Denmark

Kingdom of DenmarkKongeriget Danmark

constitutional monarchy

Denmark as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 106 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalCopenhagen

Position56 00 N, 10 00 E

Area43,094 sq km

LocationNorthern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North

Populationas each edition published it

5.36 million July 1999 est. · 5.13m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.38% 1999 est. · 0.23% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 39.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

76.51 years 1999 est. · 75.51 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.62 children per woman 1999 est. · 1.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

5.11 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 6 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$23,300 1998 est. · $18,200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

2.6% 1998 est. · 1% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Once the seat of rapacious Viking raiders and later a major power in northwestern Europe, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the political and economic integration of Europe. So far, however, they have opted out of some aspects of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty including the new monetary system launched on 1 January 1999.

Geography

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North | Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany

18 fields

Land useshare of 43,094 sq km

arable land 60%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 5%forests and woodland 10%other 25% (1993 est.)irrigated 4,350 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

43,094sq km

land: 42,394 sq kmwater: 700 sq kmnote: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark, but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenlandslightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Coastline

7,314km

contiguous zone: 4 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 3 nm

Highest point

173m

Ejer Bavnehojlowest point: Lammefjord -7 m

Land boundaries

68km

border countries: Germany 68 km

Location

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany

Geographic coordinates

56 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references

Europe

Climate

temperate;
humid and overcast;
mild, windy winters and cool summers

Terrain

low and flat to gently rolling plains

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, stone, gravel and sand

Natural hazards

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

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-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography--note

controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in Copenhagen

People

15 fields

Population

5,356,845

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 0.38% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

11.57Death

10.97Net migration

3.22

Religions(1988)

Evangelical Lutheran 91%other Protestant and Roman Catholic 2%other 7% (1988)

Literacy

99%

(1980 est.)definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale: NA%female: NA%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 18% (male 504,182; female 478,547)
15-64 years:: 67% (male 1,811,445; female 1,765,038)
65 years and over:: 15% (male 331,207; female 466,426) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

5.11 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 76.51 years
male:: 73.83 years
female:: 79.33 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.62 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Dane(s)
adjective:: Danish

Ethnic groups

Scandinavian, Eskimo, Faroese, German

Languages

Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Eskimo dialect), German (small minority)

Government

Constitutional monarchy; Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Prime Minister Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN (since 25 January 1993)

18 fields

Country name

conventional long form:: Kingdom of Denmark
conventional short form:: Denmark
local long form:: Kongeriget Danmark
local short form:: Danmark

Data code

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Capital

Copenhagen

Administrative divisions

metropolitan Denmark--14 counties (amter, singular--amt) and 2 kommunes*;
Arhus, Bornholm, Fredericksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavns*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg

note: see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland, which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark and are self-governing administrative divisions

Independence

first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy

National holiday

Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Constitution

1849 was the original constitution; there was a major overhaul 5 June 1953, allowing for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state

Legal system

civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

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 Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN (since 25 January 1993)
cabinet:: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections:: none;
the monarch is hereditary;
prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Folketing (179 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections:: last held 11 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results:: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--progovernment parties:: Social Democrats 65, Socialist People's Party 13, Radical Liberal Party 7, Unity Party 5;
opposition:
Liberal Party 43,
Conservative Party 17,
Danish People's Party 13,
Center Democrats 8,
Christian People's Party 4,
Progress Party 4

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the monarch for life

Political parties and leaders

Social Democratic Party [Poul

International organization participation

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Knud-Erik TYGESEN
chancery:: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general:: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Edward E. ELSON
embassy:: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen
mailing address:: PSC 73, APO AE 09716

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

Economy

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$23,300

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

2.6%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 1.3% (1996)

Inflation, consumer prices

1.8%

(1998 est.)

Unemployment rate

6.5%

(1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1997)

agriculture 4%industry 27%services 69% (1997)

Budget

Revenues

$62.1 billionExpenditures

$66.4 billion (1996 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 97.6%hydro 0.05%other 2.35% (1996)nuclear 0%

Electricity production

50.608 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

35.208 billion (1996)Electricity exports

19.2 billion (1996)Electricity imports

3.8 billion (1996)

Economy--overview

This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is a net exporter of food. The center-left coalition government will concentrate on reducing the persistently high unemployment rate and the budget deficit as well as following the previous government's policies of maintaining low inflation and a current account surplus.

The coalition also vows to maintain a stable currency. The coalition has lowered marginal income taxes while maintaining overall tax revenues; boosted industrial competitiveness through labor market and tax reforms and increased research and development funds; and improved welfare services for the neediest while cutting paperwork and delays.

Denmark chose not to join the 11 other EU members who launched the euro on 1 January 1999. Because of the global slowdown, GDP growth may fall to 1% in 1999.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$124.4 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force

2,895,950

Labor force--by occupation

private services 40%, government services 30%, manufacturing and mining 19%, construction 6%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 5% (1995)

Industries

food processing, machinery and equipment, textiles and clothing, chemical products, electronics, construction, furniture, and other wood products, shipbuilding

Agriculture--products

grain, potatoes, rape, sugar beets;
beef, dairy products;
fish

Exports

$48.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities

machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, fuels, dairy products, ships, fish, chemicals

Exports--partners

Germany 21.4%, Sweden 11.6%, UK 9.6%, Norway 6.2%, France 5.3%, US 4.6%, Netherlands 4.5% (1997)

Imports

$46.1 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities

machinery and equipment, petroleum, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, textiles, paper

Imports--partners

Germany 21.7%, Sweden 12.7%, Netherlands 7.8%, UK 7.6%, France 5.6%, Norway 5.2%, US 5.0%, Japan (1997)

Debt--external

$44 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid--donor

ODA, $1.6 billion (1995)

Currency

1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates

Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--6.408 (January 1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1996), 5.602 (1995), 6.361 (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

3.2 million

(1995 est.); 822,000 cellular telephone subscribers

Telephone system

excellent telephone and telegraph services

domestic:: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, four cellular radio communications systems
international:: 18 submarine fiber-optic cables linking Denmark with Norway, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Canada;
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 world-wide Inmarsat access

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios

Television broadcast stations

78 (of which 35 are low-power stations; in addition, there are 51 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

3 million (1996 est.)

Transportation

9 fields

Merchant marine, 337 ships by typeships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,130,643 GRT/6,880,248 DWT

bulk 14cargo 130chemical tanker 19container 73liquefied gas tanker 26livestock carrier 6oil tanker 20railcar carrier 1refrigerated cargo 15roll-on/roll-off cargo 21short-sea passenger 9specialized tanker 3note: Denmark has created its own internal register, called the Danish International Ship register (DIS); DIS ships do not have to meet Danish manning regulations, and they amount to a flag of convenience within the Danish register (1998 est.)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

total: 90 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7

Networkskm

Highways

71,600Railways

3,323Waterways

417

Highways: paved: 71,600 km (including 880 km of expressways) · unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.) · Railways: (458 km privately owned and operated) · standard gauge: 3,323 km 1.435-m gauge (440 km electrified; 760 km double track) (1996)

Railways

total:: 3,323 km (458 km privately owned and operated)
standard gauge:: 3,323 km 1.435-m gauge (440 km electrified; 760 km double track) (1996)