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National Map
Of |
Denmark |
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National Flag
Of |
Denmark |
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Flag Description:
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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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Denmark |
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National Anthem
Of |
Denmark |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Denmark |
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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. |
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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) |
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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
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: 54.02%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 45.79% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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4,760 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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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 |
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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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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5,432,335
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 18.8% (male 524,250/female 497,683)
15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,811,787/female
1,780,907)
65 years and over: 15.1% (male 349,458/female
468,250) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
39.47 years
male: 38.55 years
female: 40.4 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.34%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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11.36
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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10.43
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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2.53
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
4.56 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 77.62 years
male: 75.34 years
female: 80.03 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.74
children born/woman (2005 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 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: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% |
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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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Copenhagen |
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Administrative divisions:
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metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular -
amt) and 2 boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular -
amtskommune); Arhus, Bornholm, Frederiksberg*,
Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavn (Copenhagen)*,
Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland,
Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg
note: since 2005 Bornholm may have become a
borough; in the future the counties may be replaced by
regions; see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and
Greenland, which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark and
are self-governing overseas administrative divisions
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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
1849 adoption of original constitution; a major overhaul
of 5 June 1953 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: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
and approved by parliament
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 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%; 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 2
seats from Greenland and the 2 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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Center
Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Christian Democrats
(was Christian People's Party) [Marianne KARLSMOSE];
Conservative Party (sometimes known as Conservative
People's Party) [Bendt BENDTSEN]; Danish People's Party
[Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh
RASMUSSEN]; Social Democratic Party [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT];
Social Liberal Party (sometimes called the Radical Left)
[Marianne JELVED, leader; Soren BALD, chairman];
Socialist People's Party [Villy SOEVNDAL]; Red-Green
Unity List (bloc includes Left Socialist Party,
Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party)
[collective leadership] |
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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,
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC,
NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, 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 PETERSEN
chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington,
DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300
FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470
consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
Sally M. LIGHT
embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100
Copenhagen
mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716
telephone: [45] 35 55 31 44
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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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. 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;
even so, the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro.
Growth in 2004 was sluggish, yet above the scanty 0.3%
of 2003. Because of high GDP per capita, welfare
benefits, a low Gini index, and political stability, the
Danish people enjoy living standards topped by no other
nation. 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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$174.4
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.1%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $32,200 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 25.5%
services: 72.3% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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2.87
million (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 4%, industry 17%, services 79% (2002 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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6.2%
(2004 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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24.7
(1992) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.4%
(2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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19.8% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $136.1 billion
expenditures: $133.4 billion, including capital
expenditures of $500 million (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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42.5% of
GDP (2004 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
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Industrial production growth rate:
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1.7%
(2004 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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36.38
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 82.7%
hydro: 0.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 17.3% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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31.63
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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11.1
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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8.9
billion kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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346,200
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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218,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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332,100
bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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195,000
bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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1.23
billion bbl (1 January 2002) |
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Natural gas - production:
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8.38
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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5.28
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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3.1
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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81.98
billion cu m (1 January 2002) |
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Current account balance:
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$6.529
billion (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$73.06
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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machinery
and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products,
fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills |
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Exports - partners:
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Germany
18%, Sweden 13.2%, UK 8.7%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 5.5%,
Norway 5.4%, France 5% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$63.45
billion f.o.b. (2004 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
22.3%, Sweden 13.5%, Netherlands 6.8%, UK 6.1%, France
4.5%, Norway 4.5%, Italy 4.1%, China 4% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$37.98
billion (2003) |
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Debt - external:
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$21.7
billion (2000) |
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA,
$1.63 billion (1999) |
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Currency (code):
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Danish
krone (DKK) |
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Currency code:
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DKK |
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Exchange rates:
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Danish
kroner per US dollar - 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003),
7.8947 (2002), 8.3228 (2001), 8.0831 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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3,610,100
(2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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4,785,300
(2003) |
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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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Radios:
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6.02
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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26 (plus
51 repeaters) (1998) |
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Televisions:
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3.121
million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.dk |
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Internet hosts:
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1,219,925
(2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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13 (2000)
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Internet users:
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2.756
million (2002) |
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Railways:
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total:
2,628 km
standard gauge: 2,628 km 1.435-m gauge (595 km
electrified) (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
71,847 km
paved: 71,847 km (including 918 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2002) |
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Waterways:
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417 km
(2001) |
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Pipelines:
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condensate 12 km; gas 3,892 km; oil 455 km;
oil/gas/water 2 km; unknown (oil/water) 64 km (2004)
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Ports and harbors:
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Aalborg,
Aarhus, Asnaesvaerkets, Copenhagen, Elsinore, Ensted,
Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Graasten,
Kalundborg, Odense, Roenne |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
287 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,952,473 GRT/9,030,444
DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 67, chemical
tanker 40, container 79, liquefied gas 10, livestock
carrier 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 42, petroleum
tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8,
specialized tanker 4
foreign-owned: 23 (Bahamas 14, France 1, Greece
1, Greenland 1, Norway 2, Sweden 2, UAE 1, Vietnam 1)
registered in other countries: 487 (2005) |
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Airports:
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97 (2004
est.) |
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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 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
69
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 63 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Royal
Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force,
Home Guard (Hjemmevaernet) |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years
of age for compulsory and volunteer 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 (2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 1,175,108 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 955,168 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
31,317 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$3,271.6
million (2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.5%
(2004) |
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Disputes - international:
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Iceland
disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line;
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; uncontested sovereignty dispute with
Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between
Ellesmere Island and Greenland |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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