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Communications

Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

13 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.dk

Internet users [time series]

2.3 million (2000)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

6.02 million (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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: 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 worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

4.785 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

1,444,016 (1997)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions [time series]

3.121 million (1997)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $52.9 billion expenditures: $51.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (2001 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Danish krone (DKK)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

DKK

Debt - external [time series]

$21.7 billion (2000)

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

ODA, $1.63 billion (1999)

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 and energy and has a comfortable balance of payments surplus. The center-left coalition government has reduced the formerly high unemployment rate and attained a budget surplus as well as followed the previous government's policies of maintaining low inflation and a stable currency. The coalition has lowered marginal income tax rates and raised environmental taxes thus maintaining overall tax revenues. Problems of bottlenecks, and longer term demographic changes reducing the labor force, are being addressed through labor market reforms. 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 Monetary Union (EMU), but Denmark, in a September 2000 referendum, reconfirmed its decision not to join the 11 other EU members in the euro. Even so, the Danish currency remains pegged to the euro.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

32.916 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports [time series]

7.28 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports [time series]

4.963 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production [time series]

37.885 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 88.4% hydro: 0.07% nuclear: 0% other: 11.53% (1999)

Exchange rates [time series]

Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.951 (January 2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1996); note - the Danes rejected the Euro in a 28 September 2000 referendum

Exports [time series]

$50.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

EU 66.5% (Germany 20.1%, Sweden 11.7%, UK 9.6%, France 5.3%, Netherlands 4.7%), Norway 5.8%, US 5.4% (1999)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $136.2 billion (2000 est.)

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

agriculture: 3% industry: 25% services: 72% (2000 est.)

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

purchasing power parity - $25,500 (2000 est.)

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

2.8% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$43.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

EU 72.1% (Germany 21.6%, Sweden 12.4%, UK 8.0%, Netherlands 8.0%, France 5.8%), Norway 4.2%, US 4.5% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

3% (2000 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2.9% (2000 est.)

Labor force [time series]

2.856 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

services 79%, industry 17%, agriculture 4% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

5.3% (2000)

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 (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaeland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland

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: Yding Skovhoej 173 m

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 [time series]

controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater 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 (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaeland and Fyn)

Map references [time series]

Europe

Maritime claims [time series]

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 [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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Stuart BERNSTEIN embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716 telephone: [45] 35 55 31 44

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

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

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 prime minister and approved by Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[45] 35 38 96 16

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, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, 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, 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 11 March 1998 (next to be held by March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - progovernment parties: Social Democratic Party 65, Socialist People's Party 13, Social Liberal Party 7, Red-Green Unity List 5; opposition: Liberal Party 43, Conservative Party 17, Danish People's Party 13, Center Democratic Party 8, Christian People's Party 4, Progress Party 4; seats by party as of 1 January 2001: government coalition parties - Social Democrats 63, Social Liberals 7; pro-government parties - Socialist People's Party 13, Unity List 5; opposition - Liberals 42, Conservatives 16, Danish People's Party 13, Center Democrats 8, Christian People's Party 4, Progress Party 4 (now named Freedom 2000); does not include the 4 overseas seats

National holiday [time series]

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

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

Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Christian People's Party [Jann SJURSEN]; Conservative Party (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party) [Bendt BENDTSEN]; Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Progress Party (now named Freedom 2000) [Kim BEHNKE]; Social Democratic Party [Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN]; Social Liberal Party (sometimes called the Radical Left) [Marianne JELVED, leader; Johannes LEBECH, 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 parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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 political and economic integration of Europe. So far, however, the country has opted out of some aspects of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the economic and monetary system (EMU) and issues concerning certain internal affairs.

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 [time series]

$2.47 billion (FY99)

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

1.4% (FY99)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,292,619 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,106,094 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - military age [time series]

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males: 29,212 (2001 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 18.59% (male 510,826; female 484,385) 15-64 years: 66.56% (male 1,804,617; female 1,758,019) 65 years and over: 14.85% (male 331,906; female 463,062) (2001 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

11.96 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate [time series]

10.9 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.17% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

4,300 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

5.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 76.72 years male: 74.12 years female: 79.47 years (2001 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish

Net migration rate [time series]

1.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population [time series]

5,352,815 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.3% (2001 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.73 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

119 (2000 est.)

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: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 91 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 83 (2000 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 71,474 km paved: 71,474 km (including 880 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 342 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,073,489 GRT/8,027,002 DWT ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 128, chemical tanker 27, container 76, liquefied gas 26, livestock carrier 6, petroleum tanker 22, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 23, short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Finland 1 (2000 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Abenra, Alborg, Arhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Kolding, Odense, Roenne (Bornholm), Vejle

Railways [time series]

total: 2,859 km (508 km privately owned and operated) standard gauge: 2,859 km 1.435-m gauge (600 km electrified; 760 km double track) (1998)

Waterways [time series]

417 km