2021 Edition

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 EU's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union, European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.

Area

land

42,434 sq km

note

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

660 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts; about two-thirds the size of West Virginia

Climate

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

Coastline

7,314 km

Elevation

highest point

Mollehoj/Ejer Bavnehoj 171 m

lowest point

Lammefjord -7 m

mean elevation

34 m

Geographic coordinates

56 00 N, 10 00 E

Geography - note

composed of the Jutland Peninsula and a group of more than 400 islands (Danish Archipelago); controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen

Irrigated land

4,350 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Germany 140 km

total

140 km

Land use

agricultural land

63.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 58.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 4.4% (2018 est.)

forest

12.9% (2018 est.)

note

note: highest percentage of arable land for any country in the world

other

23.7% (2018 est.)

Location

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes several major islands (Sjaelland, Fyn, and Bornholm)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 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, arable land, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand

Population distribution

with excellent access to the North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, and the Baltic Sea, population centers tend to be along coastal areas, particularly in Copenhagen and the eastern side of the country's mainland

Terrain

low and flat to gently rolling plains

Age structure

0-14 years

16.42% (male 494,806/female 469,005)

15-24 years

12.33% (male 370,557/female 352,977)

25-54 years

38.71% (male 1,149,991/female 1,122,016)

55-64 years

12.63% (male 370,338/female 371,149)

65 years and over

19.91% (male 538,096/female 630,475) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

11.17 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

10.1% (2018)

Death rate

9.5 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

31.7

potential support ratio

3.2 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

57.3

youth dependency ratio

25.6

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

7.8% of GDP (2017)

Ethnic groups

Danish (includes Greenlandic (who are predominantly Inuit) and Faroese) 86.3%, Turkish 1.1%, other 12.6% (largest groups are Polish, Syrian, German, Iraqi, and Romanian) (2018 est.)

note

note: data represent population by ancestry

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<100 (2020 est.)

note

note: estimate does not include children

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

6,700 (2020 est.)

note

note: estimate does not include children

Hospital bed density

2.6 beds/1,000 population (2019)

Infant mortality rate

female

2.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

3.54 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.09 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority); note - English is the predominant second language

major-language sample(s)

Verdens Faktabog, den uundværlig kilde til grundlæggende oplysninger. (Danish)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

83.51 years (2021 est.)

male

79.52 years

total population

81.45 years

Major urban areas - population

1.359 million COPENHAGEN (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

43.1 years (2020 est.)

male

40.9 years

total

42 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.7 years (2019 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Danish

noun

Dane(s)

Net migration rate

2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.7% (2016)

Physicians density

4.01 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

5,894,687 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

with excellent access to the North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, and the Baltic Sea, population centers tend to be along coastal areas, particularly in Copenhagen and the eastern side of the country's mainland

Population growth rate

0.44% (2021 est.)

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran (official) 74.7%, Muslim 5.5%, other/none/unspecified (denominations of less than 1% each in descending order of size include Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Serbian Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Baptist, Buddhist, Church of Jesus Christ, Pentecostal, and nondenominational Christian) 19.8% (2019 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

19 years (2019)

male

18 years

total

19 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.02 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.85 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.77 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

10.6% (2020 est.)

male

12.6%

total

11.6%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.54% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

88.2% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions (regioner, singular - region); Hovedstaden (Capital), Midtjylland (Central Jutland), Nordjylland (North Jutland), Sjaelland (Zealand), Syddanmark (Southern Denmark)

Capital

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

etymology

name derives from the city's Danish appellation Kobenhavn, meaning "Merchant's Harbor"

geographic coordinates

55 40 N, 12 35 E

name

Copenhagen

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Denmark

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

7 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the Folketing with consent of the government; passage requires approval by the next Folketing following a general election, approval by simple majority vote of at least 40% of voters in a referendum, and assent of the chief of state; changed several times, last in 2009 (Danish Act of Succession)

history

several previous; latest adopted 5 June 1953

Country name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Denmark

conventional short form

Denmark

etymology

the name derives from the words "Dane(s)" and "mark"; the latter referring to a march (borderland) or forest

local long form

Kongeriget Danmark

local short form

Danmark

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Stuart A. DWYER (since 20 January 2021)

email address and website

CopenhagenACS@state.govhttps://dk.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Kobenhavn 0

