In this article, we will explore the fascinating world of Danish straits and everything that this concept encompasses. From its origin to its impact on today's society, through its multiple interpretations and applications in different areas, we will delve into this exciting topic that has captured the attention of so many people around the world. Through detailed analysis and careful research, we will discover the different facets of Danish straits and how it has evolved over time. It doesn't matter if you are an expert on the subject or are simply curious to learn more about it, this article will offer you a complete and enriching vision about Danish straits. Get ready to immerse yourself in this exciting universe!
The Danish straits are the straits connecting the Baltic Sea to the North Sea through the Kattegat and Skagerrak. Historically, the Danish straits were internal waterways of Denmark; however, following territorial losses, Øresund and Fehmarn Belt are now shared with Sweden and Germany, while the Great Belt and the Little Belt have remained Danish territorial waters. The Copenhagen Convention of 1857 made all the Danish straits open to commercial shipping. The straits have generally been regarded as an international waterway.
Five straits are named 'belt' (Danish: bælt), the only ones in the world[clarification needed]. Several other straits are named 'sound' (Danish, Swedish and German: sund). Where an island is situated between a "belt" and a "sound", typically the broader strait is called "belt" and the narrower one is the "sound":
The Germanic word "sound" has the same root as the verb to sunder in the meaning of "to separate". The Old Norse form of that verb is sundr. In Norway hundreds of narrow straits separating islands and combining fjords or outer parts of fjords are named "Sund".
Another explanation derives "sound" from an ancient verb "sund" in the meaning of to swim. That way a sound is a swimmable strait. In the Swedish language any strait is called "sund".
The Germanic word "sound" is not related to the Romance languages originated word "sound", which has developed from the Latin sonus.[citation needed]