Britannica Educational Publishing - Denmark, Finland, and Sweden

Published in 2014 by Britannica Educational Publishing

(a trademark of Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc.)

in association with Rosen Educational Services, LLC

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First Edition

Britannica Educational Publishing

J.E. Luebering, Director, Core Reference Group

Adam Augustyn, Assistant Manager, Core Reference Group

Marilyn L. Barton: Senior Coordinator, Production Control

Steven Bosco: Director, Editorial Technologies

Lisa S. Braucher: Senior Producer and Data Editor

Yvette Charboneau: Senior Copy Editor

Kathy Nakamura: Manager, Media Acquisition

Edited by: Amy McKenna, Senior Editor, Geography and History

Rosen Educational Services

Jeanne Nagle: Editor

Nelson S: Art Director

Cindy Reiman: Photo Researcher

Brian Garvey: Designer, Cover Design

Introduction by Alexandra Hanson-Harding

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Denmark, Finland, and Sweden/edited by Amy McKenna.

pages cm.(The Britannica guide to countries of the European Union)

In association with Britannica Educational Publishing, Rosen Educational Services.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-61530-995-5 (eBook)

1. DenmarkJuvenile literature. 2. FinlandJuvenile literature. 3. SwedenJuvenile literature. I. McKenna, Amy, 1969

DL109.D434 2014

948dc23

2012045262

On the cover: A composite of two images showing the new library (built in 2007) and an environmental-art sculpture in Turku, Finland. Turku was named by the European Union as the European Capital of Culture for 2011. Cavaglia Denis/hemis.fr/Getty Images (sculpture), Allan Baxter/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images (library)

On page xii: Map of Scandinavia showing Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. Stasys Eidiejus/Shutterstock.com

Cover, p. iii (map and stars), back cover, multiple interior pages (stars) iStockphoto.com/pop_jop; cover, multiple interior pages (background graphic) Mina De La O/Digital Vision/Getty Images

CONTENTS

D enmark, Finland, and Sweden have emerged as three of the worlds most thriving nations, with futures as bright as the 24-hour Arctic summer sun. In this volume readers will learn how these countries have become so successful.

Located between the North and Baltic seas and attached to Germany by the Jutland Peninsula, Denmark counts more than 400 islands among its geographic territory, including Zealand, the largest island at 2,715 square miles [7,031 square km]. During the Ice Age, the Nordic lands were crushed below sea level by the weight of glaciers. This left behind rocky soil, peat bogs, marshes, lakes, islands, and jagged coastlines, which are still the predominant geologic features of Denmark today. Travel by bicycle is popular in this relatively flat country; the highest point is only 568 feet (173 metres) above sea level. Two other territories are attached to Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, though both have home rule.

Denmarks ruler is Queen Margrethe II, but the real governmental power is held by the Folketing, or parliament. High taxes pay for social welfare services Danes value, such as public health programs and pensions. The economy of Denmark revolves around service industries, trade, and manufacturing. Among items produced by the Danes are clothing, furniture, electronics, and even windmills. Culturally, Denmark has made many contributions in the arts and sciences. Fairy tale scribe Hans Christian Andersen is arguably the most famous Danish export in the realm of authorship, while Carl Nielsen and Lars von Trier are among the countrys notable composers and film directors, respectively. Denmark is home to physicist Niels Bohr and renowned philosopher Sren Kierkegaard as well.

Signs of human life in the land now known as Denmark date as far back as 12,000 BCE . The early Danes believed in a panoply of Norse gods, such as the thunder god Thor and Freyja, the love goddess. In the 10th century CE , however, King Harald I (Bluetooth) claimed to have unified the country and converted the Danes to Christianity, according to one of the famous inscribed gravestones known as the Jelling Stones. The reign of Harald I occurred during an era known as the Viking Age. In addition to being merchants and explorers, Vikings were notorious for plundering and conquests. Some Danish Vikings settled in a part of eastern England called the Danelaw, as well as in Normandy, France.

In the 1000s, Canute the Great temporarily united Denmark with England and Norway. During the Middle Ages, Danish territory also included Estonia, southern parts of Sweden, and the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein (now mostly part of Germany).

In 1397, Denmark, Sweden (which then included Finland), and Norway signed the Kalmar Union, uniting under one ruler. The Nordic alliance began to crumble after years of resistance from Sweden, which contended that Denmark held too much power. In 1520, King Christian II of Denmark punished Sweden for its opposition by finally defeating its regent, usurping the crown, and killing more than 80 of the regents supporters. The last incident, referred to as the Stockholm Bloodbath, outraged Swedes, who rebelled and in 1523 declared independence, thus tearing the Union asunder. Relations with Sweden continued to be strained into the 17th century and beyond, often resulting in outright warfare.

During the Napoleonic Wars, Britain destroyed Denmarks fleet, blockaded Denmarks sea route to Norway, and destroyed three-fourths of the Danish capital, Copenhagen. As a result of interrupted trade, Denmark declared bankruptcy in 1813. Steps toward economic recovery began with the formation of an independent national bank in 1818.

Although Denmark was able to remain neutral throughout the course of World War I, the country was forced to enter into World War II when German troops invaded the country on April 9, 1940. Danish resistance groups created illegal newspapers, spied, and sabotaged Nazi plans. In one of Denmarks finest hours, when the Germans planned to round up Denmarks 7,000 Jews in 1943, Danes hid most of the Jews and helped them escape to neutral Sweden.

The later portion of the 20th century was something of a mixed bag for Denmark, in terms of progressive political and social reforms. In 1989, Denmark became the first country to allow registered partnerships for same-sex couples. (Gender-neutral marriage laws were enacted in 2012.) In the 2011 elections, a centre-left coalition took power, resulting in the election of Helle Thorning-Schmidt as the countrys first female prime minister.

As with Denmark, Finland was once covered by massive ice sheets that left behind a landscape dotted with thousands of lakes. Located between Russia and Sweden, Finland is a rich country whose students are among the worlds top achievers. Famous Finns include architect Eliel Saarinen and composer Jean Sibelius, whose