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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

excellent telephone and telegraph services domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, four cellular radio communications systems 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 world-wide Inmarsat access

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

3.2 million (1995 est.); 822,000 cellular telephone subscribers

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

78 (of which 35 are low-power stations; in addition, there are 51 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions [time series]

3 million (1996 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]

grain, potatoes, rape, sugar beets; beef, dairy products; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $62.1 billion expenditures: $66.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere

Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]

$44 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid--donor) [time series]

ODA, $1.6 billion (1995)

Economic overview (Economy--overview) [time series]

This thoroughly modern market 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 a net exporter of food. The 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. The coalition also vows to maintain a stable currency. The coalition has lowered marginal income taxes while maintaining overall tax revenues; boosted industrial competitiveness through labor market and tax reforms and increased research and development funds; and improved welfare services for the neediest while cutting paperwork and delays. Denmark chose not to join the 11 other EU members who launched the euro on 1 January 1999. Because of the global slowdown, GDP growth may fall to 1% in 1999.

Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]

35.208 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]

19.2 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]

3.8 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]

50.608 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]

fossil fuel: 97.6% hydro: 0.05% nuclear: 0% other: 2.35% (1996)

Exchange rates [time series]

Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--6.408 (January 1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1996), 5.602 (1995), 6.361 (1994)

Exports [time series]

$48.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]

machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, fuels, dairy products, ships, fish, chemicals

Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]

Germany 21.4%, Sweden 11.6%, UK 9.6%, Norway 6.2%, France 5.3%, US 4.6%, Netherlands 4.5% (1997)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity--$124.4 billion (1998 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP--composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 4% industry: 27% services: 69% (1997)

Real GDP per capita (GDP--per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity?$23,300 (1998 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP--real growth rate) [time series]

2.6% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 20.5% (1992)

Imports [time series]

$46.1 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]

machinery and equipment, petroleum, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, textiles, paper

Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]

Germany 21.7%, Sweden 12.7%, Netherlands 7.8%, UK 7.6%, France 5.6%, Norway 5.2%, US 5.0%, Japan (1997)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

1.3% (1996)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.8% (1998 est.)

Labor force [time series]

2,895,950

Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]

private services 40%, government services 30%, manufacturing and mining 19%, construction 6%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 5% (1995)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

6.5% (1998 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

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, but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland

Area - comparative (Area--comparative) [time series]

slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

7,314 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues (Environment--current issues) [time series]

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 environmental agreements (Environment--international agreements) [time series]

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates [time series]

56 00 N, 10 00 E

Geography - note (Geography--note) [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

4,350 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 60% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 10% other: 25% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Europe

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 4 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

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 [time series]

petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, stone, gravel and sand

Terrain [time series]

low and flat to gently rolling plains

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

metropolitan Denmark--14 counties (amter, singular--amt) and 2 kommunes*; 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 administrative divisions

Capital [time series]

Copenhagen

Constitution [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Edward E. ELSON embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Knud-Erik TYGESEN chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Executive branch [time series]

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 Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN (since 25 January 1993) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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 [time series]

constitutional monarchy

Independence [time series]

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

International organization participation [time series]

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the monarch for life

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Parliament or Folketing (179 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--progovernment parties: Social Democrats 65, Socialist People's Party 13, Radical Liberal Party 7, Unity Party 5; opposition: Liberal Party 43, Conservative Party 17, Danish People's Party 13, Center Democrats 8, Christian People's Party 4, Progress Party 4

National holiday [time series]

Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Social Democratic Party [Poul

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Once the seat of rapacious Viking raiders and later a major power in northwestern Europe, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the political and economic integration of Europe. So far, however, they have opted out of some aspects of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty including the new monetary system launched on 1 January 1999.

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures--dollar figure) [time series]

$2.5 billion (1999)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures--percent of GDP) [time series]

1.6% (1999)

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower--availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,316,584 (1999 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower--fit for military service) [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,129,870 (1999 est.)

Military manpower - military age (Military manpower--military age) [time series]

20 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually (Military manpower--reaching military age annually) [time series]

males: 32,130 (1999 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 18% (male 504,182; female 478,547) 15-64 years: 67% (male 1,811,445; female 1,765,038) 65 years and over: 15% (male 331,207; female 466,426) (1999 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

11.57 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate [time series]

10.97 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Scandinavian, Eskimo, Faroese, German

Infant mortality rate [time series]

5.11 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 76.51 years male: 73.83 years female: 79.33 years (1999 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish

Net migration rate [time series]

3.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population [time series]

5,356,845 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.38% (1999 est.)

Religions [time series]

Evangelical Lutheran 91%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 2%, other 7% (1988)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.62 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]

Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Iceland, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

118 (1998 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]

total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports--with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 90 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 82 (1998 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 71,600 km paved: 71,600 km (including 880 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 337 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,130,643 GRT/6,880,248 DWT ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 130, chemical tanker 19, container 73, liquefied gas tanker 26, livestock carrier 6, oil tanker 20, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 15, roll-on/roll-off cargo 21, short-sea passenger 9, specialized tanker 3 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 (1998 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

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

Railways [time series]

total: 3,323 km (458 km privately owned and operated) standard gauge: 3,323 km 1.435-m gauge (440 km electrified; 760 km double track) (1996)

Waterways [time series]

417 km