Geography*
Area: 43,096 sq. km. (16,640 sq. mi.); slightly smaller than Vermont
and New Hampshire combined.
Cities: Capital--Copenhagen (pop. 0.5 million in Copenhagen and
1.8 million in the Copenhagen Region). Other cities--Aarhus
(289,000), Odense (184,000), Aalborg (162,000).
Terrain: Low and flat or slightly rolling; highest elevation is 173 m.
(568 ft.).
Climate: Temperate. The terrain, location, and prevailing westerly
winds make the weather changeable.
*Excluding Greenland and the Faroe Islands
People
Nationality: Noun--Dane(s). Adjective--Danish.
Population (Jan. 1, 2004): 5.397 million.
Annual growth rate: 0.3%.
Ethnic groups: Scandinavian, German, Inuit, Faroese.
Christian singles note-Religion membership: Evangelical Lutheran 84.3%.
Catholics, Jews, other Protestant denominations, and Muslims account
for approximately 5%.
Languages: Danish, some German, Faroese, Greenlandic. English is the
predominant second language.
Education: Years compulsory--9. Attendance--100%. Literacy--100%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2003)--4.0/1,000. Life
expectancy--men 75 years, women 79 years.
Work force (2002): 2.8 million. Employment: Industry,
construction, mining and utilities--23%; government--35%; private
services--38%; agriculture and fisheries--4%.
Government
Type: Constitutional monarchy.
Constitution: June 5, 1953.
Branches: Executive--queen (chief of state), prime minister
(head of government), cabinet. Legislative--unicameral
parliament (Folketing). Judicial--appointed Supreme Court.
Political parties (represented in parliament): Venstre (Liberal),
Social Democratic, Konservative, Socialist People's, Social Liberal,
Unity List, Danish People's.
Suffrage: Universal adult (18 years of age).
Administrative subdivisions: 13 counties and 271 municipalities.
Economy
GDP (2003): $212 billion.
Annual growth rate (real terms, 2004 est.): 2.1%.
Per capita income: $37,883.
Agriculture and fisheries (2.4% of GDP at gross value added): Products--meat,
milk, grains, seeds, hides, fur skin, fish and shellfish.
Industry (21.0% of GDP at gross value added): Types--industrial
and construction equipment, food processing, electronics, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, furniture, textiles, windmills, and ships.
Natural resources: North Sea--oil and gas, fish. Greenland--fish
and shrimp, potential for hydrocarbons and minerals, including zinc,
lead, molybdenum, uranium, gold, platinum. The Faroe Islands--fish,
potential for hydrocarbons.
Trade (2003): Exports--$66.2 billion: manufactured goods 81%
(of which machinery and instruments 35%); agricultural products 10%
(of which pork and pork products cover 48%), fuels 2%, fish and fish
products 3%, other 4%. Imports--$56.4 billion: raw materials
and semi-manufactures 43%, consumer goods 29%, capital equipment 14%,
transport equipment 7%, fuels 5%, other 2%. Partners (percent
of total trade in goods)--Germany 21%, Sweden 13%, U.K. 8%, U.S. 5%,
Norway 5%, Japan 2%, east European countries 5%.
Official exchange rate: (2002 avg.) 7.88 kroner=U.S. $1; (2003 avg.)
6.59 kroner=U.S. $1.
PEOPLE AND HISTORY
Christian singles note-The Danes, a homogenous Gothic-Germanic people,
have inhabited Denmark since prehistoric times. Danish is the
principal language. English is a required school subject, and fluency
is high. A small German-speaking minority lives in southern Jutland; a
mostly Inuit population inhabits Greenland; and the Faroe Islands have
a Nordic population with its own language. Education is compulsory
from ages seven to 16 and is free through the university level.
Although religious freedom is guaranteed, the state-supported
Evangelical Lutheran Church accounts for about 84% (down from 92% in
1984) of those persons claiming religious affiliation. Several other
Christian denominations, as well as other major religions, find
adherents in Denmark. Islam is now the second-largest religion in
Denmark.
During the Viking period (9th-11th centuries), Denmark was a great
power based on the Jutland Peninsula, the Island of Zealand, and the
southern part of what is now Sweden. In the early 11th century, King
Canute united Denmark and England for almost 30 years.
Viking raids brought Denmark into contact with Christianity, and in
the 12th century, crown and church influence increased. By the late
13th century, royal power had waned, and the nobility forced the king
to grant a charter, considered Denmark's first constitution. Although
the struggle between crown and nobility continued into the 14th
century, Queen Margrethe I succeeded in uniting Denmark, Norway,
Sweden, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland under the
Danish crown. Sweden and Finland left the union in 1520; however,
Norway remained until 1814. Iceland, in a "personal union"
under the king of Denmark after 1918, became independent in 1944.
The Reformation was introduced in Denmark in 1536. Denmark's
provinces in today's southwestern Sweden were lost in 1658, and Norway
was transferred from the Danish to the Swedish crown in 1814,
following the defeat of Napoleon, with whom Denmark was allied.