Denmark consists of the northern part of the Jutland Peninsula, separating the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, and a number of islands, both large and small. The southern base of the Jutland Peninsula is a part of Germany. Other than the border with Germany Denmark is surrounded by water - the North Sea the Skagerrak, the Kattegat and the Baltic Sea. (Kattegat comes from "cat" and "hole", because a sailing ship had to twist and turn like a cat going into a hole in order to safely navigate its narrows and shoals.) Denmark was once the home of the much-feared Vikings who ranged over much of Europe.