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.

Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N 10 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 43,094 km²
Land: 42,394 km²
Water: 700 km²
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
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Land boundaries
Total: 68 km
Border countries: (1) 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
Extremes highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 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: 4,490 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 6.1 km³ (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

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

Population: 5,484,723 (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate: 0.295% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Dane
Adjective: Danish

Ethnic groups: Scandinavian Inuit Faroese German Turkish Iranian Somali

Languages
Note: English is the predominant second language

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 95% other Christian (includes Protestant and Roman Catholic) 3% Muslim 2%

Age structure
0-14 years: 18.4% (male 516,735/female 490,532)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,818,681/female 1,796,753)
65 years and over: 15.7% (male 374,388/female 487,634) (2008 est.)

Median age
Total: 40.3 years
Male: 39.4 years
Female: 41.2 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.295% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 10.71 births/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 10.25 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.49 migrant(s)/1000 population (2008 est.)

Environment
Current 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 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male/female
Total population: 0.98 male/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.4 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 4.44 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 4.35 deaths/1000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.13 years
Male: 75.8 years
Female: 80.59 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 5,000 (2003 est.)
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

Education expenditures: 8.3% of GDP (2005)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 17 years
Male: 16 years
Female: 17 years (2006)

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 the North Atlantic components

Administrative divisions
Note: an extensive local government reform merged 271 municipalities into 98 and 13 counties into five regions, effective 1 January 2007

Independence: first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 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 constitution allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state

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

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 26 May 1968)
Head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27 November 2001)
Cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch
Elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 13 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
Election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 26.2%, Social Democrats 25.5%, Danish People's Party 13.9%, Socialist People's Party 13.0%, Conservative People's Party 10.4%, Social Liberal Party 5.1%, New Alliance 2.8%, Red-Green Alliance 2.2%, other 0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 46, Social Democrats 45, Danish People's Party 25, Socialist People's Party 23, Conservative People's Party 18, Social Liberal Party 9, New Alliance 5, Red-Green Alliance 4; note - does not include the two seats from Greenland and the two seats from the Faroe Islands

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democrats [Bjarne Hartung KIRKEGAARD] (was Christian People's Party); Conservative Party [Bendt BENDTSEN] (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party); Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; New Alliance [Naser KHADER]; Red-Green Unity List (Alliance) [collective leadership] (bloc includes Left Socialist Party Communist Party of Denmark Socialist Workers' Party); Social Democratic Party [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social Liberal Party [Margrethe VESTAGER]; Socialist People's Party [Villy SOEVNDAL]

International organization participation: ADB (nonregional members) AfDB (nonregional members) Arctic Council Australia Group BIS CBSS CE CERN EAPC EBRD EIB ESA EU FAO G-9 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA MONUC NATO NC NEA NIB NSG OAS (observer) OECD OPCW OSCE Paris Club PCA Schengen Convention UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMIL UNMIS UNMOGIP UNOMIG UNRWA UNTSO UPU WCO WEU (observer) WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Friis Arne PETERSEN
In the us chancery: 3,200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 234-4,300
In the us fax: [1] (202) 328-1470
In the us consulates general: Chicago, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador James P. CAIN
From the us embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2,100 Copenhagen
From the us mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 9,716
From the us telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00
From the us fax: [45] 35 43 02 23

Flag description
Note: the shifted design element was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

Economy overview: The Danish economy has in recent years undergone strong expansion fueled primarily by private consumption growth but also supported by exports and investments. This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech agriculture up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry extensive government welfare measures comfortable living standards a stable currency and high dependence on foreign trade. Unemployment is low and capacity constraints are limiting growth potential. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. Government objectives include streamlining the bureaucracy and further privatization of state assets. 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 Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) but so far Denmark has decided not to join 15 other EU members in the euro. Nonetheless the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro. Economic growth gained momentum in 2004 and the upturn continued through 2007. The controversy over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad printed in a Danish newspaper in September 2005 led to boycotts of some Danish exports to the Muslim world especially exports of dairy products but the boycotts did not have a significant impact on the overall Danish economy. Because of high GDP per capita welfare benefits a low Gini index and political stability the Danish living standards are among the highest in the world. A major long-term issue will be the sharp decline in the ratio of workers to retirees.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $203.3 billion (2007 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 1.7% (2007 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $37,200 (2007 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.3%
Industry: 25.7%
Services: 73% (2007 est.)

