Denmark

Kingdom of DenmarkKongeriget Danmark

constitutional monarchyIndependence 10th century first organized as a unified state

Denmark as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 87 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalCopenhagen
Position56 00 N, 10 00 E
Area43,070 sq km
LocationNorthern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North
1996

Every edition of Denmark

Populationas each edition published it
5.25 million July 1996 est. · 5.13m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.38% 1996 est. · 0.23% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 39.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
77.3 years 1996 est. · 75.51 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.67 children per woman 1996 est. · 1.6 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
4.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 6 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$21,700 1995 est. · $18,200 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
3.1% 1995 est. · 1% in 1993

Geography

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

15 fields

Land useshare of 43,070 sq km

arable land 61%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 6%forest and woodland 12%other 21%irrigated 4,300 sq km (1989 est.)
Area
43,070sq km
land area: 42,370 sq kmcomparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Massachusettsnote: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark, but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland
Coastline
3,379km
contiguous zone: 4 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive fishing zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 3 nm
Land boundaries
68km
border country: Germany 68 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

56 00 N, 10 00 E

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)

Climate

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

Terrain

low and flat to gently rolling plains

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

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone

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
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
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

Geographic note

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

People

15 fields
Population
5,249,632
(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 0.38% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth
12.24Death
10.42Net migration
2

Religions(1988)

Evangelical Lutheran 91%other Protestant and Roman Catholic 2%other 7% (1988)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1980 est.)total population: 99%male: NA%female: NA%

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.)

Sex ratio

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
all ages:
0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
77.3 years
male:
73.78 years
female:
81.01 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.67 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Dane(s)
adjective:
Danish

Ethnic divisions

Scandinavian, Eskimo, Faroese, German

Languages

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

Government

Constitutional monarchy; Queen MARGRETHE II (since NA January 1972) is a constitutional monarch; Prime Minister Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN (since NA January 1993) was appointed by the queen

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

34.6%
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%

Legislature, 179 seatsone dot, one seat

Social Democrats 63Liberals 44Conservatives 28Social People's Party 13Progress Party 11Radical Liberals 8Unity Party 6Center Democrats 5independent 1

Name of country

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

Type of government

constitutional monarchy

Capital

Copenhagen

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

Independence

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

National holiday

Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

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
cabinet:
Cabinet was appointed by the queen

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the monarch for life

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

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Knud-Erik TYGESEN
chancery:
3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 234-4300

FAX

[1] (202) 328-1470; consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

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

FAX

[45] (35) 43 02 23

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

Economy

20 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$21,700
(1995 est.)
Real growth rate
3.1%
(1995 est.)industrial production growth: -2.5% (1993 est.)

GDP composition by sector(1994)

agriculture 3%industry 23.5%services 73.5% (1994)

Budget

Revenues
$56.5 billionExpenditures
$64.4 billion (1994 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 10,030,000 kW

Electricity production
32 billionElectricity consumption per capita
5,835 (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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $112.8 billion (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)

Industries

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

Agriculture

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

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)

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)

External debt

$40.9 billion (1994 est.)

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $1.34 billion (1993)

Currency

1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 109 in all

2
over 3 047 m
7
2 438 to 3 047 m
3
1 524 to 2 437 m
1
13
914 to 1 523 m
6
77
under 914 m
PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways
71,042Railways
2,848Waterways
417
Highways: paved: 71,042 km (including 696 km of expressways) · unpaved: 0 km (1992 est.) · Railways: (499 km privately owned and operated) · standard gauge: 2,848 km 1.435-m gauge (326 km electrified; 760 km double track) (1995)

Railways

total:
2,848 km (499 km privately owned and operated)
standard gauge:
2,848 km 1.435-m gauge (326 km electrified; 760 km double track) (1995)

Highways

total:
71,042 km
paved:
71,042 km (including 696 km of expressways)
unpaved:
0 km (1992 est.)

Pipelines

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

Ports

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

Merchant marine

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

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.)

Communications

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

9 fields
Fixed lines
4.005 million
(1985 est.)

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)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0

Televisions

2.04 million (1992 est.) Defense

Branches

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

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.)

Defense expenditures

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Denmark.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/denmark/1996.

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