Quick facts and frequently asked questions about Denmark

Transcription

1 Quick facts and frequently asked questions about Denmark Quick Facts about Denmark Denmark is part of the so-called Scandinavian countries, together with Sweden, Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. It shares its cultural and language background with those countries. Size: 43,098 km² Population: 5.5 million inhabitants. Population density: 125 people per square kilometer. Capital: Copenhagen. No city in Denmark is further than 50 kilometers away from the sea. 9.8% of the population (or about people) are immigrants. Denmark is one of the countries in the world with the most equally distributed incomes after taxes and transfer payments. The Kingdom of Denmark is a Constitutional Monarchy and the executive authority is exercised by the prime minister. Denmark is part of the European Union (EU) since 1973, but preserved its currency, the Danish Krone. Famous historical Danes Arne Jacobsen, architect and designer (the egg chair and the swan chair, among others) Hans Christian Andersen, fairy tale writer Karen Blixen, author ( Out of Africa etc.) Niels Bohr, physicist and Nobel Prize winner Piet Hein, poet Søren Kierkegaard, philosopher Tycho Brahe, astronomer Famous contemporary Danes Brian and Michael Laudrup, former football/soccer players and brothers. Caroline Wozniacki, tennis player Helena Christensen, supermodel & photographer Johan Kobborg, dancer (the Royal Ballet in London) Jørn Utzon, architect (Sydney Opera House, among others) Lars von Trier, film maker Peter Schmeichel, former football/soccer player (Goalkeeper) Thomas Bjørn, golfer Tom Kristensen, race driver Viggo Mortensen, Lord of the Rings actor (has a Danish father) Denmark is also known for The Little Mermaid, a sculpture from 1913 by Edvard Erichsen a reference to Hans Christian Anderson s fairy tale with the same name. Metallica Danish Design Lego and Legoland, Tivoli, Den Gamle By Open sandwiches (smørrebrød) Sexual freedom Danish pastry Cycling The Royal Family Wind mills Skagen and the Skagen painters Roskilde Festival Vikings and their influence on English language

2 Work and Salary How I expect to receive the salary as a dentist in Denmark? A as a dentist you can expect a guaranteed salary on the short run during the pay-back. On the top of the guaranteed salary, you will have a possibility for a bonus. On the long run, your salary will most probably raise significantly. How much should we pay in taxes in Denmark? You will have to pay around % tax of your salary. Will the salary as a dentist in Denmark be enough alone to support a family with two children? It will be possible for a family with two children to live a middle class life in Denmark for one dentist salary alone. After paying off the installations, your life standard will possibly become even better. How are the work conditions in Denmark? 40 hours workweek organized in a family friendly way, within office hours. The workload is higher in the beginning, while you are introduced into the management tasks and you get accustomed to the new system. However, after paying back the purchase price, you can decide about the working hours. You will have 5 weeks of paid vacation. Most of the foreign doctors who come to Denmark speak highly about the work conditions. They find reduced stress level, well-equipped clinics and good and co-operative team. How is the working environment in Denmark? Gabriella, psychiatrist in Vordingborg, states about the working environment: I have a good working relationship with my colleagues. We work quite structured which means that specific competencies are divided between us. However, it took some time to understand what was expected from me. With constant dialogue, e.g. on network meetings etc., I have gained a great food hold. Generally, I meet an open culture where one is allowed to talk if one should be in doubt. This contributes to the fact that I have no worries at work. Furthermore, I have learned that there is a great cooperation with the municipality and the hospital. Work-life Balance Could it be that the Danes are always being voted the happiest people in the world because of their healthy balance between work and private life? Denmark prides itself on having a healthy work-life balance. The Danish welfare model, with its flexible working conditions and social support networks, including maternity leave and childcare facilities, not only puts Denmark at the top of the international equality league table, but also contributes to a generally high standard of living.

3 Denmark in General What are the costs of housing in Denmark? The prices vary depending on which city you live in and which kind of house you want. It will be more expensive to live in the bigger cities. If you want to rent a house for a family with two children in the outskirts of Aalborg, the price can be expected to be around 7000 kr. per month. The rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Aalborg can be expected to be between kr. per month. It will be more expensive to live in Copenhagen or Aarhus and cheaper in the smaller cities. You can also check out one of the house / apartment searching portals here: Assistance with accommodation Medicolink or the employer will help you get settled. For rentals in Denmark it is custom to pay three month rent of deposit and the first month payment in advance. The Danish Welfare System The basic principle of the Danish welfare system, often referred to as the Scandinavian welfare model, is that all citizens have equal rights to social security. Within the Danish welfare system, a number of services are available to citizens, free of charge. This means that for instance the Danish health and educational systems are free. The Danish welfare model is subsidized by the state. Am I entitled to child benefit from the state? Yes, you will be entitled to support from Danish state for each and every child you have between the age of 0 and 18, after your application had been accepted. The rates are as follows (July 2013) 0-2 Years of age 17, Years of age 13, years of age 10, years of age 3,584

4 Education for all High quality education at all levels is essential to ensure competitiveness in today s globalised world. This is why education is a key priority in Denmark. With their high academic standards combined with innovative learning approaches, the Danish institutions are preparing their students to play an active role in a globalised, knowledge based society. Is the language difficult to learn? The Danish alphabet has 29 letters and uses the basic 26-letter Latin alphabet plus the three additional letters Æ, Ø, Å. Danish (Dansk) is one of the North Germanic languages (also called Scandinavian languages). The language is also used by the 50,000 Danes in the northern part of Germany, where it holds the status of a minority language. Learning another language might be difficult and takes much commitment. Balázs and Gabriella share their experience as follows: Balázs: It was very exciting and we enjoyed it very much. It was good to study. It is still unbelievable that we could acquire such knowledge in six months. The teaching was highly professional. Gabriella: Generally, it is a difficult and challenging language to learn. However, I find it interesting especially the rhythm of the language. How is the weather do polar bears live in Denmark? Many people think of Denmark as a place where it always rains or snows but that is not entirely the truth. The climate of Denmark is temperate, which means that you will be acquainted with the feeling of fresh and clean air. The greatest rainfall comes between September and November and snow is rare. Balázs, Dentist on Bornholm, states about the weather: It s a "little" windy, a bit more wet than we we re used to, but altogether it suits us just fine. The fresh sea air compensates for everything.

5 Kathrine, Danish intern in Budapest, states about the weather in Denmark: In Denmark we have a low humidity, which contributes to a nice clear weather. Because of this, Denmark offers a nice beautiful flora such as loads of green plants, woods, flowers etc. Also, I want to mention the four seasons which each offers its own characteristics. In the summer, we have long bright evening hours. In the autumn the leaves change colour and make a beautiful landscape. When Christmas is near snow might have fallen and finally, the spring makes the leaves and flowers burst into bloom. The atmosphere around these seasons is distinctive and I enjoy every each of them. Of course, I sometimes find the weather somewhat unpractical but with the right outfit and the right attitude, the weather will not be more challenging in the everyday life as anything else. Please visit for more information about Denmark. You are also welcome to stop by our Facebook page: