Alternative History
Danish Australia
Timeline: The Kalmar Union
Flag Coat of Arms
Flag Coat of Arms
Capital
(and largest city)
Australskobing
Language Danish
King Christopher X
Governor Kaj Kjærsgaard
Population 3,328,500 
Currency DKK

The colony of Danish Australia is formed of the South-East corner of Australia. The population is around 3.3 million and the capital is Australskobing. The territory's inhabitants are usually known as 'Australsk' or 'Julianaians'.

The Head of State is King Christopher X.

The official language is Danish.

The currency is the Danish Krone (DKK).

History[]

The discovery and charting of Australia led to a scramble for the virtually uninhabited continent in the 1860s. The Danes, aware that other members of the Kalmar Union slightly resented it for its monopoly on decisions, only took a small portion of the southern coast, leaving the other Kalmar claimed areas for Gothenland and Svealand. However, it was prepared to go to war with Luxembourg for the entire south-east coast, only backing down as Gothenland and Svealand began to squabble about their claims. The colony's borders were fixed with the Australia Treaty of 1868.

Sparsely inhabited for the first 20 years of Danish rule, this changed rapidly after gold was discovered. The subsequent gold rush drew tens of thousands of settlers and prospectors, not only from Denmark but from right across Europe. People of Scots and Irish descent form a significant minority and St Patrick's Day is a well observed unofficial holiday. The famed Aeronaut Neil Armstrong was born to Scots and German parents in Yarra, Danish Australia in 1930.

The colony's unofficial name is 'Juliana' after the Queen at the time of settlement: Juliana Amalie. The debate whether to officially change the name of the colony occasionally surfaces during quieter political moments but so far no government has put their weight behind it. The creation of a so-called Australian Krone/a to be shared between the Kalmar Australian states (and probably their Roasjoinn possessions too) is another scheme occasionally bandied about but not seriously supported.

Government[]

A small single-chambered Riksdag is elected every four years. The chamber has comprehensive powers but Copenhagen can, and occasionally does, legally obstruct certain legislature.

The current governor, exercising executive power on behalf of King Christopher X is Kaj Kjærsgaard.