FAX

[45] 35-43-02-23

mailing address

5280 Copenhagen Place, Washington DC  20521-5280

telephone

[45] 33-41-71-00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Lone Dencker WISBORG (since 8 April 2019)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Houston, New York, Silicon Valley (CA)

email address and website

wasamb@um.dkhttps://usa.um.dk/en

FAX

[1] (202) 328-1470

telephone

[1] (202) 234-4300

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of State appointed by the monarch

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)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

head of government

Prime Minister Mette FREDERIKSEN (since 27 June 2019)

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

note: the shifted cross design element was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, as well as by the Faroe Islands

Government type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Independence

ca. 965 (unified and Christianized under HARALD I Gormsson); 5 June 1849 (became a parliamentary constitutional monarchy)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest courts

Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 18 judges)

judge selection and term of office

judges appointed by the monarch upon the recommendation of the Minister of Justice, with the advice of the Judicial Appointments Council, a 6-member independent body of judges and lawyers; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 70

subordinate courts

Special Court of Indictment and Revision; 2 High Courts; Maritime and Commercial Court; county courts

Legal system

civil law; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

description

unicameral People's Assembly or Folketing (179 seats, including 2 each representing Greenland and the Faroe Islands; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms unless the Folketing is dissolved earlier)

election results

percent of vote by party - SDP 25.9%, V 23.4%, DF 8.7%, SLP 8.6%, SF 7.7%, EL 6.9%, C 6.6%, AP 3.0%, NB 2.4%, LA 2.3%; seats by party - SDP 48, V 43, DF 16, SLP 16, SF 14, EL 13, C 12, AP 5, NB 4, LA 4; composition (as of September 2021) - men 108, women 71 (includes 2 from Greenland), percent of women 39.7%

elections

last held on 5 June 2019 (next to be held in June 2023)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Adam Gottlob OEHLENSCHLAGER/Hans Ernst KROYER; Johannes EWALD/unknown

name

"Der er et yndigt land" (There is a Lovely Country); "Kong Christian" (King Christian)

note

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

National holiday

Constitution Day, 5 June (1849); note - closest equivalent to a national holiday

National symbol(s)

lion, mute swan; national colors: red, white

Political parties and leaders

The Alternative AP (Franciska ROSENKILDE)Conservative People's Party or DKF or C [Soren PAPE POULSEN]Danish People's Party or DF or O [Kristian THULESEN DAHL]Liberal Alliance or LA or I [Alex VANOPSLAGH]Liberal Party (Venstre) or V [Jakob ELLEMANN-JENSEN]New Right Party or NB or D [Pernille VERMUND]Red-Green Alliance (Unity List) or EL [collective leadership, Mai VILLADSEN, spokesperson]Social Democrats or SDP or A [Mette FREDERIKSEN]Social Liberal Party or SLP or B [Sofie CARSTEN NIELSEN]Socialist People's Party or SF or F [Pia OLSEN DYHR]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, wheat, barley, potatoes, sugar beet, pork, rye, rapeseed, oats, poultry

Budget

expenditures

168.9 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

172.5 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AAA (2003)

Moody's rating

Aaa (1999)

Standard & Poors rating

AAA (2001)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2018

$24.821 billion (2018 est.)

