Denmark

Kingdom of Denmark
Flag
Location  Europe
Capital  Copenhagen
Area  43,094 sq km
Population  5,809,502

"A chain is only as strong as its weakest link"
(Proverb/Quote of the Week)

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January

January 1 January 2 January 3 January 4 January 5 January 6 January 7 January 8 The near-black colour of sea creatures that lived millions of years ago - an 86-million-year-old mosasaur, a 55-million-year-old leatherback turtle and a 190-million-year-old ichthyosaur - has been revealed by Danish scientists. The team found melanin - the light-absorbing pigment that is responsible for colour - preserved in the animals' fossilised skin according to their study published on 8 January 2014 in the journal Nature. Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark, received the title European Green Capital for 2014 for its important role in improving the environment and high level of commitment to genuine progress. January 9 January 10 January 11 Wind power generated 43.4 percent of electricity consumed in Denmark in 2017, a new record for the Nordic nation which aims to rely on renewables for half of its energy needs by 2030, the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate revealed on 11 January 2018. January 12 Denmark passport was ranked as the world's third-most powerful passport, according to the 2017 passport index published by Arton Capital, allowing its citizens visa-free access or a visa on arrival in 156 countries. January 13 January 14 January 15 January 16 Danish artist Olafur Eliasson was named as the winner of the Wolf Prize in Painting / Sculpture on 16 January 2014 for his integration of arts and science, which evokes personal and universal moments of epiphany. January 17 January 18 January 19 January 20 January 21 January 22 January 23 Denmark was crowned as the fourth greenest country in the world according to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2016 published by Yale University, Columbia University and the World Economic Forum. The EPI index ranks the performance of each nation in protection of human health from environmental harm and protection of ecosystems based on nine assessment areas that include air quality, climate and energy, forests and water resources. January 24 January 25 Denmark ranked as the least corrupt nation in the world, according to the Global Corruption Index published by Transparency International on 25 January 2017. Denmark secured the fifth position at the Democracy Index compiled by the UK based Economist Intelligence Unit with a score of 9.20 out of 10, as published on 25 January 2017. January 26 First blue-eyed boy was a Stone Age man, according to a study published by Danish and a team of international researchers on 26 January 2014. The man who lived about 7,000 years ago and whose buried bones were discovered in 2006 in a cave near León, Spain has turned out to be the earliest known person with blue eyes, a physical trait that evolved relatively recently in human history, the study suggests. January 27 Denmark won its first World Handball Championship title, beating Scandinavian rival Norway with a 31-22 win on 27 January 2019. Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki claimed her first Grand Slam title defeating Simona Halep 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 6-4 to win the Australian Open on 27 January 2018. Denmark is the least corrupt country in the world according to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index published on 27 January 2016. January 28 January 29 Denmark was ranked the least corrupt nation in the world according to the Transparency International’s corruption perception index (CPI) published on 29 January 2019. Denmark won their second European Men's Handball Championship title by beating hosts Serbia 21-19 after breathtaking performances in the final on 29 January 2012. January 30 January 31

