1996 Edition

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

Location

56 00 N, 10 00 E -- Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly more than twice the size of Massachusetts

land area

42,370 sq km

note

includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark, but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland

total area

43,070 sq km

Climate

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

Coastline

3,379 km

Environment

current issues

air pollution, principally from vehicle emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes

international agreements

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

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

Geographic coordinates

56 00 N, 10 00 E

Geographic note

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

International disputes

Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Iceland, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)

Irrigated land

4,300 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border country

Germany 68 km

total

68 km

Land use

arable land

61%

forest and woodland

12%

meadows and pastures

6%

other

21%

permanent crops

0%

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

4 nm

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

3 nm

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone

Terrain

low and flat to gently rolling plains

highest point

Ejer Bavnehoj 173 m

lowest point

Lammefjord -7 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 17% (male 469,672; female 446,907) 15-64 years: 67% (male 1,789,552; female 1,738,870) 65 years and over: 16% (male 330,396; female 474,235) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

12.24 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

10.42 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Scandinavian, Eskimo, Faroese, German

Infant mortality rate

4.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.01 years (1996 est.)

male

73.78 years

total population

77.3 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

99%

Nationality

adjective

Danish

noun

Dane(s)

Net migration rate

2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

5,249,632 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.38% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

all ages

0.97 male(s)/female (1996 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: 0.7 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.67 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt) and 1 city* (stad); Arhus, Bornholms, Frederiksborg, Fyns, Kobenhavns, Nordjyllands, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjyllands, Staden Kobenhavn*, Storstroms, Vejle, Vestsjaellands, Viborg

note

see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland, which are part of the Danish realm and self-governing administrative divisions

Capital

Copenhagen

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

Data code

DA

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Knud-Erik TYGESEN

telephone

[1] (202) 234-4300

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet was appointed by the queen

chief of state

Queen MARGRETHE II (since NA January 1972) is a constitutional monarch; Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the queen (born 26 May 1968)

head of government

Prime Minister Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN (since NA January 1993) was appointed by the queen

FAX

[1] (202) 328-1470

[45] (35) 43 02 23

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Flag

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

Independence

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

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the monarch for life

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

Kingdom of Denmark

conventional short form

Denmark

local long form

Kongeriget Danmark

local short form

Danmark

National holiday

Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Parliament (Folketing)

elections last held 21 September 1994 (next to be held by December 1998); results - Social Democrats 34.6%, Liberals 23.3%, Conservatives 15.0%, Social People's Party 7.3%, Progress Party 6.4%, Radical Liberals 4.6%, Unity Party 3.1%, Center Democrats 2.8%, Christian People's Party 1.8%; seats - (179 total) Social Democrats 63, Liberals 44, Conservatives 28, Social People's Party 13, Progress Party 11, Radical Liberals 8, Unity Party 6, Center Democrats 5, independent 1

Political parties and leaders

Social Democratic Party, Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN; Conservative Party, Hans ENGELL; Liberal Party, Uffe ELLEMANN-JENSEN; Socialist People's Party, Holger K. NIELSEN; Progress Party, Group Chairman Kim BEHNKE and Policy Spokesman Jan Kopke CHRISTENSEN; Center Democratic Party, Mimi Stilling JAKOBSEN; Radical Liberal Party, Marianne JELVED; Christian People's Party, Jann SJURSEN; Danish Workers' Party, Common Cause, Preben Moller HANSEN; Unity Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

constitutional monarchy

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Edward E. ELSON

embassy

Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen

mailing address

APO AE 09716, PSC 73

telephone

[45] (31) 42 31 44

Agriculture

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

Budget

expenditures

$64.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)

revenues

$56.5 billion

Currency

1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere

Economic aid

donor

ODA, $1.34 billion (1993)

Economic overview

This thoroughly modern 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 self-sufficient in food production. The new 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. In the face of recent international market pressure on the Danish krone, the coalition has also vowed to maintain a stable currency. The coalition hopes to lower marginal income taxes while maintaining overall tax revenues; boost industrial competitiveness through labor market and tax reforms and increased research and development funds; and improve welfare services for the neediest while cutting paperwork and delays. Prime Minister RASMUSSEN's reforms will focus on adapting Denmark to the criteria for European integration by 1999; Copenhagen has won from the European Union (EU) the right to opt out of the European Monetary Union (EMU) if a national referendum rejects it. Denmark is, in fact, one of the few EU countries likely to fit into the EMU on time. Denmark is weathering the current worldwide slump better than many West European countries. Although unemployment is high, it remains stable compared to most European countries.

Electricity

capacity

10,030,000 kW

consumption per capita

5,835 kWh (1993)

production

32 billion kWh

Exchange rates

Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1 - 5.652 (January 1996), 5.602 (1995), 6.361 (1994), 6.484 (1993), 6.036 (1992), 6.396 (1991)

Exports

$39.6 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

meat and meat products, dairy products, transport equipment (shipbuilding), fish, chemicals, industrial machinery

partners

EU 49.4% (Germany 22.4%, UK 8.2%), Sweden 10.4%, Norway 6.5%, US 5.5%, Japan 4.1%, FSU 1.7% (1994)

External debt

$40.9 billion (1994 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $112.8 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

3%

industry

23.5%

services

73.5% (1994)

GDP per capita

$21,700 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

3.1% (1995 est.)

Imports

$34 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)

commodities

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

partners

EU 51% (Germany 22%, UK 6.5%), Sweden 11.6%, Norway 5.1%, US 5.2%, Japan 3.5%, FSU 1.7% (1994)

Industrial production growth rate

-2.5% (1993 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.4% (1995 est.)

Labor force

2,553,900

by occupation

private services 37.1%, government services 30.4%, manufacturing and mining 20%, construction 6.3%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 5.6%, electricity/gas/water 0.6% (1991)

Unemployment rate

9.5% (1995)

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $3.2 billion, 1.8% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

1,338,791

males fit for military service

1,150,996

males reach military age (20) annually

34,324 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

excellent telephone and telegraph services

domestic

buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network

international

19 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations - 7 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean Regions); note - Denmark shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

Telephones

4.005 million (1985 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2

Televisions

2.04 million (1992 est.) Defense

Airports

total

109

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

3

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

7

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

13

with paved runways over 3 047 m

2

with paved runways under 914 m

77

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

6 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

71,042 km (including 696 km of expressways)

total

71,042 km

unpaved

0 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

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 (1995 est.)

ships by type

bulk 13, cargo 114, chemical tanker 25, container 65, liquefied gas tanker 27, livestock carrier 5, oil tanker 31, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 17, roll-on/roll-off cargo 26, short-sea passenger 9, specialized tanker 1

total

334 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,013,054 GRT/7,171,871 DWT

Pipelines

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

Ports

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

Railways

standard gauge

2,848 km 1.435-m gauge (326 km electrified; 760 km double track) (1995)

total

2,848 km (499 km privately owned and operated)

Waterways

417 km