 Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark
conventional short form: Denmark
local short form: Danmark
local long form: Kongeriget Danmark 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) and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.Location Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaelland and Fyn) Area total: 43,094 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 Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland
land: 42,394 sq km Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts Coastline 7,314 km 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: Yding Skovhoej 173 m 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 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 Geography - note controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen Population 5,384,384 (July 2003 est.) Age structure 0-14 years: 18.7% (male 516,872; female 490,543)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,809,138; female 1,762,577)
65 years and over: 15% (male 338,141; female 467,113) (2003 est.) Median age total: 39.1 years
male: 38.1 years
female: 40.1 years (2002) Sex ratio 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 (2003 est.) Nationality noun: Dane(s)
adjective: Danish Ethnic groups Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali Religions Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, Muslim 2% Languages Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority)
note: English is the predominant second language Internet country code .dk Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: NA%
female: NA% Government type constitutional monarchy National holiday none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June is generally viewed as the National Day Legal system civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations International organization participation AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC Economy - overview 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. 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 Denmark has decided not to join the 12 other EU members in the euro; even so, the Danish Krone remains pegged to the euro. Given the sluggish state of the European economy, growth in 2003 was a mere 1.1%. Exports - partners Germany 17.1%, Sweden 11.6%, UK 7.8%, US 6.8%, France 5.8%, Norway 5.7%, Japan 4.4% (2002) Currency Danish krone (DKK) Currency code DKK Exchange rates Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.89 (2002), 8.32 (2001), 8.08 (2000), 6.98 (1999), 6.7 (1998) Airports 104 (2002) Airports - with 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 (2002) Airports - with unpaved runways total: 76
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 71 (2002) Disputes - international Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, 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; Faroese are considering proposals for full independence; uncontested dispute with Canada over Hans Island sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland |
