Denmark

Internet country code

.dk

Internet hosts

1,219,925 (2004)

Internet users

2.756 million (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems international: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cables linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; 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

3,610,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4,785,300 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $118.5 billion expenditures: $116 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (2003 est.)

Currency

Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code

DKK

Current account balance

$6.397 billion (2003)

Debt - external

$21.7 billion (2000)

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 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 0.3%.

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)

Exchange rates

Danish kroner per US dollar - 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.3228 (2001), 8.0831 (2000), 6.9762 (1999)

Exports

$64.16 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Germany 18.7%, Sweden 12.6%, UK 8.5%, US 6.2%, Norway 5.7%, France 5.1%, Netherlands 4.7% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $167.2 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 2% industry: 22.1% services: 75.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $31,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)

Imports

$54.47 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Germany 23.1%, Sweden 13%, UK 7%, Netherlands 6.9%, France 4.9%, Norway 4.5%, Italy 4.1% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

0.3% (2003 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

19.9% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

2.863 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

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 (1 January 2002)

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 (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

45% of GDP (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$37.98 billion (2003)

Unemployment rate

6.1% (2003)

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 (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), 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: Yding Skovhoej 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-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, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: 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 greater Copenhagen

Irrigated land

4,760 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km

Land use

arable land: 54.02% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 45.79% (2001)

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

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

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, chalk, stone, gravel and sand

Terrain

low and flat to gently rolling plains

Administrative divisions

metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt) and 2 boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskommune); Arhus, Bornholm, Frederiksberg*, 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

Capital

Copenhagen

Constitution

5 June 1849 adoption of original constitution; a major overhaul of 5 June 1953 allowed 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Stuart A. BERNSTEIN; note - will leave 15 January 2005 embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716 telephone: [45] 35 55 31 44 FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ulrik Andreas FEDERSPIEL chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26 May 1968) head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27 November 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by Parliament 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

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

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

International organization participation

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, 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, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, 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 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) elections: last held 20 November 2001 (next to be held 8 February 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 31%, Social Democrats 29%, Danish People's Party 12%, Conservative Party 9%, Socialist People's Party 6%, Social Liberal Party 5%, Christian People's Party (now Christian Democrats) 2%, Unity List 2%; 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 (now Christian Democrats) 4, Unity List 4; note - does not include the 2 seats from Greenland and the 2 seats from the Faroe Islands

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Christian Democrats (was 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; Soren BALD, 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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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), European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$3,271.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.6% (2003)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,276,087 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,088,751 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer 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 (2004)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 30,333 (2004 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.9% (male 523,888; female 497,420) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,808,376; female 1,774,388) 65 years and over: 15% (male 344,113; female 465,207) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

11.59 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

10.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

5,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 4.63 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.65 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.44 years male: 75.17 years female: 79.83 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: NA female: NA

Median age

total: 39.2 years male: 38.3 years female: 40.2 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish

Net migration rate

2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

5,413,392 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

0.35% (2004 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.74 children born/woman (2004 est.)

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) remains dormant; 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 continue to study proposals for full independence; uncontested dispute with Canada over Hans Island sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Airports

99 (2003 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: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 63 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 71,591 km paved: 71,591 km (including 880 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Merchant marine

total: 276 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,952,473 GRT/9,030,444 DWT by type: bulk 4, cargo 77, chemical tanker 36, container 83, liquefied gas 15, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 27, rail car carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 11, short-sea/passenger 5, specialized tanker 4 foreign-owned: Germany 1, Greece 1, Indonesia 2, Norway 5 registered in other countries: 284 (2004 est.)

Pipelines

condensate 12 km; gas 3,892 km; oil 455 km; oil/gas/water 2 km; unknown (oil/water) 64 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Aabenraa, Aalborg, Aarhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Hirtshals, Kolding, Odense, Roenne (Bornholm), Vejle

Railways

total: 3,002 km standard gauge: 3,002 km 1.435-m gauge (595 km electrified) (2003)

Waterways

417 km (2001)