February

February 1 February 2 February 3 February 4 February 5 February 6 February 7 February 8 February 9 February 10 February 11 Dr Vida Engmann from the University of Southern Denmark was recognised as one of the International Rising Talents at the 2020 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award. Researchers from Denmark and a team of international scientists have located in a quarry in Gabon evidence of mobile organisms living 2.1 billion years ago, as revealed in PNAS on 11 February 2019. February 12 February 13 February 14 February 15 February 16 Scientists in Denmark have discovered a tiny new species of fungus, named Hirticlavula elegans, in the forests of northern Denmark. The fungus, measuring one millimeter in height, was reported on 16 February 2015. February 17 February 18 February 19 February 20 An international team of astronomers, that also includes researchers from Denmark, discovered a planet outside our solar system that is slightly larger than earth's moon, the smallest planet discovered to date orbiting our sun. Their findings were published on 20 February 2013 in the journal Nature. February 21 Denmark ranked as the second least corrupt country in the world according to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index published on 21 February 2018. Danish actress Trine Dyrholm won the Silver Bear Best Actress prize at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival on 21 February 2016 for her role in Kollektivet. February 22 February 23 An international team of researchers, including scientists from Denmark, has found evidence of naturally occurring antibiotic resistance on the teeth of 1,000 year-old skeletons. Their study was published on 23 February 2014 in the journal Nature Genetics. February 24 Denmark was dubbed the best country in the European Union for digital performance on 24 February 2015 as the Digital Economy and Society Index, testing accessibility, competence and use of the Internet, was unveiled by the European Commission. February 25 A three-kilogram Danish satellite AAUSAT3, built and operated by students from Aalborg University in Denmark, was successfully launched into orbit on 25 February 2013 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in India. The satellite will test the feasibility of receiving identification signals from ships in the Arctic. February 26 February 27 Danish film director Susanne Bier's film In a Better World won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards on February 27, 2011. February 28 February 29

March

March 1 Danish passport was ranked as the world’s eighth most valuable by the Nomad Passport Index 2017, assessed based on visa-free travel, taxation, perception, dual citizenship and overall freedom. March 2 Denmark ranked fifth in the list of the Global Energy Index 2016 published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), showcasing the country's ability to deliver secure, affordable and sustainable energy. March 3 March 4 March 5 The Danish Minister of Transport Benny Engelbrecht officially inaugurated the first autonomous bus service in Denmark, in the suburb of Aalborg East in Denmark, on 5 March 2020 as part of the admired SmartBus project in the country. March 6 March 7 March 8 March 9 A team of researchers from Denmark, England and South Korea has found fossilized brains of a sea creature, named Kerygmachela kierkegaardi, that lived from approximately 521 to 514 million years ago. Their study was published in the journal Nature Communications on 9 March 2018. March 10 March 11 Denmark topped the Rule of Law Index 2020, indicating how the rule of law is experienced and perceived in the country, prepared by the US-based World Justice Project. March 12 Danish scientists were awarded 9 research grants by the European Research Council (ERC) on 12 March 2015 as part of the European Union Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020. March 13 March 14 March 15 Denmark's Viktor Axelsen won his first All England Men’s Badminton Championship title, beating Taiwanese top seed Chou Tien-chen 21-13, 21-14 on 15 March 2020. Denmark was ranked as the world's third happiest country according to the annual UN report released on 15 March 2018. March 16 Denmark ranked as the happiest country in the world according to the 2016 United Nations (UN) World Happiness Report. March 17 March 18 March 19 March 20 Denmark was crowned as the second happiest country to live according to the UN's seventh annual World Happiness Report published on 20 March 2019. Denmark was ranked as the second happiest country on Earth, according to a United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network report published on 20 March 2017. In a world first, scientists have studied the DNA of giant squid from across the globe to discover that they all belong to the same species. The genetic diversity of giant squid (Architeuthis) is surprisingly low and indeed far lower than that of other marine species studied to date. The findings were published on 20 March 2013 in the British journal the Proceedings of the Royal Society B by an international team including researcher from Denmark. March 21 March 22 March 23 Former Prime Minister of Denmark and CEO of Save the Children International was named as one of the greatest leaders, according to Fortune Magazine's 2017 list of The World 50 Greatest Leaders. Mohamad Al-Bacha of Denmark was crowned as the FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC) Champion after beating Sean Allen of England in the Grand Final event at the Apollo Theater in New York on 23 March 2016. The FIWC is an annual international competition of football video games. Danish singers Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1963 for the song Dansevise. The final took place on March 23, 1963 in London. March 24 March 25 Danish scientists and a team of international researchers have discovered for the first time how the eyes drain cellular waste and debris. Their findings were reported in Science Translational Medicine on 25 March 2020. Denmark ranked fifth at the 2019 Energy Transition Index (ETI) published by World Economic Forum (WEF) on 25 March 2019, which indicates how well countries around the world are able to balance energy security and environmental sustainability and affordability. March 26 March 27 March 28 March 29 March 30 March 31

