Legend:
 Definition
 Field
Listing
 Rank
Order
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Background:
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Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north
European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern,
prosperous nation that is participating in the general
political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO
in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. However, the
country has opted out of certain elements of the European
Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic
and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and
issues concerning certain justice and home affairs. |
|
Location:
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Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea,
on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two
major islands (Sjaelland and Fyn) |
|
Geographic coordinates:
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56 00 N, 10 00 E
|
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 43,094 sq km
land: 42,394 sq km
water: 700 sq km
note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic
Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland
Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but
excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 68 km
border countries: Germany 68 km |
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Coastline:
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7,314 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation |
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Climate:
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temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool
summers |
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Terrain:
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low and flat to gently rolling plains |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m
highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone,
gravel and sand |
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Land use:
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arable land: 52.59%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 47.22% (2005)
|
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Irrigated land:
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4,490 sq km (2003)
|
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Natural hazards:
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flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g.,
parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of
Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of
dikes
|
|
Environment - current issues:
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air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant
emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North
Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from
animal wastes and pesticides |
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
|
Geography - note:
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controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking
Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population
lives in greater Copenhagen |
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Population:
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5,468,120 (July 2007 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 18.6% (male 520,669/female 494,228)
15-64 years: 66% (male 1,817,757/female 1,792,974)
65 years and over: 15.4% (male 363,828/female
478,664) (2007 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 40.1 years
male: 39.2 years
female: 40.9 years (2007 est.)
|
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Population growth rate:
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0.311% (2007 est.)
|
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Birth rate:
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10.91 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Death rate:
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10.3 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.053 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.014 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.977 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
|
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 4.45 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.49 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
|
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 77.96 years
male: 75.65 years
female: 80.41 years (2007 est.)
|
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Total fertility rate:
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1.74 children born/woman (2007 est.)
|
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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5,000 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Dane(s)
adjective: Danish |
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Ethnic groups:
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Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian,
Somali |
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Religions:
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Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Christian (includes
Protestant and Roman Catholic) 3%, Muslim 2%
|
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Languages:
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Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German
(small minority)
note: English is the predominant second language
|
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark
conventional short form: Denmark
local long form: Kongeriget Danmark
local short form: Danmark |
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Government type:
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constitutional monarchy |
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Capital:
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name: Copenhagen
geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington,
DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in
March; ends last Sunday in October |
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Administrative divisions:
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metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions (regioner, singular -
region); Hovedstaden, Midtjylland, Nordjylland, Sjaelland,
Syddanmark
note: an extensive local government reform merged 271
municipalities into 98 and 13 counties into five regions,
effective 1 January 2007 |
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Independence:
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first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849
became a constitutional monarchy
|
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National holiday:
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none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is
generally viewed as the National Day
|
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Constitution:
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5 June 1953 constitution allowed for a unicameral
legislature and a female chief of state
|
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Legal system:
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civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January
1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the
monarch (born 26 May 1968)
head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh
RASMUSSEN (since 27 November 2001)
cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
prime minister by the monarch |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral People's Assembly or Folketinget (179 seats,
including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands;
members are elected by popular vote on the basis of
proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held
in February 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal
Party 29%, Social Democrats 25.9%, Danish People's Party
13.2%, Conservative Party 10.3%, Social Liberal Party 9.2%,
Socialist People's Party 6%, Unity List 3.4%, other 3%;
seats by party - Liberal Party 52, Social Democrats 47,
Danish People's Party 24, Conservative Party 18, Social
Liberal Party 17, Socialist People's Party 11, Unity List 6;
note - does not include the two seats from Greenland and the
two seats from the Faroe Islands |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)
|
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Political parties and leaders:
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Christian Democrats [Bodil KORNBEK] (was Christian People's
Party); Conservative Party [Bendt BENDTSEN] (sometimes known
as Conservative People's Party); Danish People's Party [Pia
KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; New
Alliance [Naser KHADER]; Red-Green Unity List [collective
leadership] (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist
Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party); Social
Democratic Party [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social Liberal
Party [Margrethe VESTAGER]; Socialist People's Party [Villy
SOEVNDAL] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen
Convention, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA,
UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
|
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Friis Arne PETERSEN
chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300
FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470
consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador James P. CAIN
embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen
mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716
telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00
FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23
|
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Flag description:
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red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the
flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist
side, and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of
Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden |
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Economy - overview:
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The Danish economy has in recent years undergone strong
expansion fueled primarily by private consumption growth,
but also supported by exports and investments. This
thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech
agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry,
extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living
standards, a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign
trade. Unemployment is low and capacity constraints are
limiting growth potential. Denmark is a net exporter of food
and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments
surplus. Government objectives include streamlining the
bureaucracy and further privatization of state assets. The
government has been successful in meeting, and even
exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for
participating in the third phase (a common European
currency) of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU),
but Denmark has decided not to join 12 other EU members in
the euro. Nonetheless, the Danish krone remains pegged to
the euro. Economic growth gained momentum in 2004 and the
upturn continued through 2006. The controversy over
caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad printed in a Danish
newspaper in September 2005 led to boycotts of some Danish
exports to the Muslim world, especially exports of dairy
products, but the boycotts did not have a significant impact
on the overall Danish economy. Because of high GDP per
capita, welfare benefits, a low Gini index, and political
stability, the Danish living standards are among the highest
in the world. A major long-term issue will be the sharp
decline in the ratio of workers to retirees. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$202.1 billion (2006 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$258 billion (2006 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.5% (2006 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$37,100 (2006 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 1.6%
industry: 26.1%
services: 72.2% (2006 est.)
|
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Labor force:
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2.911 million (2006 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 3%
industry: 21%
services: 76% (2004 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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3.8% (2006 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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23.2 (2002)
|
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.9% (2006 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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22.6% of GDP (2006 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $152.2 billion
expenditures: $140.6 billion; including capital
expenditures of $4.6 billion (2006 est.) |
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Public debt:
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30.1% of GDP (2006 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products;
fish |
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Industries:
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iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing,
machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and
clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other
wood products, shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills,
pharmaceuticals, medical equipment |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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2.5% (2006 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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43.35 billion kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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34.02 billion kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - exports:
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13.72 billion kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - imports:
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6.77 billion kWh (2006) |
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Oil - production:
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342,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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171,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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320,000 bbl/day (2006) |
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Oil - imports:
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164,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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1.32 billion bbl (1 January 2005 est.)
|
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Natural gas - production:
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9.87 billion cu m (2006 est.)
|
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Natural gas - consumption:
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4.775 billion cu m (2005 est.)
|
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Natural gas - exports:
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5.35 billion cu m (2005 est.)
|
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2005) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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75.66 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.) |
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Current account balance:
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$6.697 billion (2006 est.) |
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Exports:
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$90.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
|
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Exports - commodities:
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machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy
products, fish, pharmaceuticals, furniture, windmills |
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Exports - partners:
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Germany 17.4%, Sweden 14.2%, UK 8.8%, US 6.2%, Norway 5.5%,
Netherlands 5.2%, France 4.9% (2006)
|
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Imports:
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$88 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
|
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures
for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer
goods |
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Imports - partners:
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Germany 21.4%, Sweden 14.1%, Norway 6.5%, Netherlands 6.3%,
UK 5.5%, China 5%, France 4.4% (2006)
|
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA, $2.13 billion (2005) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$31.08 billion (2006 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$405 billion (30 June 2006) |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
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$138.4 billion (2006 est.) |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
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$150.1 billion (2006 est.) |
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Market value of publicly traded shares:
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$178 billion (2005)
|
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Currency (code):
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Danish krone (DKK)
|
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Exchange rates:
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Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005),
5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002) |
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Fiscal year:
|
calendar year
|
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
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3.098 million (2006) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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5.841 million (2006) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph
services
domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave
radio relay form trunk network, 4 cellular mobile
communications systems
international: country code - 45; 18 submarine
fiber-optic cables linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe
Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth stations - 6
Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat
(Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries
(Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the
Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for
worldwide Inmarsat access (1997) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998) |
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Internet country code:
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.dk |
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Internet hosts:
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3.114 million (2007) |
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Internet users:
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3.171 million (2006)
|
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Airports:
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91 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 28
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 3 (2007)
|
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 63
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 60 (2007) |
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Pipelines:
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condensate 12 km; gas 3,931 km; oil 626 km; oil/gas/water 2
km (2006) |
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Railways:
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total: 2,644 km
standard gauge: 2,644 km 1.435-m gauge (636 km
electrified) (2007) |
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Roadways:
|
total: 72,257 km
paved: 72,257 km (includes 1,032 km of expressways)
(2005) |
|
Waterways:
|
400 km (2007) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 299 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,767,265 GRT/10,604,081
DWT
by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 64, chemical tanker
57, container 84, liquefied gas 2, livestock carrier 2,
passenger 1, passenger/cargo 41, petroleum tanker 22,
refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker
4
foreign-owned: 25 (Canada 1, Germany 13, Greece 4,
Greenland 1, Norway 1, Sweden 4, UK 1)
registered in other countries: 468 (Antigua and
Barbuda 15, Bahamas 66, Belgium 3, Brazil 2, Cayman Islands
3, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Estonia 2, France 3, Gibraltar 9, Hong
Kong 12, Isle of Man 41, Italy 2, Jamaica 1, Liberia 12,
Lithuania 9, Malta 10, Marshall Islands 9, Mexico 2,
Netherlands 19, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 26, Panama
32, Portugal 3, Singapore 68, South Africa 1, Spain 2, St
Vincent and The Grenadines 16, Sweden 4, UK 61, US 29,
Venezuela 3) (2007) |
|
Ports and terminals:
|
Aalborg, Aarhus, Asnaesvaerkets, Copenhagen, Elsinore,
Ensted, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Kalundborg,
Odense, Roenne |
|
Military branches:
|
Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish
Fleet, Island Command Greenland, Tactical Air Command (2006)
|
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscripts serve an initial training period that
varies from 4 to 12 months according to specialization;
reservists are assigned to mobilization units following
completion of their conscript service; women eligible to
volunteer for military service (2004) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males age 18-49: 1,175,108
females age 18-49: 1,150,627 (2005 est.)
|
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males age 18-49: 955,168
females age 18-49: 935,643 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
|
males age 18-49: 31,317
females age 18-49: 29,558 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
1.5% (2006; 1.28% 2007 est.; 1.24% 2008 projected) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that
the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm;
Faroese continue to study proposals for full independence;
sovereignty dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the
Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland |
This page was last updated on 15
November, 2007
|
