This post has been corrected.
Keen to boost its falling birthrate, the people of Denmark have agreed to have more sex. Rather, the residents of one Danish region have promised the local government that they’ll produce enough children to warrant keeping open sparsely-attended schools and nurseries, according to the Guardian.
It’s not the first time that the Danes, who count many keen nudists among their number, have been asked to bed down for their country. The country has seen ad campaigns —”Do it for Denmark!”—to remind citizens where the Danes of the future will come from:
From the outside, Denmark’s frank, come-hither stance has shocked some. In 2009, a racy video promoting tourism in Denmark was pulled because it was deemed too raunchy.
But the country’s moves are in response to a serious problem, one that the Scandinavian country faces along with many of its European neighbors and other parts of the developed world. Denmark’s falling birthrate is putting a strain on public services, pensions, and other entitlements. As Quartz has covered before, many countries encourage—bribe, even—their people to have more babies, although generally not in such a risqué way as Denmark.
In Thisted, Jutland, where the promised Danish babies are to be made, young couples are reportedly excited about the plans. So much so that it may pull them away from surfing, the other attraction of the province. “We are actually known as Cold Hawaii,” Thisted’s council leader told the Guardian.
Correction (Jan. 15): A clarification was made as to the origin of the “Do it for Denmark” campaign.