2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.7% (male 516,872; female 490,543) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,809,138; female 1,762,577) 65 years and over: 15% (male 338,141; female 467,113) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

104 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12

total

28

under 914 m

3 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

76 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m

71 (2002) Military Denmark

Area

land

42,394 sq km

note

includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland

total

43,094 sq km

water

700 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

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 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) and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs. Geography Denmark

Birth rate

11.52 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$51.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (2001 est.)

revenues

$52.9 billion

Capital

Copenhagen

Climate

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

Coastline

7,314 km

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

Currency

Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code

DKK

Death rate

10.72 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$21.7 billion (2000)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Stuart A. BERNSTEIN

embassy

Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen

mailing address

PSC 73, APO AE 09716

telephone

[45] 35 55 31 44

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Ulrik Andreas FEDERSPIEL

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Disputes - international

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; uncontested dispute with Canada over Hans Island sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Distribution of family income - Gini index

24.7 (1992)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $1.63 billion (1999)

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, a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. Government objectives include streamlining the bureaucracy and further privatization of state assets. The government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase (a common European currency) of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), but Denmark has decided not to join the 12 other EU members in the euro; even so, the Danish Krone remains pegged to the euro. Given the sluggish state of the European economy, growth in 2003 was a mere 1.1%.

Electricity - consumption

32.41 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

8.775 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

8.199 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

35.47 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

82.7%

hydro

0.1%

nuclear

0%

other

17.3% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Yding Skovhoej 173 m

lowest point

Lammefjord -7 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-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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

Ethnic groups

Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali

Exchange rates

Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.89 (2002), 8.32 (2001), 8.08 (2000), 6.98 (1999), 6.7 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by Parliament

chief of state

Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26 May 1968)

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

head of government

Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27 November 2001)

Exports

$56.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills

Exports - partners

Germany 17.1%, Sweden 11.6%, UK 7.8%, US 6.8%, France 5.8%, Norway 5.7%, Japan 4.4% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 328-1470

[45] 35 43 02 23

chancery

3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 234-4300

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Denmark

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 Denmark

GDP

purchasing power parity - $155.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3%

industry

26%

services

71% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $28,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.6% (2002 est.)

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 greater Copenhagen People Denmark

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Highways

paved

71,591 km (including 880 km of expressways)

total

71,591 km

unpaved

0 km (2000)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

3,800 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

24% (2000 est.)

lowest 10%

2%

Imports

$47.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners

Germany 22.9%, Sweden 10.7%, UK 8.7%, Netherlands 7.8%, France 6%, Norway 4.9%, Italy 4.4% (2002)

Independence

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

Industrial production growth rate

1.4% (2002 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

4.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

5.16 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.3% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, 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, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Internet country code

.dk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

13 (2000)

Internet users

3.37 million (2002) Transportation Denmark

Irrigated land

4,760 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)

Labor force

2.856 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

services 79%, industry 17%, agriculture 4% (2002 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Germany 68 km

total

68 km

Land use

arable land

55.74%

other

44.07% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0.19%

Languages

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

note

English is the predominant second language

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Folketing (179 seats, including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party 56, Social Democrats 52, Danish People's Party 22, Conservative Party 16, Socialist People's Party 12, Social Liberal Party 9, Christian People's Party 4, Unity List 4; note - does not include the 2 seats from Greenland and the 2 seats from the Faroe Islands

elections

last held 20 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2005)

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.87 years (2003 est.)

male

74.48 years

total population

77.1 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

NA% Government Denmark

male

NA%

total population

100%

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)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

40.1 years (2002)

male

38.1 years

total

39.1 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Germany 1, Greenland 1, Indonesia 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 9, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

bulk 5, cargo 85, chemical tanker 29, container 77, liquefied gas 19, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 28, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 11, short-sea passenger 6, specialized tanker 4

total

282 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,714,557 GRT/8,715,716 DWT

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$2.47 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.4% (FY99/00) Transnational Issues Denmark

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

1,282,315 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

1,094,611 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

28,198 (2003 est.)

National holiday

none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June is generally viewed as the National Day

Nationality

adjective

Danish

noun

Dane(s)

Natural gas - consumption

5.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

3.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

8.38 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

81.98 billion cu m (37257)

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

Net migration rate

2.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

218,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

332,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

195,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

346,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

1.23 billion bbl (37257)

Pipelines

condensate 12 km; gas 3,892 km; oil 455 km; oil/gas/water 2 km; unknown (oil/water) 64 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Christian People's Party [Marianne KARLSMOSE]; 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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

5,384,384 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.28% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Abenra, Alborg, Arhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Hirtshals, Kolding, Odense, Roenne (Bornholm), Vejle

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

6.02 million (1997)

Railways

standard gauge

2,324 km 1.435-m gauge (595 km electrified) note:: total includes 840 km of suburban track (2002)

total

3,164 km

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, Muslim 2%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems

general assessment

excellent telephone and telegraph services

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

4.785 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,444,016 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions

3.121 million (1997)

Terrain

low and flat to gently rolling plains

Total fertility rate

1.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.1% (2002)

Waterways

417 km