1998 Edition

Area

total: 43,094 sq km land: 42,394 sq km water: 700 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

Area-comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Climate

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

Coastline

7,314 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m highest point: Ejer Bavnehoj 173 m

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: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

56 00 N, 10 00 E

Geography-note

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

Irrigated land

4,350 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km

Land use

arable land: 60% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 10% other: 25% (1993 est.)

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 economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

low and flat to gently rolling plains

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 496,886; female 471,891) 15-64 years: 67% (male 1,807,384; female 1,760,353) 65 years and over: 15% (male 330,385; female 466,718) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

12.18 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

11.08 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Scandinavian, Eskimo, Faroese, German

Infant mortality rate

5.17 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.31 years male: 73.64 years female: 79.12 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality

noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish

Net migration rate

3.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

5,333,617 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

0.49% (1998 est.)

Religions

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

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 (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.68 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

metropolitan Denmark-14 counties (amter, singular-amt) and 2 kommunes*; (stad); Arhus, Bornholm, Fredericksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavn*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg note: see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland, which are part of the Danish realm and self-governing administrative divisions

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

Country name

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

Data code

DA

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the queen (born 26 May 1968) head of government: Prime Minister Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN (since 25 January 1993) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the queen elections: none; the queen is a constitutional monarch; prime minister appointed by the queen

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] (31) 42 31 44

[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

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Independence

in 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, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G9, 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, 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 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the monarch for life Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party [Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN]; Conservative Party [Torben RECHENDORFF]; Liberal Party [Uffe ELLEMANN-JENSEN]; Socialist People's Party [Holger K. NIELSEN]; Progress Party [Kirsten JAKOBSEN]; Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Social Liberal Party [Marianne JELVED]; Unity Party [none]; Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Radical Liberal Party [Margrethe VESTAGER]; Conservative People's Party [Torben RECHENDORFF]

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Folketing (179 seats; members are elected 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: Progress Party 42, Conservative People's Party 16, Danish People's Party 13, Center Democrats 8, other parties 10

National capital

Copenhagen

National holiday

Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

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

Budget

revenues: $62.1 billion expenditures: $66.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

Currency

1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere

Debt-external

$44 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $1.34 billion (1993)

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. Prime Minister RASMUSSEN's reforms 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). Denmark is, in fact, one of the few EU countries likely to fit into the EMU on time. Growth may fall off slightly to 2.8% in 1998, and inflation may rise to 2.5%.

Electricity-capacity

10.604 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

6,432 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

34.244 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1-6.916 (January 1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1996), 5.602 (1995), 6.361 (1994), 6.484 (1993)

Exports

total value: $48.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machinery and instruments 25%, meat and meat products, fuels, dairy products, ships, fish, chemicals partners: Germany 22.5%, Sweden 9.7%, UK 7.9%, Norway 5.9%, France 5.4%, Netherlands 4.4%, US 4.0% (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$122.5 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 4% industry: 27% services: 69% (1995)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$23,200 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

3% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $43.2 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum 25%, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, textiles, paper partners: Germany 21.7%, Sweden 11.7%, Netherlands 7.0%, UK 6.6%, France 5.2%, Norway 4.9%, US 4.7%, Japan 3.5%, FSU 1.7% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate

1.3% (1996)

Industries

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index

2.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force

total: 2,895,950 by occupation: private services 40%, government services 30%, manufacturing and mining 19%, construction 6%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 5% (1995)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

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

Telephones

4.025 million (1995 est.), of which 822,000 are mobile telephones

Television broadcast stations

50 (1996 est.)

Televisions

3 million (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate

7.9% (1997 est.)

Airports

118 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 28 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 under 914 m: 3 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 90 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 82 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 71,600 km paved: 71,600 km (including 880 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 327 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,972,331 GRT/6,894,091 DWT ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 118, chemical tanker 16, container 76, liquefied gas tanker 24, livestock carrier 6, oil tanker 25, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 14, roll-on/roll-off cargo 22, short-sea passenger 9, specialized tanker 2 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 (1997 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

Railways

total: 3,358 km (510 km privately owned and operated) standard gauge: 3,358 km 1.435-m gauge (440 km electrified; 760 km double track) (1996)

Waterways

417 km

Military branches

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

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$2.9 billion (1997 est.)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

1.6% (1997 est.)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 1,324,150 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 1,137,563 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

20 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 32,918 (1998 est.)

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)