Current account balance 2019

$30.935 billion (2019 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$517.972 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$504.808 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

This thoroughly modern market economy features advanced industry with world-leading firms in pharmaceuticals, maritime shipping, and renewable energy, and a high-tech agricultural sector. Danes enjoy a high standard of living, and the Danish economy is characterized by extensive government welfare measures and an equitable distribution of income. An aging population will be a long-term issue.Denmark’s small open economy is highly dependent on foreign trade, and the government strongly supports trade liberalization. Denmark is a net exporter of food, oil, and gas and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus, but depends on imports of raw materials for the manufacturing sector.Denmark is a member of the EU but not the eurozone. Despite previously meeting the criteria to join the European Economic and Monetary Union, Denmark has negotiated an opt-out with the EU and is not required to adopt the euro.Denmark is experiencing a modest economic expansion. The economy grew by 2.0% in 2016 and 2.1% in 2017. The expansion is expected to decline slightly in 2018. Unemployment stood at 5.5% in 2017, based on the national labor survey. The labor market was tight in 2017, with corporations experiencing some difficulty finding appropriately-skilled workers to fill billets. The Danish Government offers extensive programs to train unemployed persons to work in sectors that need qualified workers.Denmark maintained a healthy budget surplus for many years up to 2008, but the global financial crisis swung the budget balance into deficit. Since 2014 the balance has shifted between surplus and deficit. In 2017 there was a surplus of 1.0%. The government projects a lower deficit in 2018 and 2019 of 0.7%, and public debt (EMU debt) as a share of GDP is expected to decline to 35.6% in 2018 and 34.8% in 2019. The Danish Government plans to address increasing municipal, public housing and integration spending in 2018.

Exchange rates

currency

Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

5.6125 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

6.7236 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

6.5533 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

6.7506 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

6.16045 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$200.81 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$204.14 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$191.53 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

packaged medicines, electric generators, pork, refined petroleum, medical cultures/vaccines (2019)

Exports - partners

Germany 14%, United States 11%, Sweden 10%, United Kingdom 7%, Norway 6%, Netherlands 5%, China 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

54.5% (2017 est.)

government consumption

25.2% (2017 est.)

household consumption

48% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-47.5% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.2% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.3% (2017 est.)

industry

22.9% (2017 est.)

services

75.8% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$350.037 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2010

27.5 (2010 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

28.7 (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

23.4% (2016 est.)

lowest 10%

9%

Imports

Imports 2018

$179.95 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$178.44 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$170.33 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment (2019)

Imports - partners

Germany 21%, Sweden 11%, Netherlands 8%, China 7% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

2.5% (2017 est.)

Industries

wind turbines, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, shipbuilding and refurbishment, iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

1.1% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

0.8% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

0.7% (2019 est.)

Labor force

2.736 million (2020 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

2.4%

industry

18.3%

services

79.3% (2016 est.)

Population below poverty line

12.5% (2018 est.)

Public debt

note

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Public debt 2016

37.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

35.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$326.07 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$335.36 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$326.2 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2017

2.83% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

2.18% (2018 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2019

2.85% (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$56,300 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$57,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$55,900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$64.25 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$75.25 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

53% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2018

3.07% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate 2019

3.05% (2019 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

10.6% (2020 est.)

male

12.6%

total

11.6%

Crude oil - exports

82,980 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - imports

98,240 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - production

115,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

439 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

33.02 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

9.919 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

46% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

54% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

14.98 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

14.34 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

29.84 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

3.115 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

2.237 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

509.7 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

4.842 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

12.86 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

158,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

133,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

109,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

183,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

44.4 (2020 est.)

total

2,571,736 (2020)

Broadcast media

strong public-sector TV presence with state-owned Danmarks Radio (DR) operating 6 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, 10 digital audio broadcasting stations, and 14 web-based radio stations; 140 commercial and 187 community (non-commercial) radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.dk

Internet users

percent of population

96.55% (2020 est.)