April

April 1 April 2 April 3 April 4 A genome assembly of donkey conducted by Danish researchers and their international colleagues has revealed clues on how it may have branched from horse, according to a study published in Science Advances on 4 April 2018. April 5 April 6 April 7 Ole Kirk Christiansen, from Denmark invented Lego-a plastic construction toy set for making different models, was born on April 7, 1891. He founded the LEGO Group, a privately held company and manufacturer of LEGO-brand toys, based in Billund, Denmark. April 8 April 9 April 10 April 11 April 12 April 13 April 14 April 15 April 16 April 17 April 18 April 19 April 20 Denmark ranked fourth at the 2016 Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index. The Index is based on an evaluation of media freedom that measures pluralism, media independence, the quality of the legal framework and the safety of journalists in 180 countries. April 21 April 22 A study by Danish and international scientists of genomes from more than 27,000 people in Iceland has revealed that Neanderthal fathers were younger than Homo sapiens, but mothers were older. The research was published on 22 April 2020 in the journal Nature. April 23 Director Christina Rosendahl of Denmark won the Best Director Award for the film The Idealist at the 6th Beijing International Film Festival (BIFF) on 23 April 2016. April 24 April 25 April 26 Denmark ranked fourth at the 2017 Press Freedom Index, ranking freedom of the media in a country, compiled by Reporters Without Borders. April 27 April 28 An international team of researchers, including scientists from Denmark, have discovered salty groundwater beneath the Dry Valleys region of Antarctica, according to findings published in the Nature Communications on 28 April 2015. Denmark's Noma restaurant on 28 April 2014 claimed the title of the world's best restaurant, becoming a four-time winner having lost the title last year to El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain. April 29 April 30 Noma restaurant in Copenhagen, Denmark was named the best restaurant in the world for the third year in a row on 30 April 2012 by British magazine Restaurant.

May

May 1 May 2 May 3 May 4 May 5 May 6 May 7 May 8 May 9 May 10 May 11 May 12 May 13 Danish music duo Olsen Brothers won the 2000 Eurovision Song Contest for their song Fly on the Wings of Love. May 14 May 15 May 16 May 17 May 18 Emmelie de Forest from Denmark won the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest with her song Only Teardrops in the Swedish city of Malmo. She was stormed to victory with 281 points and won Denmark its third Eurovision crown. May 19 May 20 May 21 May 22 May 23 May 24 May 25 May 26 May 27 Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen clinched the best actor prize at Cannes Film Festival on 27 May 2012 for his role in Danish drama film "The Hunt". May 28 A team of international and Danish researchers has discovered that sea snakes have been adapting to see underwater for 15 million years, according to their study published in Current Biology on 28 May 2020 May 29 May 30 May 31

