ARCHIVE // DK // 2021
Denmark
2021 Edition — sovereign
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Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
[time series]
total: 2,571,736 (2020) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44.4 (2020 est.)
Broadcast media
[time series]
strong public-sector TV presence with state-owned Danmarks Radio (DR) operating 6 channels and publicly owned TV2 operating roughly a half-dozen channels; broadcasts of privately owned stations are available via satellite and cable feed; DR operates 4 nationwide FM radio stations, 10 digital audio broadcasting stations, and 14 web-based radio stations; 140 commercial and 187 community (non-commercial) radio stations (2019)
Internet country code
[time series]
.dk
Internet users
[time series]
total: 5.69 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 96.55% (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
[time series]
general assessment: Denmark has one of the highest broadband penetration rates globally, with near universal availability of superfast connections; progressive regulator encouraged upgrades to cable and DSL infrastructure; fast growing fiber networks with aim for nation-wide build-out; comprehensive LTE with 90% coverage of 5G; operator expands NB-IoT across its LTE network; survey underway for cable connecting Denmark to Norway; upgrades to submarine cable connection to North America; importer of broadcasting equipment from EU neighbors (2020) domestic: fixed-line 17 per 100, 126 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2019) international: country code - 45; landing points for the NSC, COBRAcable, CANTAT-3, DANICE, Havfrue/AEC-2, TAT-14m Denmark-Norway-5 6, Skagenfiber West East, GC1, GC2, GC3, GC-KPN, Kattegat 1 2 3, Energinet Lyngsa-Laeso, Energinet Laeso-Varberg, Fehmarn Balt, Baltica, German-Denmark 2 3, Ronne-Rodvig, Denmark-Sweden 15 16 17 18, IP-Only Denmark-Sweden, Scandinavian South, Scandinavian Ring North, Danica North, 34 series of fiber-optic submarine cables link Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, US 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 (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Telephones - fixed lines
[time series]
total subscriptions: 937,469 (2020) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16.19 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
total subscriptions: 7,144,123 (2020) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123.3 (2020 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products
[time series]
milk, wheat, barley, potatoes, sugar beet, pork, rye, rapeseed, oats, poultry
Budget
[time series]
revenues: 172.5 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 168.9 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
[time series]
1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Credit ratings
[time series]
Fitch rating: AAA (2003) Moody's rating: Aaa (1999) Standard & Poors rating: AAA (2001)
Current account balance
[time series]
$30.935 billion (2019 est.) $24.821 billion (2018 est.)
Debt - external
[time series]
$504.808 billion (2019 est.) $517.972 billion (2018 est.)
Economic overview
[time series]
This thoroughly modern market economy features advanced industry with world-leading firms in pharmaceuticals, maritime shipping, and renewable energy, and a high-tech agricultural sector. Danes enjoy a high standard of living, and the Danish economy is characterized by extensive government welfare measures and an equitable distribution of income. An aging population will be a long-term issue. Denmark’s small open economy is highly dependent on foreign trade, and the government strongly supports trade liberalization. Denmark is a net exporter of food, oil, and gas and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus, but depends on imports of raw materials for the manufacturing sector. Denmark is a member of the EU but not the eurozone. Despite previously meeting the criteria to join the European Economic and Monetary Union, Denmark has negotiated an opt-out with the EU and is not required to adopt the euro. Denmark is experiencing a modest economic expansion. The economy grew by 2.0% in 2016 and 2.1% in 2017. The expansion is expected to decline slightly in 2018. Unemployment stood at 5.5% in 2017, based on the national labor survey. The labor market was tight in 2017, with corporations experiencing some difficulty finding appropriately-skilled workers to fill billets. The Danish Government offers extensive programs to train unemployed persons to work in sectors that need qualified workers. Denmark maintained a healthy budget surplus for many years up to 2008, but the global financial crisis swung the budget balance into deficit. Since 2014 the balance has shifted between surplus and deficit. In 2017 there was a surplus of 1.0%. The government projects a lower deficit in 2018 and 2019 of 0.7%, and public debt (EMU debt) as a share of GDP is expected to decline to 35.6% in 2018 and 34.8% in 2019. The Danish Government plans to address increasing municipal, public housing and integration spending in 2018.
