Denmark Population: 5,556,452
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| 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. |
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| Geography | |
| Controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen | |
| 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) |
| Geographic coordinates: | 56 00 N, 10 00 E |
| Area: | total: 43,094 sq km land: 42,434 sq km water: 660 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 Size comparison: slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km |
| Coastline: | 7,314 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
| Climate: | temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers |
| Terrain: | low and flat to gently rolling plains |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m highest point: Mollehoj/Ejer Bavnehoj 171 m |
| Natural resources: | petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand |
| Land use: | arable land: 52.59% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 47.22% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 4,350 sq km (2003) |
| 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 |
| Current Environment 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 |
| International Environment 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, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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| People | |
| Population: | 5,556,452 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 17.2% (male 489,845/female 465,189) 15-24 years: 13% (male 367,927/female 352,872) 25-54 years: 39.3% (male 1,091,525/female 1,094,584) 55-64 years: 12.5% (male 344,484/female 348,596) 65 years and over: 18% (male 446,476/female 554,954) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 41.2 years male: 40.3 years female: 42.1 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.239% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 10.22 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 10.19 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 2.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 78.78 years male: 76.39 years female: 81.31 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.73 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.2% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 5,300 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 100 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish |
| Ethnic groups: | Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali |
| Religions: | Evangelical Lutheran (official) 95%, other Christian (includes Protestant and Roman Catholic) 3%, Muslim 2% |
| Languages: | Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority) note: English is the predominant second language |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark conventional short form: Denmark local long form: Kongeriget Danmark local short form: Danmark |
| Government type: | constitutional monarchy |
| Capital: | name: Copenhagen geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) 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 |
| Administrative divisions: | metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions (regioner, singular - region); Hovedstaden, Midtjylland, Nordjylland, Sjaelland, Syddanmark note: an extensive local government reform merged 271 municipalities into 98 and 13 counties into five regions, effective 1 January 2007 |
| Independence: | ca. 965 (unified and Christianized under HARALD I Gormson); 5 June 1849 (became a constitutional monarchy) |
| National holiday: | none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally viewed as the National Day |
| Constitution: | 5 June 1953; note - constitution allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state |
| Legal system: | civil law; judicial review of legislative acts |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | 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) head of government: Prime Minister Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT (since 3 October 2011) cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral People's Assembly or Folketing (179 seats, including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms unless the Folketing is dissolved earlier) elections: last held on 15 September 2011 (next to be held by September 2015) election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 26.7%, Social Democrats 24.9%, Danish People's Party 12.3%, Social Liberal Party 9.5%, Socialist People's Party 9.2%, Unity List 6.7%, Liberal Alliance 5%, Conservative People's Party 4.9%, other 0.8%; seats by party - Liberal Party 47, Social Democrats 44, Danish People's Party 22, Social Liberal Party 17, Socialist People's Party 16, Unity List 12, Liberal Alliance 9, Conservative People's Party 8; note - does not include the two seats from Greenland and the two seats from the Faroe Islands |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court (judges are appointed for life by the monarch) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Conservative People's Party (Det Konservative Folkeparti) [Lars BARFOED]; Danish People's Party (Dansk Folkeparti) or DF [Kristian THULESEN DAHL]; Liberal Alliance or LA [Anders SAMUELSEN]; Liberal Party (Venstre) or V [Lars LOKKE RAMUSSEN]; Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten) [collective leadership, spokesperson Johanne SCHMIDT-NIELSEN]; Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokratiet) or SDP [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social Liberal Party (Det Radicale Venstre) or SLP [Margrethe VESTAGER]; Socialist People's Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti) or SF [Annette VILHELMSEN] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Confederation of Danish Employers or DA [President Jorn Neergaard LARSEN]; Confederation of Danish Industries [CEO Karsten DYBVAD]; Confederation of Danish Labor Unions (Landsorganisationen) or LO [President Harald BORSTING]; Danish Bankers Association [CEO Joergen HORWITZ]; DaneAge Association [President Bjarne HASTRUP]; Danish Society for Nature Conservation [President Ella Maria BISSCHOP-LARSEN] other: environmental groups; humanitarian relief; development assistance; human rights NGOs |
| International organization participation: | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, 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 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TAKSOE-JENSEN chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Laurie S. FULTON embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen 0 mailing address: Unit 5280, DPO, AE 09716 telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00 FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23 |
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| Economy | |