June

June 1 Denmark ranked as the fifth most peaceful country in the world, according to a report published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) on 1 June 2017. June 2 June 3 June 4 June 5 An international team of astronomers, including researchers from Denmark, has discovered the hottest known exoplanet, a world where temperatures exceed those on the surface of most stars. The Jupiter-like planet, named as KELT-9b, was detailed in the journal Nature on 5 June 2017. In Denmark women were given the right to vote in parliamentary election on June 5, 1915. Earlier Danish women were granted the right to vote in municipal elections on April 20, 1909. The Constitution of Denmark was adopted on 5 June 1849. It made Denmark a constitutional monarchy and is generally viewed as the National Day. June 6 Denmark was ranked as the fifth most peaceful country in the world according to the 2018 Global Peace Index (GPI) produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). June 7 Researchers from Denmark for the very first time revealed that antibiotic resistance genes originate from the same place as the antibiotic compounds, i.e. from a group of soil bacteria called Actinobacteria. Their findings were published in Nature Communications on 7 June 2017. On 7 June 1896 cinematographic pictures were shown for the first time in Denmark. Danish painter, artist and lithographer Vilhelm Pacht introduced the cinema to Denmark, when he opened a show of living pictures at his Panorama in Copenhagen. June 8 Denmark ranked as the second most peaceful nation in the world, according to the 2016 Global Peace Index published by the Institute for Economics and Peace, in an attempt to measure the relative position of nations' peacefulness. June 9 June 10 June 11 Jakob Fuglsang became the first Dane to win the overall classification of the Critérium du Dauphin annual cycling road race with a victory in the final stage on 11 June 2017. June 12 June 13 June 14 June 15 June 16 June 17 Denmark ranked as the second most peaceful country in the world at the 2015 Global Peace Index published by Institute for Economics & Peace. June 18 Danish scientists and their international colleagues have found a genetic variant among Greenlanders that dramatically increases the risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Their study was published in Nature on 18 June 2014. June 19 June 20 June 21 An international team of researchers and Danish scientists have mapped out the genomes of 44 ruminant species and explained insights like why deer are less likely to develop cancer, as reported in the journal Science on 21 June 2019. June 22 June 23 June 24 June 25 June 26 Denmark won the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) European Championship defeating Germany 2-0 on 26 June 1992. Earlier Denmark failed to qualify for the final tournament. However, due to the war in the Balkans, UEFA and FIFA expelled Yugoslavia from the finals and Denmark took their place at the last minute, only to go on and take the trophy. June 27 June 28 June 29 June 30 Aasivissuit-Nipisat, Inuit Hunting Ground between Ice and Sea in Denmark was inscribed on the UNESCO's World Heritage List on 30 June 2018.

July

July 1 The Øresund Bridge, connecting Denmark and Sweden via road and rail lines, was opened for traffic on July 1, 2000. July 2 July 3 July 4 Christiansfeld, a Moravian Church Settlement, and The Par Force Hunting Landscape in North Zealand in Denmark were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List on 4 July 2015. July 5 July 6 July 7 July 8 July 9 July 10 July 11 July 12 July 13 July 14 Denmark was named Europe’s second most innovative country, according to the European Commission ranking published on 14 July 2016. July 15 July 16 July 17 July 18 July 19 Denmark topped the ranking at the 2018 United Nations (UN) E-Government Survey, which measures countries’ use of information and communications technologies to deliver public services. July 20 Danish professional tennis player Caroline Wozniacki overcame Italy's Roberta Vinci 6-1 6-1 to lift the Istanbul Cup on 20 July 2014. July 21 July 22 July 23 July 24 July 25 July 26 July 27 July 28 July 29 July 30 July 31

August

August 1 Denmark's Rikke Moller Pedersen broke the women's 200m breaststroke swimming world record at the world championships in Barcelona on 1 August 2013. Pedersen clocked two minutes and 19.11 seconds in the semi-finals to better the previous mark of 2:19.59 set by American Rebecca Soni at the 2012 London Olympics. August 2 Danish scientists and a team of international researchers have found the strongest evidence to date for a stratosphere on an enormous planet WASP-121b outside our solar system, with an atmosphere hot enough to boil iron. Their findings were reported in the journal Nature on 2 August 2017. August 3 August 4 August 5 August 6 August 7 August 8 August 9 August 10 August 11 August 12 Danish actor Elliott Crosset Hove won the Best Actor award at the 2017 Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. Danish scientists have revealed that with a life expectancy of at least 272 years, the Greenland shark has the longest life expectancy of all vertebrate animals known to science. Their findings were published in the journal Science on 12 August 2016. August 13 Denmark's Pernille Blume won women's 50m freestyle swimming gold by just two-hundredths of a second at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil. August 14 August 15 Tivoli Gardens, one of the oldest amusement parks in the world, was opened in Copenhagen, Denmark on August 15, 1843. It is still in operation and located near the oldest amusement park of the world, Dyrehavsbakken or Bakken. Bakken was never actually founded, it started in 1583. August 16 August 17 August 18 August 19 August 20 August 21 August 22 Denmark officially opened Scandinavia’s largest offshore wind farm Horns Rev 3 on 22 August 2019, located 25-40 kilometers off Denmark’s west coast in the North Sea, the windfarm is equipped with 49 wind turbines. August 23 August 24 August 25 August 26 August 27 Viktor Axelsen claimed Denmark's first men's singles gold in 20 years at the Badminton World Championships after he beat China's Lin Dan in Glasgow on 27 August 2017. August 28 August 29 A team of astronomers from Denmark using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has spotted sugar molecules in the gas surrounding a young Sun-like star. This is the first time sugar been found in space around such a star, according to an official announcement on 29 August 2012. August 30 Danish footballer Pernille Harder won the UEFA Women's Player of the Year award on 30 August 2018. August 31

September

September 1 September 2 Denmark sent its first astronaut, Andreas Mogensen, into space on 2 September 2015 as part of an international team on a trip to the International Space Station. September 3 September 4 September 5 Denmark's Lego overtakes US-based Hasbro to become the world's second-biggest toy maker after reporting a 13% increase in sales, up from the same period last year, according to an official announcement on 5 September 2013. September 6 September 7 September 8 Emma Maersk, world’s largest container ship owned by the Danish business corporation Maersk, set sail on her maiden voyage on 8 September 2006. September 9 September 10 September 11 Peter Rosenmeier of Denmark won Men's Singles - Class 6 - Table Tennis gold at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in Brazil. September 12 September 13 Danish archaeologists from Aarhus University and Southwest Jutland Museums have excavated the streets beneath Ribe to discover thousands of objects, including beads, amulets, coins, and lost combs, in Scandinavia’s first Viking city, as reported on 13 September 2018. September 14 September 15 Denmark ranked as the fifth most democratic country in the world according to the Democracy Index 2014 published by the Economist on 15 September 2015. September 16 September 17 September 18 September 19 RoboBraille, a Danish initiative to transform documents into Braille and other formats, a program meant for those with special needs or disabilities, was announced as one of the winners of the 2012 World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) Award on 19 September 2012. September 20 September 21 September 22 September 23 September 24 September 25 September 26 September 27 Danish actress Paprika Steen won the Silver Shell award for Best Actress at the 62nd San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain on 27 September 2014 for her role in the film Silent Heart. September 28 September 29 September 30 Denmark ranked as the 12th most competitive country in the world, according to a World Economic Forum report released on 30 September 2015. This report, provides insight into the drivers of a country’s productivity and prosperity, suggests Denmark has been nurturing innovation and talent.

October

October 1 Denmark introduced what is believed to be the world's first fat tax, a surcharge on foods that are high in saturated fat, on 1 October 2011. The new tax is aimed to help limit the population's intake of fatty foods. October 2 October 3 Danish politician Helle Thorning-Schmidt assumed office as the first female Prime Minister of Denmark on October 3, 2011. October 4 October 5 October 6 October 7 October 8 October 9 October 10 October 11 Denmark clinched the sixth spot on the 2016 Girls’ Opportunity Index released by Save the Children, a global index that provides a snapshot of the situation of girls in respective countries according to their opportunity to control their own lives and to fulfill their potential. October 12 October 13 October 14 Denmark was ranked as the fourth Most Empathetic Country in the world according to a study by Michigan State University published on 14 October 2016. The study measured people’s compassion for others and their tendency to imagine others’ point of view. October 15 Professor Jens C. Skou from the Aarhus University, Denmark jointly won the 1997 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the first discovery of an ion-transporting enzyme, Na + , K + -ATPase. October 16 October 17 October 18 October 19 October 20 October 21 October 22 October 23 October 24 A new species of snake was found by two research colleagues, Arne Rasmussen of Denmark and Johan Elmberg of Sweden, when they were examining formalin-filled jars of snakes at the Natural History Museum in Copenhagen, according to an official announcement by the Kristianstad University of Sweden on 24 October 2012. Denmark was admitted as a member of the United Nations (UN) on 24 October 1945. October 25 October 26 October 27 October 28 Catharina Svensson from Denmark won the Miss Earth 2001 crown at the 1st edition of the Miss Earth beauty pageant on October 28, 2001. October 29 October 30 October 31

November

November 1 Denmark was named as the most positive country from Europe at the World’s Most Positive Countries 2019. Denmark ranked as the ninth most positive country at the World’s Most Positive Countries 2018. Denmark ranked as the seventh most positive country at the World’s Most Positive Countries 2017. November 2 November 3 November 4 November 5 November 6 November 7 November 8 November 9 November 10 November 11 November 12 November 13 November 14 Denmark on 14 November 2017 secured the last qualifying spot in Europe for FIFA World Cup in Russia 2018 with a 5-1 victory against Republic of Ireland. An international scientific collaboration that includes researchers from Denmark has mapped the genome of the domestic pig in a project that could enhance the animal's use in the testing of drugs for human disease. The research findings were published on 14 November 2012 in the science journal Nature. November 15 November 16 November 17 November 18 November 19 November 20 November 21 November 22 November 23 November 24 November 25 November 26 November 27 Danish researchers have shown that humans and birds use the exact same physical mechanism to make their vocal cords move and thus produce sound, even though the two species evolved completely different organs for voice production. Their findings were reported in the journal Nature Communications on 27 November 2015. November 28 November 29 November 30

December

December 1 Thelle Kristensen and Hans Jørgen Wiberg of Denmark were named as one of the world's top 100 global thinkers by Foreign Policy, a Washington-based prestigious magazine of global politics, economics and ideas, on 1 December 2015 for their program Be My Eyes that connects visually impaired individuals with full-sighted volunteers who are able to assist with common tasks via video call. December 2 December 3 December 4 December 5 December 6 December 7 Danish film Love Is All You Need won the best European Comedy film award at the 26th European Film Awards in Berlin on 7 December 2013. December 8 Denmark ranked the best in the world at the Climate Change Performance Index published on 8 December 2015. The index evaluates the climate protection performance of countries based on carbon emissions, trends, renewable energy and climate policy. December 9 December 10 Fredrik Bajer, a Danish writer and Member of Parliament, jointly won The Nobel Peace Prize in 1908 for his role to solve conflicts among nations and vision for improved foreign relations. December 11 December 12 December 13 The Natural History Museum of Denmark bought Misty the Dinosaur, a rare full skeleton of a 17-meter-long dinosaur belongs to the species Diplodocus longus, as revealed on 13 December 2013. It was a long-necked giant who lived in western North America about 150 million years ago. Only very few museums in the world display similarly genuine and almost complete skeletons of the Diplodocus longus. Retired Danish historian Esben Brage has discovered what is believed to be a previously unknown fairy tale written by legendary Danish fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen from the 19th century, as revealed on 13 December 2012. He found the six-page text while searching in the National Archives through boxes that had belonged to wealthy families from Andersen's home-town of Odense in central Denmark. December 14 Denmark ranked fourth at the UNDP Human Development Index (HDI) 2015 that measures long-term progress in three basic dimensions of human development — a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living. December 15 December 16 December 17 Researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark have obtained an entire ancient human genome based on their analysis of a 5,700-year-old piece of "chewing gum”. It is the first time an entire ancient human genome was obtained from anything other than human bone, according to their study published in the journal Nature Communications on 17 December 2019. December 18 December 19 Danish and English scientists have discovered a jet stream within the Earth’s molten iron core using the latest satellite data that helps create an ‘x-ray’ view of the planet. Their findings were published in the journal Nature Geoscience on 19 December 2016. December 20 December 21 December 22 December 23 Danish immunologist Niels Kaj Jerne, born on 23 December 1911, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1984. The Nobel Prize was awarded jointly to Niels K. Jerne, Georges J.F. Köhler (German) and César Milstein (Argentine) for theories concerning the specificity in development and control of the immune system and the discovery of the principle for production of monoclonal antibodies. December 24 December 25 December 26 December 27 December 28 December 29 December 30 December 31

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