Denmark

Kingdom of DenmarkKongeriget Danmark

constitutional monarchy

Denmark as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 108 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 Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany
2000

Every edition of Denmark

Populationas each edition published it
5.34 million July 2000 est. · 5.13m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.31% 2000 est. · 0.23% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 39.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
76.54 years 2000 est. · 75.51 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.73 children per woman 2000 est. · 1.6 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
5.11 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 6 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$23,800 1999 est. · $18,200 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
1.3% 1999 est. · 1% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

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 political and economic integration of Europe. So far, however, the country has opted out of some aspects of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the new joint monetary system.

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: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 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

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
5,336,394
(July 2000 est.)growth rate: 0.31% (2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth
12.16Death
11Net migration
1.95
Literacy
100%
definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale: NA%female: NA%

Age structure

0-14 years:
18% (male 505,820; female 479,815)
15-64 years:
67% (male 1,802,665; female 1,755,633)
65 years and over:
15% (male 330,055; female 462,406) (2000 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 (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

5.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
76.54 years
male:
73.95 years
female:
79.27 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.73 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Dane(s)
adjective:
Danish

Ethnic groups

Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran 97%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic, other

Languages

Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority) note: English is the predominant second language

Government

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

18 fields

Parliament or Folketing, 179 seats, elected 11 March 1998one dot, one seat

progovernment parties: Social Democratic Party 65Socialist People's Party 13Radical Liberal Party 7Unity Party 5opposition: Liberal Party 43Conservative Party 17Danish People's Party 13Center Democratic Party 8Christian People's Party 4Progress Party 4

Country name

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

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: in addition there are 275 local kommunes not considered first-order administrative units; 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

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 Democratic Party 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 Democratic Party 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

  • Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN];
  • Christian People's Party [Jann SJURSEN];
  • Conservative Party [Bendt BENDTSEN];
  • Conservative People's Party [Pia Christmas MOLLER];
  • Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD];
  • Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN];
  • Progress Party [Aage BRUSGAARD];
  • Radical Liberal Party [Marianne JELVED];
  • Social Democratic Party [Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN];
  • Social Liberal Party [Johannes LEBECH];
  • Socialist People's Party [Holger K. NIELSEN];
  • Unity Party [no leader]

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, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, 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
telephone:
[1] (202) 234-4300
FAX:
[1] (202) 328-1470
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
telephone:
[45] 35 55 31 44
FAX:
[45] 35 43 02 23

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
Real growth rate
1.3%
(1999 est.)industrial production growth: 1.5% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate
5.7%
(1999 est.)
Labor force
2.896million

GDP - composition by sector(1997)

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

Budget

Revenues
$59.7 billionExpenditures
$57.6 billion (1997 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 90.8%hydro 0.07%other 9.13% (1998)nuclear 0%
Electricity production
40.277 billion (1998)Electricity consumption
33.037 billion (1998)Electricity exports
7.1 billion (1998)Electricity imports
2.68 billion (1998)

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 is concentrating on reducing the 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 tax rates while maintaining overall tax revenues; boosted industrial competitiveness through labor market and tax reforms; 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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $127.7 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $23,800 (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
3.6%
highest 10%:
20.5% (1992)

Labor force - by occupation

services 71%, industry 25%, agriculture 4% (1997 est.)

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

$49.5 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

EU 66.6% (Germany 21.4%, Sweden 11.2%, UK 9.2%, France 5.3%, Netherlands 4.5%), Norway 6.0%, US 4.7% (1998)

Imports

$43.9 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

EU 72.5% (Germany 22.5%, Sweden 12.9%, UK 7.9%, France 5.9%), Norway 4.6%, US 4.1% (1998)

Debt - external

$44 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $1.6 billion (1997)

Currency

1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates

Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1 - 7.336 (January 2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1996), 5.602 (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
1.347 million
(1999)
Fixed lines
3.203 million
(1995)

Telephone system

excellent telephone and telegraph services

domestic:
buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, 4 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 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

6.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations

42 (plus 44 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions

3.121 million (1997)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

2
over 3,047 m
7
2,438 to 3,047 m
3
1,524 to 2,437 m
1
13
914 to 1,523 m
7
3
under 914 m
82
Paved 28Unpaved 90

Networkskm

Highways
71,437Railways
2,859Waterways
417
Highways: paved: 71,437 km (including 843 km of expressways) · unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.) · Railways: (508 km privately owned and operated) · standard gauge: 2,859 km 1.435-m gauge (600 km electrified; 760 km double track) (1998)

Railways

total:
2,859 km (508 km privately owned and operated)
standard gauge:
2,859 km 1.435-m gauge (600 km electrified; 760 km double track) (1998)

Highways

total:
71,437 km
paved:
71,437 km (including 843 km of expressways)
unpaved:
0 km (1998 est.)

Pipelines

  • crude oil 110 km;
  • petroleum products 578 km;
  • natural gas 700 km

Ports and harbors

Alborg, Arhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Grena, Koge, Odense, Struer

Merchant marine

total:
336 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,190,227 GRT/6,815,128 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 12, cargo 132, chemical tanker 22, container 70, liquified gas 26, livestock carrier 6, petroleum tanker 24, rail car carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 13, roll-on/roll-off 19, short-sea passenger 8, specialized tanker 3 (1999 est.)

note: 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

118 (1999 est.)

Military

Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force, Home Guard

7 fields

Military branches

Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force, Home Guard

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,299,250 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,113,378 (2000 est.)

Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes - international

Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Iceland, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area) [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Central Intelligence Agency. “Denmark.” The World Factbook 2000. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/denmark/2000.

How to cite ← 1999 edition 2001 edition →