Exchange rates
[time series]
Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 6.16045 (2020 est.) 6.7506 (2019 est.) 6.5533 (2018 est.) 6.7236 (2014 est.) 5.6125 (2013 est.)
Exports
[time series]
$191.53 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.) $204.14 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) $200.81 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Exports - commodities
[time series]
packaged medicines, electric generators, pork, refined petroleum, medical cultures/vaccines (2019)
Exports - partners
[time series]
Germany 14%, United States 11%, Sweden 10%, United Kingdom 7%, Norway 6%, Netherlands 5%, China 5% (2019)
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
$350.037 billion (2019 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
[time series]
household consumption: 48% (2017 est.) government consumption: 25.2% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: -0.2% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 54.5% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -47.5% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
[time series]
agriculture: 1.3% (2017 est.) industry: 22.9% (2017 est.) services: 75.8% (2017 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
[time series]
28.7 (2017 est.) 27.5 (2010 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
[time series]
lowest 10%: 9% highest 10%: 23.4% (2016 est.)
Imports
[time series]
$170.33 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.) $178.44 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) $179.95 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Imports - commodities
[time series]
cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment (2019)
Imports - partners
[time series]
Germany 21%, Sweden 11%, Netherlands 8%, China 7% (2019)
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
2.5% (2017 est.)
Industries
[time series]
wind turbines, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, shipbuilding and refurbishment, iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
0.7% (2019 est.) 0.8% (2018 est.) 1.1% (2017 est.)
Labor force
[time series]
2.736 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
[time series]
agriculture: 2.4% industry: 18.3% services: 79.3% (2016 est.)
Population below poverty line
[time series]
12.5% (2018 est.)
Public debt
[time series]
35.3% of GDP (2017 est.) 37.9% of GDP (2016 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include 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; intragovernmental 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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
[time series]
$326.2 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.) $335.36 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.) $326.07 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
[time series]
2.85% (2019 est.) 2.18% (2018 est.) 2.83% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita
[time series]
$55,900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.) $57,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.) $56,300 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
[time series]
$75.25 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $64.25 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
[time series]
53% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate
[time series]
3.05% (2019 est.) 3.07% (2018 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
(Unemployment, youth ages 15-24)
[time series]
total: 11.6% male: 12.6% female: 10.6% (2020 est.)
Energy
Crude oil - exports
[time series]
82,980 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil - imports
[time series]
98,240 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production
[time series]
115,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
[time series]
439 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Electricity - consumption
[time series]
33.02 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports
[time series]
9.919 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
[time series]
46% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
[time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
[time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources
[time series]
54% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - imports
[time series]
14.98 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
[time series]
14.34 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - production
[time series]
29.84 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity access
[time series]
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Natural gas - consumption
[time series]
3.115 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports
[time series]
2.237 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports
[time series]
509.7 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - production
[time series]
4.842 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
[time series]
12.86 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption
[time series]
158,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports
[time series]
133,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports
[time series]
109,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
[time series]
183,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Environment
Air pollutants
[time series]
particulate matter emissions: 10.12 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 31.79 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 6.54 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
[time series]
temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers
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; much of country's household and industrial waste is recycled
International environmental agreements
(Environment - international agreements)
[time series]
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protection
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 63.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 58.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 4.4% (2018 est.) forest: 12.9% (2018 est.) other: 23.7% (2018 est.) note: highest percentage of arable land for any country in the world
Revenue from coal
[time series]
coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
[time series]
forest revenues: 0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)
Total renewable water resources
[time series]
6 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total water withdrawal
[time series]
municipal: 381.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 32.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 326.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 88.2% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.54% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
[time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.485 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,223,060 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 27.3% (2015 est.)
