industry lead the Faroes to
             invest large sums in infrastructure to prevent depopulation
             of small villages.
 
    1990s    A recession in the fishing industry leaves the Faroes with
             a large debt and in an economic crisis. Emigration to
             Denmark increases.
 
 
 
3.6.4  Main tourist attractions
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
You can get to the Faroes by air from Copenhagen daily (Maersk Air and
Atlantic Airways). There are several weekly connections from Iceland
with Icelandair. The airport is located on the island of Vgar with a
bus-ferry-bus shuttle to Trshavn. Also Smyril Line operates the ferry
Norrna during the summer months in cooperation with Scandinavian
Seaways. The ferry sails to Trshavn from Esbjerg (Denmark) on Saturdays;
from Bergen (Norway) on Tuesdays; and from Seyisfjrur (Iceland) on
Thursdays (1994 schedule). Strandfaraskip Landsins is operating Smyril on
the route to Scotland once a week.
 
There is an official camping site in Trshavn and Selatra. There are
a few youth hostels on the islands and a few hotels also. Camping can
be a somewhat wet experience since the weather is highly variable -
even for Nordic standards, but on a clear day the views are absolutely
breathtaking.
 
Popular places are the westernmost island of Mykines with its large
colonies of gannets (Sla; sea birds); - on Streymoy the ruins of the
never-finished Magnus Cathedral at Kirkjubur, the tiny community
of Saksun with its magnificent fjord and the bird-cliffs between Saksun
and Vestmanna. Also, the capital Trshavn is a very charming city with
small narrow streets and beautiful old houses in the center. On Eysturoy
some attractions are the rock formations 'Risin og kellingin' north of
Eii; the village of Gjgv with its very characteristic natural harbour
- and nice youth hostel. Also Slttaratindur, the islands' highest point
of 882 m is a popular destination for a hike.
 
From:  Durant Imboden
- The Faroe Islands, a Danish dependency in the North Atlantic  reached
via car ferry from Esbjerg on the Smyril Line. (It's a two-night trip.)
You can continue on to a fishing town in Eastern Iceland, if you like,
in which case you'll see some lovely and dramatic scenery as you pass
between the islands on the m/v Norrna.
 
 
3.7.6  Faroese literature and language
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
The Faroese language resembles both Icelandic and Western Norwegian
dialects. It is almost mutually intelligible with other North Germanic
languages - at least in its written form. The written form of Faroese
was established in the 19th century by Venzel Hammershaimb and modeled
after Icelandic with almost the same alphabet. Written Faroese
apperared rather late and at a time when the language was under
strong pressure from Danish, which had become the established language
for the church and civil servants of the Faroes. But when written
Faroese was established, it meant a great boost for Faroese culture
and language. Today the Faroes have one of the highest number of books
published per capita. The best known authors are William Heinesen
(1900-1993?) and Hein Br (alias Hans Jacob Jacobsen, 1901-1987).
 
 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-END OF PART 3-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