total

5.69 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line 17 per 100, 126 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2019)

general assessment

Denmark has one of the highest broadband penetration rates globally, with near universal availability of superfast connections; progressive regulator encouraged upgrades to cable and DSL infrastructure; fast growing fiber networks with aim for nation-wide build-out; comprehensive LTE with 90% coverage of 5G; operator expands NB-IoT across its LTE network; survey underway for cable connecting Denmark to Norway; upgrades to submarine cable connection to North America; importer of broadcasting equipment from EU neighbors (2020)

international

country code - 45; landing points for the NSC, COBRAcable, CANTAT-3, DANICE, Havfrue/AEC-2, TAT-14m Denmark-Norway-5 & 6, Skagenfiber West & East, GC1, GC2, GC3, GC-KPN, Kattegat 1 & 2 & 3, Energinet Lyngsa-Laeso, Energinet Laeso-Varberg, Fehmarn Balt, Baltica, German-Denmark 2 & 3, Ronne-Rodvig, Denmark-Sweden 15 & 16 & 17 & 18, IP-Only Denmark-Sweden, Scandinavian South, Scandinavian Ring North, Danica North, 34 series of fiber-optic submarine cables link Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, US 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 (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

16.19 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

937,469 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

123.3 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

7,144,123 (2020)

Airports

total

80 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

5

2,438 to 3,047 m

7

914 to 1,523 m

12

over 3,047 m

2

total

28

under 914 m

2 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

914 to 1,523 m

5

total

52

under 914 m

47 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

OY

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 8, container ship 148, general cargo 68, oil tanker 105, other 388 (2021)

total

717

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

0 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

582,011 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

76

number of registered air carriers

10 (2020)

Pipelines

1536 km gas, 330 km oil (2015)

Ports and terminals

cruise port(s)

Copenhagen

dry bulk cargo port(s)

Ensted (coal)

major seaport(s)

Baltic Sea - Aarhus, Copenhagen, Fredericia, Kalundborg

note

North Sea - Esbjerg,

river port(s)

Aalborg (Langerak)

Railways

standard gauge

3,476 km 1.435-m gauge (1,756 km electrified) (2017)

total

3,476 km (2017)

Roadways

paved

74,558 km (includes 1,205 km of expressways) (2017)

total

74,558 km (2017)

Waterways

400 km (2010)

Military - note

Denmark is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949 Denmark is a member of the EU, but opted out of the EU’s Common Defense and Security Policy, and therefore does not participate in EU military operations or in the cooperation on development and acquisition of military capabilities within the EU framework the Danish Armed Forces cooperate closely with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009 in 2018, the Defense Ministers of Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the creation of a Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC); the C-SOCC was declared operational in December 2020

Military and security forces

Danish Armed Forces (Forsvaret): Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force, Danish Home Guard (Reserves) (2021)

note

note - the Danish military maintains a Joint Arctic Command with the mission of protecting the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark in the Arctic Region, including the Faroe Islands and Greenland; it also conducts maritime pollution prevention, environmental monitoring, fishery inspections, search and rescue, hydrographical surveys, and provides support to governmental science missions

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Danish military has approximately 16,000 active duty personnel (8,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force; 2,000 other) (2021)

Military deployments

140 Middle East/Iraq (NATO) (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Danish military inventory is comprised of a mix of modern European, US, and domestically-produced equipment; the US is the largest supplier of military equipment to Denmark since 2010; the Danish defense industry is active in the production of naval vessels, defense electronics, and subcomponents of larger weapons systems, such as the US F-35 fighter aircraft (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

1.15% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

1.14% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

1.28% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.3% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.4% of GDP (2020)

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 depending on specialization; former conscripts are assigned to mobilization units; women eligible to volunteer for military service; in addition to full time employment, the Danish Military offers reserve contracts in all three branches (2021)

Disputes - international

Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; sovereignty dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland; Denmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

19,878 (Syria), 5,399 (Eritrea) (2020)

stateless persons

11,655 (2020)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

31.79 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

6.54 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

10.12 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

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

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; much of country's household and industrial waste is recycled

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, 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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Antarctic-Environmental Protection

Land use

agricultural land

63.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 58.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 4.4% (2018 est.)

forest

12.9% (2018 est.)

note

note: highest percentage of arable land for any country in the world

other

23.7% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

6 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

326.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

32.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

381.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.54% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

88.2% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

4.485 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

1,223,060 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

27.3% (2015 est.)