Geography
Area
[time series]
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
Area - comparative
[time series]
slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts; about two-thirds the size of West Virginia
Climate
[time series]
temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers
Coastline
[time series]
7,314 km
Elevation
[time series]
highest point: Mollehoj/Ejer Bavnehoj 171 m lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m mean elevation: 34 m
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
56 00 N, 10 00 E
Geography - note
[time series]
composed of the Jutland Peninsula and a group of more than 400 islands (Danish Archipelago); 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 (2012)
Land boundaries
[time series]
total: 140 km border countries (1): Germany 140 km
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 63.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 58.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 4.4% (2018 est.) forest: 12.9% (2018 est.) other: 23.7% (2018 est.) note: highest percentage of arable land for any country in the world
Location
[time series]
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)
Map references
[time series]
Europe
Maritime claims
[time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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, arable land, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand
Population distribution
[time series]
with excellent access to the North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, and the Baltic Sea, population centers tend to be along coastal areas, particularly in Copenhagen and the eastern side of the country's mainland
Terrain
[time series]
low and flat to gently rolling plains
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions (regioner, singular - region); Hovedstaden (Capital), Midtjylland (Central Jutland), Nordjylland (North Jutland), Sjaelland (Zealand), Syddanmark (Southern Denmark)
Capital
[time series]
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 etymology: name derives from the city's Danish appellation Kobenhavn, meaning "Merchant's Harbor"
Citizenship
[time series]
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Denmark dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
Constitution
[time series]
history: several previous; latest adopted 5 June 1953 amendments: proposed by the Folketing with consent of the government; passage requires approval by the next Folketing following a general election, approval by simple majority vote of at least 40% of voters in a referendum, and assent of the chief of state; changed several times, last in 2009 (Danish Act of Succession)
Country name
[time series]
conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark conventional short form: Denmark local long form: Kongeriget Danmark local short form: Danmark etymology: the name derives from the words "Dane(s)" and "mark"; the latter referring to a march (borderland) or forest
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Stuart A. DWYER (since 20 January 2021) embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Kobenhavn 0 mailing address: 5280 Copenhagen Place, Washington DC 20521-5280 telephone: [45] 33-41-71-00 FAX: [45] 35-43-02-23 email address and website: CopenhagenACS@state.gov https://dk.usembassy.gov/
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Lone Dencker WISBORG (since 8 April 2019) chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 email address and website: wasamb@um.dk https://usa.um.dk/en consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, Silicon Valley (CA)
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 on 26 May 1968) head of government: Prime Minister Mette FREDERIKSEN (since 27 June 2019) cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister 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; the banner is referred to as the Dannebrog (Danish flag) and is one of the oldest national flags in the world; traditions as to the origin of the flag design vary, but the best known is a legend that the banner fell from the sky during an early-13th century battle; caught up by the Danish king before it ever touched the earth, this heavenly talisman inspired the royal army to victory; in actuality, the flag may derive from a crusade banner or ensign note: the shifted cross design element was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, as well as by the Faroe Islands
Government type
[time series]
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Independence
[time series]
ca. 965 (unified and Christianized under HARALD I Gormsson); 5 June 1849 (became a parliamentary constitutional monarchy)
International law organization participation
[time series]
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
[time series]
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, 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
Judicial branch
[time series]
highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 18 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the monarch upon the recommendation of the Minister of Justice, with the advice of the Judicial Appointments Council, a 6-member independent body of judges and lawyers; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Special Court of Indictment and Revision; 2 High Courts; Maritime and Commercial Court; county courts
Legal system
[time series]
civil law; judicial review of legislative acts
Legislative branch
[time series]