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: 0.5% (2007 est.)

Labor force: 2.86 million (2007 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 3%
By occupation industry: 21%
By occupation services: 76% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.8% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2%
Highest 10: 24% (2000 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 24 (2005)

Budget
Revenues: $170.6 billion
Expenditures: $156.8 billion (2007 est.)

Public debt: 26% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate: 4% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA

Stock of domestic credit: $684.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $178 billion (2005)

Current account balance: $4.279 billion (2007 est.)

Exports: $101.2 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: machinery and instruments meat and meat products dairy products fish pharmaceuticals furniture windmills
Partners: Germany 17.4% Sweden 14.5% UK 8% US 6.1% Norway 5.7% France 4.8% Netherlands 4.8% (2007)

Imports: $102 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment raw materials and semimanufactures for industry chemicals grain and foodstuffs consumer goods
Partners: Germany 21.6% Sweden 14.4% Netherlands 7.1% Norway 6% China 5.4% UK 5.3% Italy 4.1% France 4% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $34.32 billion (2006 est.)

Debt external: $492.6 billion (30 June 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $149.7 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $166.6 billion (2007 est.)

Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.4797 (2007) 5.9468 (2006) 5.9969 (2005) 5.9911 (2004) 6.5877 (2003)

Electricity
Production: 36.99 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption: 34.68 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Exports: 11.38 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Imports: 10.43 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 9.223 billion m³ (2007 est.)
Consumption: 4.555 billion m³ (2007 est.)
Exports: 4.517 billion m³ (2007 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Proven reserves: 70.51 billion m³ (1 January 2008 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 2.824 million (2007)
Mobile cellular: 6.243 million (2007)

Telephone system
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: 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

Internet
Country code: .dk
Hosts: 3.642 million (2008)
Users: 3.5 million (2007)

Military expenditures: 1.5% of GDP (2006; 1.28% 2007 est.)

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)

Airports: 91 (2007)
With paved runways total: 28
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 7
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 12
With paved runways under 914 m: 3 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 63
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 60 (2007)

Pipelines: condensate 11 km; gas 4,073 km; oil 617 km; oil/gas/water 2 km (2007)

Railways
Total: 2,644 km
Standard gauge: 2,644 km 1.435-m gauge (636 km electrified) (2007)

Roadways
Total: 72,362 km
Paved: 72,362 km (includes 1,032 km of expressways) (2006)

Waterways: 400 km (2007)

Merchant marine
Total: 327
By type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 63, carrier 2, chemical tanker 78, container 84, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 42, petroleum tanker 29, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 4
Foreign owned: 26 (Canada 1, Germany 1, Germany 9, Greece 4, Iceland 2, Norway 3, Sweden 6)
Registered in other countries: 534 (Antigua and Barbuda 19, Bahamas 67, Belgium 4, Brazil 2, Cayman Islands 3, Cyprus 4, Egypt 1, Estonia 1, France 2, Germany 1, Gibraltar 7, Hong Kong 24, Isle of Man 29, Italy 3, Jamaica 2, Liberia 12, Lithuania 5, Luxembourg 1, Malta 30, Marshall Islands 10, Mexico 2, Netherlands 29, Netherlands Antilles 2, Norway 25, Panama 40, Portugal 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16, Singapore 87, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Spain 1, Sweden 4, Togo 1, UAE 1, UK 62, US 31, Venezuela 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Aalborg Aarhus Copenhagen Ensted Esbjerg Fredericia Kalundborg

Disputes international: Iceland the UK and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue to study proposals for full independence; sovereignty dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland