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Denmark has been in the news a lot lately. This small Scandinavian country of six million people has found itself in a tricky situation with bigger nations testing its limits.

Vikings, LEGO, and Ozempic aside, many of you may not have known much about it before.

But the headlines don’t show the full story.

So we collected a list of images showing the (extra)ordinary aspects of Denmark’s everyday life that make this country so unique and interesting. Discover it yourself!

#1 This Bus Going To The Annual Heavy Metal Festival Copenhell In Copenhagen, Denmark, With The Temporary Line Number 666

Image credits: oz1sej

#2 Salling Group Supermarkets In Denmark Has Started Marking Products Made In The EU With A Star On The Price Tag As Many Danish Consumers Now Try To Avoid American Brands

Image credits: FreyjaFriday

Though small in territory, Denmark has played a notable role in European history.

In prehistoric times, Danes and other Scandinavians remodelled the continent when the Vikings undertook marauding, trading, and colonizing expeditions.

During the Middle Ages, the Danish crown dominated northwestern Europe through the Kalmar Union, a political federation uniting Denmark, Norway, and Sweden under one monarch.

In later centuries, shaped by geographic conditions favoring maritime industries, Denmark established trading alliances throughout northern and western Europe and beyond, particularly with Great Britain and the United States.

#3 Miniature Traffic Playground In Copenhagen Where Kids Learn To Bike In Traffic

Image credits: ledigtbrugernavn3

#4 In My Town In Denmark, There Are Little Vikings In The Traffic Lights. The Crosswalk Signals Are Little Vikings In Århus, Denmark

Image credits: Grubernator

#5 My Grandparents Got A Letter From Our King (Denmark) For Their 60th Wedding Anniversary

It says “on the occasion of your diamond wedding i send you my heartfelt congratulations.”

Image credits: Tychus_Balrog

According to figures from Statistics Denmark, a little over 5 million, or 84% of the population, are of Danish origin, defined as having at least one parent who was born in the Kingdom of Denmark (which also includes the Faroe Islands and Greenland), and hold Danish nationality.

The share of immigrants within the country has grown from 3.3% in 1985 to 16% in 2025, and most of them come from Turkey, Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Syria, Germany, and Iraq.

Danish, or Dansk, is the official language. It is closely related to Norwegian, with which it is mutually intelligible, especially in the written form.

#6 Denmark Is Repurposing Discarded Wind Turbine Blades As Bike Shelters

Image credits: RubenBaetens

#7 A New Mobile Hospital In Denmark. Used To Treat Minor Injuries And Take The Pressure Off The Danish Hospitals. So Fare It Is Quite A Success And Obviously Completely Free Of Charge

Image credits: gtgood

#8 The Robotic Lawnmower At A Hospital Is A Small Ambulance

Image credits: iSwearSheWas56

#9 Artwork Dedicated To Drowned Refugees By Anonymous Artist In Helsingør, Denmark

Image credits: reddit.com

Denmark has done incredibly well in the annual World Happiness Report. The country has never fallen out of the Top 3 since its initial release in 2012 and has placed first numerous times.

The most obvious reason for the Danes’ strong sense of life satisfaction and general positive mood is their work-life balance, which is heavily weighted towards the ‘life’ part.

For instance, the average Dane worked 1,379 hours in 2024, or about 26.5 hours per week, which is well below the OECD average of 1,736 (33.5 per week), and especially below that of the United States (1,796 hours total, or 34.5 per week) and Mexico (2,193, or 42.17).

Over the course of a year, the gap widens because the Danes benefit from such generous paid time off, parental leave, and public holidays.

#10 Copenhagen Airport Has A Fragrance Free Route, Which Skips The Cologne And Perfume In The Duty Free Area

Image credits: DublinItUp

#11 I Turned 18, So The Danish Parliament Sent Me A Copy Of The Danish Constitution

Image credits: not-a-horse

#12 This Grave In The Assistens Cemetery In Copenhagen, Denmark, Says “Andreas Morgenrødt – Time Traveller – 1996-2064”

Image credits: YOUMAVERICK

#13 Øresund Bridge Tunnel, Connecting Sweden To Denmark

Image credits: imgur.com

Despite this, the International Labour Organization has shown that Danes are among the most productive people in the world, earning an estimated $97 per hour worked, heavily contributing to the European Union’s average ($71.3), and surpassing countries such as China ($19.8) or the United States ($81.8).

#14 The Bicycle Parking At The University Of Copenhagen

Image credits: Studwik

#15 Church In Aarhus, Denmark – Celebrating Pride

Image credits: kimniels

#16 This Stall For Your Dog Outside A Supermarket In Copenhagen

Image credits: Flixen01

#17 I Give You – The University Lunch At Copenhagen University 1.21€ Per 100gram

Image credits: Anderkisten

Meik Wiking, author of the book The Art of Danish Living, has long regarded his home country as a shining example of what other countries should aspire to mimic with their workplace policies.

“Danes are actually happy at work,” he says. “Almost 60% of Danes say they would continue to work if they won the lottery and became financially independent.”

#18 Old Bunkers At Hvidbjerg Strand (Beach) Here In Denmark. They Made Art Out Of Them

Image credits: Nugget_Picklepaws

#19 80m Tall Rock Climbing Wall In Denmark

Image credits: hyperzguy4

#20 Reconstructed 8th Century Viking Hall In Lejre, Denmark

Image credits: Drahy

#21 In Legoland Denmark The Restaurant’s Fries Are Shaped Like 2×2 LEGO Bricks

Image credits: r37n1w

Wiking also notes that bosses are trusting of their employees to do the right thing.

He uses the example of staff at the Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen, where they follow the three-meter rule.

The idea is that you are CEO of everything within a radius of three metres. “If you see garbage within your three-meter radius, you pick it up, and if you see a guest looking for something, you stop and ask them if you can help,” Wiking explains.

#22 Copenhagen (Denmark) Has These Rails For Cyclists To Lean On At Red Lights

Image credits: PtosisMammae

#23 This Tiny Door Into A Toyshop In Aarhus, Denmark

Image credits: MrPartyPancake

#24 This Is Called Night Shining Sky. This Was Taken At Midnight. Can Be Found In The North (Denmark) When The Clouds Are So High Up The Sun Can Still Shine On Them

Image credits: Knudsenmarlin

#25 A Danish Prison Cell. It’s A Brand New Prison In Storstrøm, Denmark

Image credits: imgur.com

These high levels of social trust also make Danes willing to pay some of the world’s highest taxes to finance an extensive set of welfare programs.

Their health system is tax-funded and free for the patient. Danish schools and universities are also funded by taxes and free for students. The idea is that everyone must contribute to the community, and in return, the community will help care for all.

#26 Most Dedicated April Fools (Copenhagen Metro 2001)

Image credits: rocket_raccon180

#27 Whale-Copter

Image credits: chondroguptomourjo

#28 This Smart Rental Store In My Friend’s Building

Image credits: Bitten69

#29 The Way To The Top Of The Round Tower Observatory In Copenhagen

Image credits: Avda

#30 Brøndby Garden City, Located Just Outside Copenhagen, Denmark

While visiting the beautiful capital city of Copenhagen in Denmark, I encountered what seems like an alien civilization. To my surprise, these are just small piece of what called, “Colony Gardens”, literally a garden space that Danish citizens can rent to grow produces & vegetables. Space is extremely limited if you’re living the main city so this is the perfect way to have your own gardens & get back to nature! Owners are allowed to live there between April-October to take care of their gardens (can’t grow anything in the winter).

What a unique way of contributing to a better planet. Way to go Danes.

Image credits: henry_do

#31 Stairs With A Rail In Denmark. It Allows You To Push Your Bike Up Without Carrying It

Image credits: fruttypebbles

#32 For Anyone Curious, This Is What A Birthing Suite Looks Like In A Public Danish Hospital

Image credits: bangtrup

#33 Danish Coins Have Tiny Hearts On Them

Image credits: IamtheDenmarkian

#34 Danish Restaurant Keeps Track Of Occupied Tables Using LEGO

Image credits: mcshtam

#35 This Guy Biking With A Falcon In Copenhagen

Image credits: axlloveshobbits

#36 Sculpture Made From Recycled Wood In A Copenhagen Forest (One Of Six Forgotten Giants By Artist Thomas Dambo)

Image credits: burningshipfractal

#37 Met This Cutie At The Beach In Denmark

Image credits: SomeNorwegianChick

#38 This Driverless Train In Denmark Has A Fake Control Panel So Children (And Adults) Can Pretend They’re The Ones Driving

Image credits: Ok-Appointment-9802

#39 A Sign In A Grocery Store Displaying The Different Types Of Apples Available In Denmark Based On The Month

Image credits: Rustycougarmama

#40 There Are Trampolines Built Into The Street In Downtown Copenhagen

Image credits: xboxkyle

#41 Wonderful Copenhagen

Image credits: Indi_17

#42 Tivoli Gardens

Tivoli is always evolving without abandoning its original charm or traditions. Georg Carstensen said in 1844: “Tivoli will never, so to speak, be finished”, a sentiment echoed just over a century later when Walt Disney said of his own Tivoli-inspired theme park, “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”

Image credits: Malte Hübner

#43 Found A Door Entering A Field In Denmark

Image credits: michaelsj92

#44 This LEGO Bird At Legoland In Billund Denmark

Image credits: Kilipson

#45 Thou Shalt Now Carry On (Classy Danish Crosswalk Light)

Image credits: Infantry1stLt

#46 3D Zebra Crossings Are Tested In Denmark. The Goal Is To Make Them Easier To Spot, And Hopefully Safer For Pedestrians To Cross

Image credits: liiiizard

#47 At Aalborg Airport In Denmark There’s An Area For Kiss And Goodbyes