description: unicameral People's Assembly or Folketing (179 seats, including 2 each representing Greenland and the Faroe Islands; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms unless the Folketing is dissolved earlier) elections: last held on 5 June 2019 (next to be held in June 2023) election results: percent of vote by party - SDP 25.9%, V 23.4%, DF 8.7%, SLP 8.6%, SF 7.7%, EL 6.9%, C 6.6%, AP 3.0%, NB 2.4%, LA 2.3%; seats by party - SDP 48, V 43, DF 16, SLP 16, SF 14, EL 13, C 12, AP 5, NB 4, LA 4; composition (as of September 2021) - men 108, women 71 (includes 2 from Greenland), percent of women 39.7%
National anthem(s)
(National anthem)
[time series]
name: "Der er et yndigt land" (There is a Lovely Country); "Kong Christian" (King Christian) lyrics/music: Adam Gottlob OEHLENSCHLAGER/Hans Ernst KROYER; Johannes EWALD/unknown note: Denmark has two national anthems with equal status; "Der er et yndigt land," adopted 1844, is a national anthem, while "Kong Christian," adopted 1780, serves as both a national and royal anthem; "Kong Christian" is also known as "Kong Christian stod ved hojen mast" (King Christian Stood by the Lofty Mast) and "Kongesangen" (The King's Anthem); within Denmark, the royal anthem is played only when royalty is present and is usually followed by the national anthem; when royalty is not present, only the national anthem is performed; outside Denmark, the royal anthem is played, unless the national anthem is requested
National holiday
[time series]
Constitution Day, 5 June (1849); note - closest equivalent to a national holiday
National symbol(s)
[time series]
lion, mute swan; national colors: red, white
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
The Alternative AP (Franciska ROSENKILDE) Conservative People's Party or DKF or C [Soren PAPE POULSEN] Danish People's Party or DF or O [Kristian THULESEN DAHL] Liberal Alliance or LA or I [Alex VANOPSLAGH] Liberal Party (Venstre) or V [Jakob ELLEMANN-JENSEN] New Right Party or NB or D [Pernille VERMUND] Red-Green Alliance (Unity List) or EL [collective leadership, Mai VILLADSEN, spokesperson] Social Democrats or SDP or A [Mette FREDERIKSEN] Social Liberal Party or SLP or B [Sofie CARSTEN NIELSEN] Socialist People's Party or SF or F [Pia OLSEN DYHR]
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 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 EU's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union, European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.
Military and Security
Military - note
[time series]
Denmark is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949 Denmark is a member of the EU, but opted out of the EU s Common Defense and Security Policy, and therefore does not participate in EU military operations or in the cooperation on development and acquisition of military capabilities within the EU framework the Danish Armed Forces cooperate closely with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009 in 2018, the Defense Ministers of Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the creation of a Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC); the C-SOCC was declared operational in December 2020
Military and security forces
[time series]
Danish Armed Forces (Forsvaret): Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force, Danish Home Guard (Reserves) (2021) note - the Danish military maintains a Joint Arctic Command with the mission of protecting the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark in the Arctic Region, including the Faroe Islands and Greenland; it also conducts maritime pollution prevention, environmental monitoring, fishery inspections, search and rescue, hydrographical surveys, and provides support to governmental science missions
Military and security service personnel strengths
[time series]
the Danish military has approximately 16,000 active duty personnel (8,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force; 2,000 other) (2021)
Military deployments
[time series]
140 Middle East/Iraq (NATO) (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
[time series]
the Danish military inventory is comprised of a mix of modern European, US, and domestically-produced equipment; the US is the largest supplier of military equipment to Denmark since 2010; the Danish defense industry is active in the production of naval vessels, defense electronics, and subcomponents of larger weapons systems, such as the US F-35 fighter aircraft (2021)
Military expenditures
[time series]
1.4% of GDP (2020) 1.3% of GDP (2019) 1.28% of GDP (2018) 1.14% of GDP (2017) 1.15% of GDP (2016)
Military service age and obligation
[time series]
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months depending on specialization; former conscripts are assigned to mobilization units; women eligible to volunteer for military service; in addition to full time employment, the Danish Military offers reserve contracts in all three branches (2021)
People and Society
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 16.42% (male 494,806/female 469,005) 15-24 years: 12.33% (male 370,557/female 352,977) 25-54 years: 38.71% (male 1,149,991/female 1,122,016) 55-64 years: 12.63% (male 370,338/female 371,149) 65 years and over: 19.91% (male 538,096/female 630,475) (2020 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
11.17 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
[time series]
NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate
[time series]
NA
Current health expenditure
(Current Health Expenditure)
[time series]
10.1% (2018)
Death rate
[time series]
9.5 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Dependency ratios
[time series]
total dependency ratio: 57.3 youth dependency ratio: 25.6 elderly dependency ratio: 31.7 potential support ratio: 3.2 (2020 est.)
