Denmark

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. However, the country has opted out of European Union's Maastricht Treaty, the European monetary system (EMU), and issues concerning certain internal affairs.

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

• 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

0-14 years:

18.7% (male 514,589; female 488,121)

15-64 years:

66.4% (male 1,806,722; female 1,760,149)

65 years and over:

14.9% (male 334,599; female 464,674) (2002 est.)

at birth:

1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.72 male(s)/female

total population:

0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

total population:

76.91 years

female:

79.67 years (2002 est.)

male:

74.3 years

noun:

Dane(s)

adjective:

Danish

conventional long form:

Kingdom of Denmark

conventional short form:

Denmark

local short form:

Danmark

local long form:

Kongeriget Danmark

• metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt) and 2 boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskomunes);
• 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 overseas administrative divisions

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

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

• Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN];
• Christian People's Party [Jann SJURSEN];
• 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 [Mogens LYKKETOFT];
• Social Liberal Party (sometimes called the Radical Left) [Marianne JELVED, leader; Johannes LEBECH, chairman];
• Socialist People's Party [Holger K. NIELSEN];
• Red-Green Unity List (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party) [collective leadership]

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, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

chief of mission:

Ambassador Ulrik Andreas FEDERSPIEL

consulate(s) general:

Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

FAX:

[1] (202) 328-1470

telephone:

[1] (202) 234-4300

chancery:

3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission:

Ambassador Stuart BERNSTEIN

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

• 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

lowest 10%:

2%

highest 10%:

24% (2000 est.)

• barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets;
• pork, dairy products;
• fish

• Danish kroner per US dollar - 8.418 (January 2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997);
• note - the Danes rejected the euro in a 28 September 2000 referendum

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:

• 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 worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

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 est.)

total:

71,474 km

paved:

71,474 km (including 880 km of expressways)

unpaved:

0 km (1999)

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

• Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area);
• dispute with Iceland over the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line boundary within 200 NM;
• disputes with Iceland, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM;
• Faroese are considering proposals for full independence