| This thoroughly modern market economy features a high-tech agricultural sector, state-of-the-art industry with world-leading firms in pharmaceuticals, maritime shipping and renewable energy, and a high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is a member of the European Union (EU); Danish legislation and regulations conform to EU standards on almost all issues. Danes enjoy a high standard of living and the Danish economy is characterized by extensive government welfare measures and an equitable distribution of income. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus but depends on imports of raw materials for the manufacturing sector. Within the EU, Denmark is among the strongest supporters of trade liberalization. After a long consumption-driven upswing, Denmark's economy began slowing in 2007 with the end of a housing boom. Housing prices dropped markedly in 2008-09 and, following a short respite in 2010, has since continued to decline. The global financial crisis has exacerbated this cyclical slowdown through increased borrowing costs and lower export demand, consumer confidence, and investment. The global financial crises cut Danish real GDP in 2008-09. Denmark made a modest recovery in 2010 with real GDP growth of 1.3%, in part because of increased government spending; however, the country experienced a technical recession in late 2010-early 2011. Historically low levels of unemployment rose sharply with the recession and have remained at about 6% in 2010-12, based on the national measure, about two-thirds average EU unemployment. An impending decline in the ratio of workers to retirees will be a major long-term issue. Denmark maintained a healthy budget surplus for many years up to 2008, but the budget balance swung into deficit in 2009. In spite of the deficits, the new coalition government delivered a modest stimulus to the economy in 2012. Nonetheless, Denmark's fiscal position remains among the strongest in the EU with public debt at about 45% of GDP in 2012. Despite previously meeting the criteria to join the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), so far Denmark has decided not to join, although the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro. Denmark held the EU presidency during the first half of 2012; priorities included promoting a responsible, dynamic, green, and safe Europe, while working to steer Europe out of its euro zone economic crisis. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $208.5 billion (2012 est.) $209.4 billion (2011 est.) $207.8 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $309.2 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | -0.4% (2012 est.) 0.8% (2011 est.) 1.3% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $37,700 (2012 est.) $37,700 (2011 est.) $37,500 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 1.3% industry: 22.1% services: 76.6% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 2.848 million (2012 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 2.6% industry: 20.3% services: 77.1% (2011 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 6.4% (2012 est.) 6.1% (2011 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 13.4% (2011) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 28.7% (2007) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 24.8 (2011 est.) 24.7 (1992) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2012 est.) 2.8% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 17.2% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $176.5 billion expenditures: $188.9 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 45.3% of GDP (2012 est.) 46.6% of GDP (2011 est.) note: data cover general government debt, and includes 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; intra-governmental 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 |
| Agriculture - products: | barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish |
| Industries: | iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products, shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 1.9% (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 36.39 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 32.42 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 11.73 billion kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 10.6 billion kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 7.069 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 4.179 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 3.126 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 369 million cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 51.99 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $18.6 billion (2012 est.) $22.08 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $110.8 billion (2012 est.) $111.8 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, pharmaceuticals, furniture, windmills |
| Exports - partners: | Germany 16.9%, Sweden 13.2%, UK 9.9%, Norway 5.7%, US 5.5%, Netherlands 4.9%, France 4.3% (2011) |
| Imports: | $97.91 billion (2012 est.) $102.2 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods |
| Imports - partners: | Germany 20.8%, Sweden 13.5%, Netherlands 7.2%, UK 6.3%, China 6.2%, Norway 5.8% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $85.05 billion (31 December 2011 est.) $76.52 billion (2010 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $626.9 billion (30 June 2011) $559.5 billion (30 June 2010) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $120.7 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $110.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $222.2 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $207.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $179.5 billion (31 December 2011) $231.7 billion (31 December 2010) $186.9 billion (31 December 2009) |
| Exchange rates: | Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.847 (2012 est.) 5.3687 (2011 est.) 5.6241 (2010 est.) 5.361 (2009) 5.0236 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 2.515 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 53 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 7.159 million (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, multiple cellular mobile communications systems international: country code - 45; a series of fiber-optic submarine cables link Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, 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 (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .dk |
| Internet hosts: | 4.297 million (2012) |
| Internet users: | 4.75 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 89 (2012) country comparison to the world: 64 |
| Airports (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 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 61 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 59 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | gas 2,858 km; oil 107 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 2,667 km standard gauge: 2,667 km 1.435-m gauge (640 km electrified) (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 73,197 km paved: 73,197 km (includes 1,111 km of expressways) (2008) |
| Waterways: | 400 km (2010) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 367 by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 48, carrier 1, chemical tanker 125, container 94, liquefied gas 4, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 40, petroleum tanker 36, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 3 foreign-owned: 27 (Germany 9, Greenland 1, Norway 2, Sweden 15) registered in other countries: 582 (Antigua and Barbuda 20, Bahamas 69, Belgium 4, Brazil 3, Curacao 1, Cyprus 6, Egypt 1, France 11, Gibraltar 7, Hong Kong 42, Isle of Man 30, Italy 4, Jamaica 1, Liberia 8, Lithuania 8, Luxembourg 1, Malaysia 1, Malta 34, Marshall Islands 7, Moldova 1, Netherlands 27, Norway 7, Panama 41, Philippines 2, Portugal 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9, Singapore 149, Sweden 4, UK 43, Uruguay 1, US 31, Venezuela 1, unknown 4) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Aalborg, Aarhus, Copenhagen, Ensted, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Kalundborg |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish Fleet, Arctic Command, Tactical Air Command, Home Guard (2010) |
| 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 according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their conscript service; women eligible to volunteer for military service (2004) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,236,337 females age 16-49: 1,224,182 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,014,560 females age 16-49: 1,003,921 (2010 est.) |
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