Drinking water source
[time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Education expenditure
(Education expenditures)
[time series]
7.8% of GDP (2017)
Ethnic groups
[time series]
Danish (includes Greenlandic (who are predominantly Inuit) and Faroese) 86.3%, Turkish 1.1%, other 12.6% (largest groups are Polish, Syrian, German, Iraqi, and Romanian) (2018 est.) note: data represent population by ancestry
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
[time series]
0.1% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
[time series]
note: estimate does not include children
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
[time series]
6,700 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children
Hospital bed density
[time series]
2.6 beds/1,000 population (2019)
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
total: 3.09 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Languages
[time series]
Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority); note - English is the predominant second language major-language sample(s): Verdens Faktabog, den uundv rlig kilde til grundl ggende oplysninger. (Danish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 81.45 years male: 79.52 years female: 83.51 years (2021 est.)
Major urban areas - population
[time series]
1.359 million COPENHAGEN (capital) (2021)
Maternal mortality ratio
[time series]
4 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Median age
[time series]
total: 42 years male: 40.9 years female: 43.1 years (2020 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
[time series]
29.7 years (2019 est.)
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish
Net migration rate
[time series]
2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
[time series]
19.7% (2016)
Physician density
(Physicians density)
[time series]
4.01 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Population
[time series]
5,894,687 (July 2021 est.)
Population distribution
[time series]
with excellent access to the North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, and the Baltic Sea, population centers tend to be along coastal areas, particularly in Copenhagen and the eastern side of the country's mainland
Population growth rate
[time series]
0.44% (2021 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Evangelical Lutheran (official) 74.7%, Muslim 5.5%, other/none/unspecified (denominations of less than 1% each in descending order of size include Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Serbian Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Baptist, Buddhist, Church of Jesus Christ, Pentecostal, and nondenominational Christian) 19.8% (2019 est.)
Sanitation facility access
[time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
[time series]
total: 19 years male: 18 years female: 19 years (2019)
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
1.77 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
(Unemployment, youth ages 15-24)
[time series]
total: 11.6% male: 12.6% female: 10.6% (2020 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 88.2% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.54% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
[time series]
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
[time series]
Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; sovereignty dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland; Denmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission
Refugees and internally displaced persons
[time series]
refugees (country of origin): 19,878 (Syria), 5,399 (Eritrea) (2020) stateless persons: 11,655 (2020)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
total: 80 (2013)
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: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 2 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways
[time series]
total: 52 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 47 (2013)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
[time series]
OY
Merchant marine
[time series]
total: 717 by type: bulk carrier 8, container ship 148, general cargo 68, oil tanker 105, other 388 (2021)
National air transport system
[time series]
number of registered air carriers: 10 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 76 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 582,011 (2015) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km (2015)
Pipelines
[time series]
1536 km gas, 330 km oil (2015)
Ports
(Ports and terminals)
[time series]
major seaport(s): Baltic Sea - Aarhus, Copenhagen, Fredericia, Kalundborg cruise port(s): Copenhagen river port(s): Aalborg (Langerak) dry bulk cargo port(s): Ensted (coal) North Sea - Esbjerg,
Railways
[time series]
total: 3,476 km (2017) standard gauge: 3,476 km 1.435-m gauge (1,756 km electrified) (2017)
Roadways
[time series]
total: 74,558 km (2017) paved: 74,558 km (includes 1,205 km of expressways) (2017)
Waterways
[time series]
400 km (2010)