Denmark

Denmark proper consists of the Jutland Peninsula and 406 islands, of which 79 are inhabited. The straits between these islands connect the Baltic and the North Seas.Greenland and the Faroe Islands, although self‑governing, are parts of Denmark. Greenland, the largest island in the world, is geographically part of North America.For many years, Denmark has been regarded traditionally as an agricultural country. However, dramatic changes have occurred in recent years, and today only about 3% of the population is employed in agriculture and fishing.
A circle enclosing the same total area as Denmark would have a diameter of 234 km (146 miles). Denmark has 443 named islands (1,419 islands above 100 m2), of which 72 are inhabited (as of 1 January 2007, Statistics Denmark).The largest islands are Zealand (Sjælland) and Funen (Fyn). The island of Bornholm is located east of the rest of the country, in the Baltic Sea. Many of the larger islands are connected by bridges; the Øresund Bridge connects Zealand with Sweden; the Great Belt Bridge connects Funen with Zealand; and the Little Belt Bridge connects Jutland with Funen. Ferries or small aircraft connect to the smaller islands. Main cities are the capital Copenhagen on Zealand; Århus, Aalborg and Esbjerg in Jutland; and Odense on Funen.The coastline is irregular and dotted with inlets, breaks, gently sloping fjords, and impressive cliffs. About 10% of the country is covered by woodland, including commercial forests. The public has access, as a right, to all the beaches in the country, including right of passage along privately owned shore. Because Denmark is almost entirely surrounded by the sea, it has a moderate, maritime climate. This, however, produces changeable weather, which makes forecasting an imperfect art. The average temperatures range from 0°c in February to 16°c in July.