Denmark
Kingdom of DenmarkKongeriget Danmark
constitutional monarchy
Denmark as the 2010 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 135 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
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)
20 fieldsLand useshare of 43,094 sq km
Note
Location
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)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 0.67 cu km/yr (32%/26%/42%)
- per capita:
- 123 cu m/yr (2002)
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-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
controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen
People
22 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2010 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.055 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.78 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
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 Lars Loekke RASMUSSEN (since 5 April 2009)
19 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
People's Assembly or Folketing, 175 seats, elected 13 November 2007one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Kingdom of Denmark
- conventional short form:
- Denmark
- local long form:
- Kongeriget Danmark
- local short form:
- Danmark
Capital
- 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
note: applies to continental Denmark only, not to its North Atlantic components
Administrative divisions
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
Independence
ca. 965 (unified and Christianized under HARALD I Gormson); 5 June 1849 (becomes a constitutional monarchy)
National holiday
none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally viewed as the National Day
Constitution
5 June 1953; note - constitution allowed 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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born on 26 May 1968)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Lars Loekke RASMUSSEN (since 5 April 2009)
- cabinet:
- Council of State appointed by the monarch; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
Legislative branch
unicameral People's Assembly or Folketing (179 seats, including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms unless the Folketing is dissolved earlier)
- elections:
- last held on 13 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 26.2%, Social Democrats 25.5%, Danish People's Party 13.9%, Socialist People's Party 13.0%, Conservative People's Party 10.4%, Social Liberal Party 5.1%, New Alliance 2.8%, Red-Green Unity List 2.2%, other 0.9%;
- seats by party - Liberal Party 46, Social Democrats 45, Danish People's Party 25, Socialist People's Party 23, Conservative People's Party 18, Social Liberal Party 9, New Alliance 5, Red-Green Alliance 4;
- note - does not include the two seats from Greenland and the two seats from the Faroe Islands
Political parties and leaders
- Christian Democrats [Bjarne Hartung KIRKEGAARD] (was Christian People's Party);
- Conservative Party [Lars BARFOED] (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party);
- Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD];
- Liberal Alliance [Anders SAMUELSEN] (formerly known as New Alliance);
- Liberal Party [Lars Loekke RASMUSSEN];
- Red-Green Unity List (Alliance) [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]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Confederation of Danish Employers or DA [President Jorn Neergaard LARSEN];
- Principal DA member organizations: Confederation of Danish Industries [CEO Karsten DYBVAD];
- Confederation of Danish Labor Unions [President Harald BORSTING];
- Danish Bankers Association [CEO Joergen HORWITZ];
- DaneAge Association [President Bjarne HASTRUP];
- Danish Society for Nature Conservation [President Ella Maria BISSCHOP-LARSEN]
- other:
- humanitarian relief;
- development assistance;
- human rights NGOs
International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, 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, MONUSCO, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Peter TAKSOE-JENSEN
- chancery:
- 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 234-4300
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 328-1470
- consulate(s) general:
- Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Laurie S. FULTON
- 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
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;
- the banner is referred to as the Dannebrog (Danish flag) and is one of the oldest national flags in the world;
- traditions as to the origin of the flag design vary, but the best known is a legend that the banner fell from the sky during an early-13th century battle;
- caught up by the Danish king before it ever touched the earth, this heavenly talisman inspired the royal army to victory;
- in actuality, the flag may derive from a crusade banner or ensign
note: the shifted design element was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden
National anthem
- name:
- "Der er et yndigt land" (There is a Lovely Land); "Kong Christian" (King Christian)
- lyrics/music:
- Adam Gottlob OEHLENSCHLAGER/Hans Ernst KROYER; Johannes EWALD/unknown
note: Denmark has two national anthems with equal status; "Der er et yndigt land," adopted 1844, is a national anthem, while "Kong Christian," adopted 1780, serves as both a national and royal anthem;
"Kong Christian" is also known as "Kong Christian stod ved hojen mast" (King Christian Stood by the Lofty Mast) and "Kongesangen" (The King's Anthem); within Denmark, the royal anthem is played only when royalty is present and is usually followed by the national anthem;
when royalty is not present, only the national anthem is performed; outside Denmark, the royal anthem is played, unless the national anthem is requested
Economy
50 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2010 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
This thoroughly modern market economy features a high-tech agricultural sector, state-of-the-art industry with world-leading firms in pharmaceuticals, maritime shipping and renewable energy, and a high dependence on foreign trade. The Danish economy is also characterized by extensive government welfare measures, an equitable distribution of income, and comfortable living standards.
Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. After a long consumption-driven upswing, Denmark's economy began slowing in 2007 with the end of a housing boom. Housing prices dropped markedly in 2008-09. The global financial crisis has exacerbated this cyclical slowdown through increased borrowing costs and lower export demand, consumer confidence, and investment.
The global financial crises cut Danish GDP by 0.9% in 2008 and 4.7% in 2009. Historically low levels of unemployment rose sharply with the recession but remain below 5%, about half the level of the EU. Denmark made a modest recovery in 2010 in part because of increased government spending.
An impending decline in the ratio of workers to retirees will be a major long-term issue. Denmark maintained a healthy budget surplus for many years up to 2008, but the budget balance swung into deficit during 2009-10. Nonetheless, Denmark's fiscal position remains among the strongest in the EU. Despite previously meeting the criteria to join the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), so far Denmark has decided not to join, although the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro.
Distribution of family income - Gini index
29 (2007) · 24.7 (1992) country comparison to the world: 118
Central bank discount rate
1% (31 December 2009) · 3.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 110
Stock of narrow money
$148.1 billion (31 December 2010 est) · $153.1 billion (31 December 2009 est) country comparison to the world: 23
Stock of broad money
$209 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $226.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39
Stock of domestic credit
$636.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $671.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22
Industries
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
Natural gas - proved reserves
61.3 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62
Current account balance
$14.35 billion (2010 est.) · $12.43 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 21
Exports - commodities
machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, pharmaceuticals, furniture, windmills
Imports - commodities
machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$NA (31 December 2010 est.); $76.65 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external
$559.5 billion (30 June 2010) · $588.8 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 18
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$149.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $144.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$199.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $186.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19
Exchange rates
Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.774 (2010), 5.3609 (2009), 5.0236 (2008), 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006)
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- excellent telephone and telegraph services
- domestic:
- buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, multiple cellular mobile communications systems
- international:
- country code - 45;
- a series of fiber-optic submarine cables link Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK;
- satellite earth stations - 18 (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 (2008)
Broadcast media
- strong public-sector television presence with state-owned Danmarks Radio (DR) operating 4 channels and publicly-owned TV2 operating roughly a half dozen channels;
- broadcasts of privately-owned stations are available via satellite and cable feed;
- DR operates 4 nationwide FM radio stations, 15 digital audio broadcasting stations, and about 15 web-based radio stations;
- approximately 250 commercial and community radio stations are operational (2007)
Transportation
9 fieldsMerchant marine, 347 ships by type
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Military
Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish Fleet, Arctic Command, Tactical Air Command, Home Guard (2010)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish Fleet, Arctic Command, Tactical Air Command, Home Guard (2010)
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 16-49:
- 1,235,947
- females age 16-49:
- 1,221,386 (2010 est.)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Denmark.” The World Factbook 2010. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/denmark/2010.